SNDO Manager attends European Accessibility Summit

The Manager of the Supported Needs and Disability Office has attended the European Accessibility Summit in Brussels.

The summit was organized by the European Disability Forum, which works to defend the interests of over 100 million people with disabilities in Europe.

It works regularly with the European Parliament, Commission, and Council of the EU.

The summit hosted 23 speakers, and looked at topics including technology, public procurement, higher education and video games, all with a focus on accessibility.

The keynote speaker was Belgium’s Federal Minister for Persons with Disabilities, who spoke of his own hearing loss and cochlear implants.

Rob Beenders said it’s important to “embrace the full diversity of human abilities”, and “build a society where inclusion is not the exception, but the norm”.

He also discussed the European Accessibility Act, with a panel discussion then looking at how this is being implemented within EU member states.

The summit also looked at the use of artificial intelligence for accessibility, and the links and distinctions between AI, assistive technology and accessibility.

SNDO Manager, Jenny Victory, said, “The summit has given me the opportunity to network with key people working within the disability field across Europe and the world. Gibraltar is not an EU member state, but it is important to factor in EU frameworks when developing our local policies.”

Minister for Equality, Employment, Culture and Tourism, the Hon Christian Santos GMD MP, said: “These events give us the opportunity to discuss key issues relevant to Gibraltar with other countries, share information and learn how to navigate implementing and monitoring legislation. The Supported Needs and Disability Office are continually assessing and updating our practices and legislation to ensure The Ministry of Equality is offering the best legal protection and best practices to our community.”