Panel
–Rosemary J Gowran (Chair) (BeWheelWell Centre of Education and Research for
WheelchairUser Wellbeing, University of Limerick/ National Clinical Programme for People
with Disability, Health Service Executive)
–Mac MacLachlan (Assisted Living and Learning (ALL) Institute, Maynooth University)
–Satish Mishra (ATscale, Global Partnership for Assistive Technology)
–Marie Abou Saab (SESOBEL Lebanon, International Society of Wheelchair Professionals)
–Alex Kamadu (International Society of Wheelchair Professionals – ISWP)
–Evert Jan Hoogerwerf (Global Alliance of Assistive Technology – GAATO)
–Luc De Witte (GAATO)
-REP TBC Global Disability Innovation Hub, University College London.

Rationale
Assistive Technology supports human life and living. History throughout the ages has shown the disparities that exist between peoples across the globe and ability to participate in society. Moving away from traditional definitions which categorise people into specific sections of society, here we view humankind through a rights-based lens, with the right to do, be, become and belong in society. All human beings need to ‘do’ to survive, no matter how limited the doing, whatever the challenge within the constant flux of social, economic, environmental and political contexts. Doing is intrinsically and extrinsically necessary to benefit health, wellbeing and individual identity.
Assistive technology, when we need it, directly affects our ability to do everyday tasks, participate and be included. The past decade has seen collective action to drive global and sustainable development, and directives to uplift access to assistive technology for all. The World Health Assembly (2018) recognises Assistive Technology as essential for living and the UNICEF-WHO Global Report on Assistive Technology (2023) provides recommendations for countries to adopt, to build accessible services and provide appropriate and timely access to assistive products, which are suitable for contexts and populations. Assistive technologies have also been shown to be central to the achievement of both the articles of the UNCRPD (Smith, Huff, Wescott et al, 2024) and each of the goals within the SDGs (Tebbutt, Brodmann, Borg et al, 2016). It is widely recognised that countries require individualised contextual models of practice to enable the provision of appropriate and affordable assistive technology, moving away from charitable donations to strengthening local systems, supported by grant aid initiatives, collaborating with local communities to build sustainable assistive technology services.

The UNCRPD, most specifically: Article 11 with obligations under international law, including international humanitarian law and international human rights law, that all necessary measures are taken to ensure the protection and safety of persons with disabilities in situations of risk, including situations of armed conflict, humanitarian emergencies and the occurrence of natural disasters; and Article 26, which convenes States Parties to promote the availability, knowledge and use of assistive devices and technologies, designed for persons with disabilities, as they relate to habilitation and rehabilitation, is being frustrated, albeit for different reasons in different places. While there are continuous vulnerabilities to respond to emergencies as the result of natural disasters, the current human made humanitarian catastrophises are causing death and physical and psychological trauma for peoples across continents: Gaza, Lebanon, Ukraine and Sudan, threatening the accessibility and sustainability of appropriate assistive technology for children, young people, adults and older people. For instance, in Gaza, it would be obscene if the leads in providing support for assistive technology in these zones were the same countries who supplied the weapons that caused such death, injuries, trauma and displacement. In addition, the removal and reduction of grant aid questions our legacy practices and failure to build sustainable
infrastructure locally to support in-country independence. In an era when the international rules-based-order, long-established norms of diplomacy, the relevance of international trade organisations and the functioning of United Nations agencies is all being questioned and undermined, a rethinking of the means of assistive technology provision is urgently required.

Purpose of the Policy Session
This policy session brings together global minds to discuss chaotic developments, which are creating high levels of risk to access appropriate assistive technology where immediate and emergency response is required to support citizens and the impacts of war. We as assistive technology and rehabilitations professionals, cannot remain silent and the symposium that we have visioned is an opportunity for AAATE to indicate the sort of conditions most likely to facilitate effective assistive technology provision internationally, to provide appropriate and timely responses by creating sustainable infrastructure within diverse contexts, particularly during and post conflict. This session will emphasise the urgency to consider the vulnerability of sustainable development and the risks of reversal of achievements, through local systems strengthening, back to more reactionary charitable, short-term solutions. The lack of sustainable in-country infrastructure, including skilled workforce, undoubtedly impacts provision causing major disruption to peoples’ lives.
As fellow human beings we need a willingness to work in partnership to create a plan for action which nourishes a sustainable assistive technology community of practice. As assistive technology and rehabilitations professionals who share a common goal, we need to find community led solutions which embrace a middle ground approach, moving this debate out of silos, linking people at all levels and recognise the realities of disruption and destruction of structures, without being stilted by them.
All stakeholders involved in this complex and currently unsustainable system will have the opportunity during this session to reflect on the whole system, identify individual and collective perspectives to get the balance right when finding sustainable solutions during fragile times and consider the following questions:

1. Despite the global momentum on Assistive Technology (AT), is AT still an ‘after-thought’ rather than an integral part of sustainable development?
2. What foundations are established before humanitarian crises (human-made or natural)?
3. Should a country’s or context’s vulnerability be defined solely by crises, or should it also be based on the maturity of its AT system infrastructure? 
4. As a Sustainable Community of Practice, are we willing to create true partnership and inter-connectedness through common meaning, mutual respect, trust, shared identity, knowledge, learning and co-operation?
5. Are we willing to work together to challenge the borders that exist which deny or restrict people’s access to dignified and meaningful participation in daily life?
   As the assistive technology community, we need a paradigm shift connecting assistive technology and justice for all people as a priority in the new context.

Policy Session Actions
Following the Policy Session a position paper will be prepared through contributor consensus, which reflects discussion and recommendations which nourish the sustainable assistive technology community of practice to generate actionable solutions.

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