In cooperation with HAKOM and FER, a Round Table was held on "People with Disabilities in the Digital Society"
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The objective of the roundtable was to give an overview of the position of people with disabilities as users of electronic communications services and to provide guidelines for further improvement.
The objective of the roundtable was to give an overview of the position of people with disabilities as users of electronic communications services and to provide guidelines for further improvement.
ZAGREB, 29 November 2017 - The round table on "People with Disabilities in the Digital Society" was organized by the Croatian Regulatory Authority for Network Industries (HAKOM) and the Faculty of Electrical Engineering and Computing (FER) in Zagreb. The round table brought together the representatives of the Association for Persons with Disabilities, “Office of the Ombudsperson for Disabled Persons, Operators and Other Institutions”. The roundtable’s objective was to give an overview of the position of people with disabilities as users of electronic communications services in order to provide guidelines for further improvement.
The keynote speaker Mario Weber pointed out that one of the tasks of HAKOM, as the regulatory body of the electronic communications market is to protect the interests of users. According to Mr. Weber’s, words people with disabilities are users like everyone else, with the exception of their need to access services in a different way. We have recognized the importance of including and promoting the people with disabilities in the digital society and this is one of the important cornerstones of our activity. Furthermore, the Director of HAKOM has announced that HAKOM would organize meetings of associations and representatives operators at least once a year in order to discuss the issue of including persons with disabilities in digital society services, provide suggestions and guidelines for improvements, as well as to enhance the possible coordination of joint activities of Associations operator and HAKOM. Furthermore, HAKOM will completely adapt its web pages in accordance with the (Web Content Accessibility Guidelines) and make them an appropriate example of how the website of the public authorities might look.
In his greeting speech, the Office of the Ombudsperson for Disabled Persons Darijo Jurišić said that around 80 million people with disabilities live in the EU today, due to the age of the population, this number will increase to about 120 million by 2020.
"Protection and Promotion of the Rights of Persons with Disabilities as Users of Electronic Communication Services" was the topic of presentation of HAKOM's Legal Affairs Expert Tanja Zaninović and the presentation entitled "Accessing Users on Accessibility of Public Communication Services" was held by Ivana Rašan, Marija Livajušić, the representative of the Centre for Research, Education and Application of New Knowledge, informed us about the EU Directive on the availability of internet sites and mobile applications of public sector, while the examples of positive practices abroad in communication services were presented by Vanda Šagovac, President of the association "The world of silence" Presentation on the topic of current and ideal situations in the branch office was held by Iva Ražanković from the Society of persons with cerebral palsy Zagreb.
The panel discussion “People with disabilities in digital society" headed by Željka Car FER, was visited by Marijana Grubešić, Tele2 representative, Lidija Varga Trgovec, Vipnet representative, Vice Jakovljević, " HT representative, Marija Livoješić, Up2date and Center for Research, Education and Knowledge Applying, Josip Koštan from the Assosiation of persons with Cerebral Palsy and Polio Zagreb, Vanda Šagovac, President of the Association "The World of Silence" and Mirjana Dobranović, Association for the Promotion of equal opportunities (UPIM).
The gathering represents the continuation of FER's Assistant Laboratory activities and assisted communication in finding technological solutions for society development with the same opportunities for everyone within the ICT-AAC Competence Network.
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For additional information please contact:
Croatian Regulatory Authority for Network Industries (HAKOM)
Roberta Frangeša Mihanovića 9
10110 Zagreb, Croatia
Tel. + 385 (0) 1 700 70 07
Fax + 385 (0)1 700 70 70
Media inquiries can be submitted online using HAKOM’s official website: https://www.hakom.hr/
Registration required.
ABOUT HAKOM: HAKOM (www.hakom.hr) - Croatian Regulatory Authority for Network Industries – ensures preconditions for a fair market competition, stable growth and environment for innovations in the electronic communications and postal services market. HAKOM protects users’ interests and the possibility of choice among various communications and postal services at affordable prices, defines sustainable competitive conditions for operators and service providers under fair conditions for return on investment, and provides support to economic growth, public services and the quality of life in the Republic of Croatia by using modern technologies. HAKOM’ strategic goals are: to promote regulation of the electronic communications and postal services market, to support growth of investments and innovations in the electronic communications and postal services market, to provide efficient use of limited resources, to accelerate the growth of broadband products and services, to provide affordable offers of communications and postal services, to provide protection and informing of users, to build an efficient and comprehensive information system, to define and implement efficient processes, and to acquire multi-disciplinary competencies in market regulation.
