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About the DASH Advisory Council

Digital Accessibility Standardization and Policy Harmonization (DASH) Advisory Council

A G3ict Multistakeholder Brainstorming Advisory Council in support of the Development and Implementation of Article 9 of the Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities (CRPD) and of the United Nations Global Digital Compact (GDC).

Introduction

The Digital Accessibility Standardization and Policy Harmonization (DASH) Advisory Council is a multistakeholder initiative facilitated by G3ict to explore, define, and promote strategies among institutions, advocates, and market participants to make digital accessibility universally available to persons with disabilities. It focuses on standards and policy harmonization of both existing and emerging technologies such as Artificial Intelligence (AI).

In 2024, the DASH Advisory Council provided input for the preparation of the UN Pact for the Future, including through its AI Advisory Body, and its Global Digital Compact (GDC) workgroups. Those contributions helped delegations negotiating the text of the GDC to include several essential dispositions for persons with disabilities and digital accessibility.

The GDC was adopted by the UN General Assembly as an integral annex of the Pact during the Summit of the Future in New York on 22-23 September 2024 and was formally endorsed by G3ict at the 12th M-Enabling Summit. It constitutes a valuable set of international guidelines to further promote digital accessibility advocacy and navigate the new challenges and opportunities of AI for persons with disabilities.

Objectives

  1. To establish an open and creative dialogue among multiple stakeholders involved in digital accessibility to develop practical, innovative strategies and policies that can facilitate economies of scale, interoperability, and the universal availability of digital accessibility across all sectors of activity, applications, and services.
  2. To raise awareness about the GDC and its dispositions for persons with disabilities which reinforce and complement the CRPD in relation to new emerging technologies such as AI.
  3. To monitor progress in implementing the dispositions of the CRPD and Global Digital Compact around the world based on research and data analysis.
  4. To publish regularly the results of its proceedings in the form of white papers, strategic assessments, proposals, and guidelines reflecting multi-stakeholder consensus.
  5. To establish and strengthen influential partnerships with all multi-stakeholders interested in promoting the rights of persons with disabilities to digital inclusion globally.
  6. To help develop appropriate outreach strategies to advance its agenda among relevant institutions, advocacy organizations, and market participants.

Governance and Structure


Steering Committee

Led by a Steering Committee, the DASH Advisory Council consists of multistakeholder participants representing Organizations of Persons with Disabilities, global technology corporations, digital accessibility policy makers, digital accessibility professionals, and other sectors such as financial services, health care, e-government, or education. Participants are invited to the initiative of the Steering Committee with the support of the Secretariat.

Chairpersons

  • The DASH Advisory Council is co-chaired by two Council members representing the ICT sector and organizations of persons with disabilities.
  • The two appointed co-chairs shall be responsible for calling for and moderating the DASH Advisory Council and its Steering Committee’s meetings and ensuring that the Advisory Council’s business is conducted according to its agenda.

Secretariat

  • G3ict serves as the Advisory Council’s Secretariat.
  • The Secretariat is responsible for:
    • Supporting the co-chairs in calling for and holding the task force meetings,
    • Facilitate all Advisory Council outreach activities,
    • Coordinate the holding of Advisory Council activities, such as panel discussions, one-on-one dialogues with relevant UN stakeholders and policymakers,
    • Support the drafting and keep all Advisory Council’s communication material (e-mails, presentations, public speeches), and
    • Maintain the Advisory Council’s means of external outreach and communication.