By CHRIS V PANGANIBAN
DOHA: There is still a need for more media mileage to increase public awareness of the plight of persons with disabilities (PWDs) especially on their access to assistive technology, the Mada or Qatar Assistive Technology Center has said.
Ahmed Habib, Mada’s Head of Communications Awareness and Outreach, said PWDs need more quality of press coverage to expose them on a positive light and highlight Qatar’s commitment as signatory of UN Convention on Rights of Persons with Disabilities.
Speaking during a media roundtable at the Renaissance Hotel yesterday, Habib underscored the significant media role to encourage government effort for more accessibility for PWDs. He noted accessibility to wheelchairs in many public facilities in the country is still very few.
“It is important for us in Mada that there is infrastructure in place that will give access to PWDs even to transportation and public buildings,” Habib said.
Journalists can avail various kind of coverage from Mada to keep them abreast about what they have been doing to improve the lot of assistive technology including activities being done at the Center, case studies that they often develop, technology reviews that give more access to PWDs and expert opinion pieces to increase understanding on the plight of PWDs.
Habib said they have been preparing case studies on life-changing stories of PWDs access to assistive technologies available at Mada to boost their access to Information and Communication Technology.
“These are powerful stories that are indeed of human interest,” Habid said.
Mada is considering doing a tech review on the much talked about iPhone 5 if the latest Apple smartphone offers more applications to give more access to PWDs. Habib said Mada is also focusing on PWDs accessibilities to government websites and educational awareness to independent schools. The Peninsula
