We are pleased to announce that the World Health Organization (WHO) and the Global Alliance of Assistive Technology Organizations (GAATO) have signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) to formalize collaboration and further shared goals toward improving access to assistive technology.
WHO has been leading global efforts to improve access to assistive technology (AT) since 2014 when the Global Cooperation on Assistive Technology or GATE Initiative was launched. GAATO was formally established in 2020, built upon the long-standing partnerships between its founding members. Other international AT organizations are now invited to join them in their shared mission, to advance access to assistive technology around the world.
The focus of the collaboration will initially be around three themes: (1) on the dissemination of the WHO Global Report on Assistive Technology; (2) on awareness raising, advocacy and capacity building for improving access to assistive technology; and (3) on exchange of information, best practice and research.
Chapal Khasnabis, WHO’s Access to Assistive Technology Team lead, and Luc de Witte, GAATO President will formally announce the MOU during the upcoming ICCHP-AAATE 2022 Conference, July 11-15th, 2022, Lecco (Italy), where WHO and GAATO will co-lead several sessions to disseminate the findings of the Global Report on Assistive Technology.