LocationsAdvancing Accessibility through Digital Inclusion
December 3, 2025
Digital inclusion is a term that gets heard a lot. At the UN Development Programme (UNDP), the United Nations' lead agency for sustainable development, digital inclusion means much more than internet access for all. It spells out a means of empowering all persons, and that includes persons with disabilities.
There is no doubt that digital technology has transformed our world, and it holds the same potential to improve the lives of persons living with disabilities. The World Health Organization estimates that 1.3 billion persons, or 16 percent of the global population, live with a disability. Advancing digital inclusion and inclusion more generally means ensuring that persons with disabilities are not left behind.
Together with partners from civil society, the private sector, universities, and others, UNDP is working to leverage digital technologies to support inclusion and advance the rights of persons with disabilities.
Innovation in Rwanda: The Smart White Cane
In Rwanda, where more than 50 thousand persons live with visual impairments, in collaboration with the Rwandan Union of the Blind (RUB) and local tech firm Beno Holdings, UNDP created an upgraded version of the familiar white cane – the Smart White Cane (SWC).
This partnership recognised that the standard white cane cannot easily detect obstacles such as potholes or pick up on the presence of overhanging objects for persons with visual impairments. Using ultrasonic signals to detect obstacles up to 1.2 meters away, the SWC alerts the user with vibrations and sound.
GPS signals help to identify the geographic location of a SWC user, while blue and red lights alert nighttime drivers to their presence. The SWC improves mobility for persons who are blind or visually impaired, while also strengthening confidence in navigating public spaces.
Jean Marie Furaha, an RUB member and early SWC user, talks about what it means to him.
"As someone who has both visual and hearing impairments, the digital cane will help me a lot, especially as it can vibrate. The ordinary stick was good, but it had limitations. It didn't have lights or vibration to alert other road users of your presence or warn you of obstacles on the road."
The SWC is about strengthening independence for persons with disabilities, a goal that extends far beyond Rwanda.
Digital Access in the Bahamas: The AccessAbility App
As part of a broader project to promote digital access for all in the Bahamas, UNDP worked with local tech specialists and the Bahamian government to develop an app for persons with disabilities.
The AccessAbility Bahamas Mobile App includes transport discounts, work opportunities and all-important disaster alerts for the hurricane season.
Royann Mott lives in Nassau and works assisting a sign language teacher. Deaf since birth, she explained that the app played an important role in helping her secure her current job.
When she was shortlisted for this role, the AccessAbility app proved to be a simple route to finding an interpreter who could assist at the interview. "It was easy for me to use the app and it was very smooth."
Developed through UNDP's local partnerships, the app has been widely adopted in the Bahamas. Around 20% of persons with disabilities now use it, with users doubling to more than 2,000 in the first year.
Building Systemic Change: Web Accessibility Standards in Georgia
Alongside these innovations, UNDP is supporting countries to take broader steps toward inclusion – ensuring that accessibility is built into the very standards and systems that shape the digital world.
In Georgia, UNDP worked with the Parliament of Georgia, the UN University, and the Joint SDG Fund to review how global best practices and international standards on web accessibility – as well as the Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities - are being implemented. Based on the findings, the study put forward concrete recommendations to strengthen the application of the Convention and improve web accessibility nationwide.
By embedding these universal standards into national policies and everyday practice, countries like Georgia are taking important steps to ensure that accessibility becomes part of their wider development agenda – fostering inclusivity and allowing everyone to participate more fully in society.
Leaving No One Behind
These projects demonstrate that digital inclusion is not just about technology; it's about transformation. From the streets of Kigali to the islands of the Bahamas and the policy halls of Tbilisi, innovation paired with strong local partnerships is opening doors that were once closed. When we design with accessibility at the core, we don't just create tools for persons with disabilities. We build a more equitable digital world for everyone. Leaving no one behind is not simply a promise but a practice that UNDP is advancing every day toward a truly inclusive future.
Acknowledgments
The support and contributions of Michael Dempsey and Aalia Meera Garrett are acknowledged with appreciation. Recognition is also extended to the UNDP Rwanda, Bahamas, and Georgia Country Offices, together with the UNDP Regional Bureaux, whose engagement and collaboration were instrumental in informing and shaping this work.