The keynote speaker Mario Weber pointed out that one of the tasks of HAKOM, as the regulatory body of the electronic communications market is to protect the interests of users. According to Mr. Weber’s, words people with disabilities are users like everyone else, with the exception of their need to access services in a different way. We have recognized the importance of including and promoting the people with disabilities in the digital society and this is one of the important cornerstones of our activity. Furthermore, the Director of HAKOM has announced that HAKOM would organize meetings of associations and representatives operators at least once a year in order to discuss the issue of including persons with disabilities in digital society services, provide suggestions and guidelines for improvements, as well as to enhance the possible coordination of joint activities of Associations operator and HAKOM. Furthermore, HAKOM will completely adapt its web pages in accordance with the (Web Content Accessibility Guidelines) and make them an appropriate example of how the website of the public authorities might look.
In his greeting speech, the Office of the Ombudsperson for Disabled Persons Darijo Jurišić said that around 80 million people with disabilities live in the EU today, due to the age of the population, this number will increase to about 120 million by 2020.
"Protection and Promotion of the Rights of Persons with Disabilities as Users of Electronic Communication Services" was the topic of presentation of HAKOM's Legal Affairs Expert Tanja Zaninović and the presentation entitled "Accessing Users on Accessibility of Public Communication Services" was held by Ivana Rašan, Marija Livajušić, the representative of the Centre for Research, Education and Application of New Knowledge, informed us about the EU Directive on the availability of internet sites and mobile applications of public sector, while the examples of positive practices abroad in communication services were presented by Vanda Šagovac, President of the association "The world of silence" Presentation on the topic of current and ideal situations in the branch office was held by Iva Ražanković from the Society of persons with cerebral palsy Zagreb.
The panel discussion “People with disabilities in digital society" headed by Željka Car FER, was visited by Marijana Grubešić, Tele2 representative, Lidija Varga Trgovec, Vipnet representative, Vice Jakovljević, " HT representative, Marija Livoješić, Up2date and Center for Research, Education and Knowledge Applying, Josip Koštan from the Assosiation of persons with Cerebral Palsy and Polio Zagreb, Vanda Šagovac, President of the Association "The World of Silence" and Mirjana Dobranović, Association for the Promotion of equal opportunities (UPIM).
The gathering represents the continuation of FER's Assistant Laboratory activities and assisted communication in finding technological solutions for society development with the same opportunities for everyone within the ICT-AAC Competence Network.
# # #
For additional information please contact:
Croatian Regulatory Authority for Network Industries (HAKOM)
Roberta Frangeša Mihanovića 9
10110 Zagreb, Croatia
Tel. + 385 (0) 1 700 70 07
Fax + 385 (0)1 700 70 70
Media inquiries can be submitted online using HAKOM’s official website: https://www.hakom.hr/
Registration required.
ABOUT HAKOM: HAKOM (www.hakom.hr) - Croatian Regulatory Authority for Network Industries – ensures preconditions for a fair market competition, stable growth and environment for innovations in the electronic communications and postal services market. HAKOM protects users’ interests and the possibility of choice among various communications and postal services at affordable prices, defines sustainable competitive conditions for operators and service providers under fair conditions for return on investment, and provides support to economic growth, public services and the quality of life in the Republic of Croatia by using modern technologies. HAKOM’ strategic goals are: to promote regulation of the electronic communications and postal services market, to support growth of investments and innovations in the electronic communications and postal services market, to provide efficient use of limited resources, to accelerate the growth of broadband products and services, to provide affordable offers of communications and postal services, to provide protection and informing of users, to build an efficient and comprehensive information system, to define and implement efficient processes, and to acquire multi-disciplinary competencies in market regulation.