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G3ict

Methodology

The DARE Index survey is based on one set of questionnaires completed, for its second edition 2020, by more than 160 local correspondents in 137 countries during the period of September 2019 and February 2020. The 137 countries surveyed have a combined population of approximately 7 billion (6,999,029,075) meaning that the 2020 Index covers 90 percent of the world population.

The 2020 edition has upgraded and expanded its methodology to reflect the advances achieved in ICTs worldwide including one new question under each of three categories of variables: the “Marrakesh Treaty Ratification/Accession” under Country Commitments; “Government Agency for accessible ICTs” under Country Capacity to implement; and, “Internet Availability and Usage among Persons with Disabilities” under Outcomes for persons with disabilities in 10 areas of products and services. By including these three new variables and having a higher number of countries surveyed, a comparison analysis showing the trend between the years 2018 and 2020 is not possible at this point. A separate comparison analysis was viable by including only those countries that participated in both years (2018 and 2020) and by incorporating in the analysis the same set of variables used in the 2018 DARE Index. To learn more about this DARE Index comparison analysis between the years 2018 and 2020, please refer to the Global Progress by CRPD States Parties report (available in Arabic, English, French, Spanish).

The DARE Index survey is designed to evaluate, track and rank the progress made by CRPD signatories countries in the implementation of digital accessibility treaty provisions (e.g., CRPD Article 9). Its conceptual framework is consistent with the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) guidelines on Human Rights reporting (structure, process, and outcome). The DARE Index survey is divided into three dimensions or legs, as follows:

Leg #1 audit assessment tool, or the Country Commitments (Structure): It monitors essential laws, regulations or policy programs in place in the country. This section measures the formal status of the country’s government legal and policy regime in relation to those ICT commitments, the political commitments made with respect to national laws, policies, programs and plans of action that are relevant to the ICT provisions. Variables include:

Leg #2 audit tool or Country Capacity to Implement (Process): It is perceived as representing the basic capacity of a country to implement the ICT provisions of the CRPD. It refers to the required government agencies, organizational and institutional resources involved, the digital/technology resources available and the standard bodies the country follows. Key success factors in capacity to implement are identified through statistical and case study analysis. Variables include:

  • Government Agency for Persons with Disabilities
  • Government Agency for accessible ICTs
  • Process to involve DPOs in Policy Making on ICT Accessibility
  • Country refers to international ICT accessibility standards
  • ICT accessibility Courses available at Universities

Leg #3 audit tool or Country Actual Implementation (Outcomes): It checks the systemic and/or individual impact(s) of a country’s fulfillment of the ICT provisions of the CRPD. Outcomes are measured by degrees consistent with CRPD notion of progressive implementation in the 10 key areas of ICT accessibility according to the Digital Accessibility Decennial Call for Action issued at the United Nations on 3 December 2016 by the International Disability Alliance, Disabled People’s International and G3ict. Variables include:

  • Web
  • TV and multimedia
  • Mobile telephony
  • E-books and digital contents
  • Internet availability and usage among Persons with Disabilities
  • Inclusive ICTs for all in education
  • Enabling ICTs for all in employment
  • E-government and Smart Cities for all
  • Enabling Assistive Technologies and ICTs for independent living
  • Procurement of accessible public goods and services for all citizens

Scoring is computed as follows:

  • 25 points (2.5 points each for Marrakesh Treaty and CRPD ratifications, 5 points for each of the 3 remaining variables) for the first leg (Country Commitments)
  • 25 points (5 points for each of the 5 variables) for the second leg (Country Capacity to Implement)
  • 50 points (5 points for each of the 10 variables) for the third leg (Country Actual Implementation and Outcomes for Persons with Disabilities)

Score out of 100 points in total per country.

For the first two legs (Country Commitments and Capacity to Implement), points are calculated as 0 (item is not present in country), 2.5 or 5 (item is present in country).

For the third leg (Country Actual Implementation and Outcomes), points are calculated on a scale of 0 to 5 as follows:

0 = no program or policy

1 = policy or program but no implementation

2 = minimum level of implementation (pilot project only)

3 = policy or program being rolled out but less than half implemented (examples provided to respondents)

4 = policy or program being rolled out, more than half implemented (examples provided to respondents)

5 = full implementation