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Thematic Public Goods

This sub-programme explores the intersecting and systemic challenges experienced by disabled people in AT access, looking at enabling environments.

Enabling access to AT through systems change

This sub-programme explores the intersecting and systemic challenges experienced by disabled people in AT access, looking at enabling environments through workstreams:

  • Inclusive cities and infrastructure
    • Including climate and crisis resilience, with a focus on cities, infrastructure and AT
  • Gender
  • Local production

Building evidence to drive action we’ll develop global strategies, research papers, catalytic support models, case studies and impact stories to drive evidence-based solutions at scale.  

[1] Inclusive cities and infrastructure 

This workstream positions cities and infrastructure as key enablers of AT access, use and enjoyment. Cities - increasingly seen as sites of innovation and leadinfg solutions to global challenges – are key to a more inclusive planet and inclusive futures for AT users. To create more inclusive and accessible cities and infrastructure, we need evidence on what works and what good looks like, that is co-created with those who know best – championing local solutions and disabled-led solutions.  

AT2030 Inclusive Cities has led research in 6 cities worldwide, to gather insights on common challenges, innovation and opportunities, culminating in a Global Action Report and a Global Comparison Report. All developed with local partners.The workstream is now testing the methodology of the Global Action Report through a Pilot in Addis Ababa, through research and catalytic support. 

While locally-led solutions are fundamental, we also look at the global picture and work with partners on the global advocacy for inclusive cities, ensuring AT users are included in how inclsuive cities are envisioned. This work takes us to World Urban Forum, COP and other global events to shape the conversation on what works for inclusive cities. 

Key highlights include: 

  • The publication of the Global Action Report on Inclusive Design, a tool to guide cities with practical starting points. 
  • Leading the development of the first dedicated space to disability and accessibility at World Urban Forum 12 in Cairo in 2024, through the Accessibility 2030 pavilion, in partnership with IDA, World Blind Union and BMZ plus supporting partners.
  • Gathering city-to-city conversations in London in 2023. 
  • Learning what inclusive innovation for disabled people looks like in cities from the MATT third wheel attachment to wheelchairs being used for city tours in Colombia to innovative methodologies for accessible research in Indonesia with Kota Kita.
  • Looking at how play has a role in inclusive design through Lego with Kota Kita in Indonesia and at the Global Disability Summit.

[2] Climate and crisis resilience, with a focus on cities, infrastructure and AT 

Our research on cities and infrastructure made clear the significant impact the climate crisis has on the accessibility of our cities and AT access. Disabled people continue to be left out of climate solutions and climate funding rarely considers the inclusion of disabled people as a priority. Our research seeks to change this, demonstrating how and why disabled people and the use of and access to AT must be considered in climate solutions. We identified that the lack of inclusive design and accessibility of climate solutions is a major barrier to inclusive climate action and is an area with limited evidence. City-scale action has great potential to drive change for inclusive climate solutions with equity at their core. Our aim is to build this evidence with a focus on practical solutions and ensuring the those designing solutions are equipped with inclusive design skills.

Highlights include: 

[3] Gender 

Access to AT is gendered. Our research so far has identified how gender influences AT access and outcomes.

This workstream aims to both produce dedicated research on the impact of gender on AT access, use and outcomes and provide cross-program support to mainstream gender inclusion across the AT2030 programme. This work is guided by our Gender Inclusion Strategy.

Highlights include:

[4] Local production

The local production workstream focuses on strengthening the development, manufacturing, and distribution of assistive technology (AT) within LMICs directly. It aims to establish efficient, sustainable production systems that ensure assistive products are developed in consideration of local contexts from design and manufacture through to end users. By promoting locally driven solutions, the workstream supports quality assurance, cost-effectiveness, and timely delivery, while fostering innovation that responds to the specific needs of local communities.  

Highlights from this workstream include the local production pilot in Nepal where a locally manufactured prosthetic liner was tested in collaboration with Green Pastures Hospital. The user testing in a local setting helped inform design decisions and provision systems in place to maximise impact and benefit of the assistive device. This local production user testing pilot is now being trialed with a local partner in Rwanda.  

Highlights include:

  • Impact stories: Man Kumari, Aakash  
  • A paper on unlocking Sustainable and Resilient Assistive Technology Innovation and Delivery Ecosystems: Personalised Co-creation of Locally Produced Prosthetics.
  • Case Study: Local Production Opportunities for Assistive Technology.