Accessible for All - Hong Kong Symposium

Hon Elizabeth Quat, a Legislative Council Member, is the current Chairman of Panel on Information Technology and Broadcasting, Chairman of Subcommittee on Matters Relating to the Development of Smart City, Deputy Chairman of the Committee on Members’ Interests, and the former Chairman of Panel on Environmental Affairs. Hon Quat has founded several non-profit organisations. She is the Founder and Honorary President of the Smart City Consortium, Founding President of the Energy Saving & Environment Concern Alliance, one of the founders and former president of Internet Professional Association, Honorary President of International New Energy Industry Alliance, and Advisory Board Member of ESG Consortium, Honorary Advisor of Institute of Web 3.0 Hong Kong, and Co-chairman of International Hydrogen Investment Association.

Hon Quat was appointed by the HKSAR Government as Member of The Deposit- taking Companies Advisory Committee, Non-official Member of the Task Force on Promoting Web3 Development, Non-official Member of the Green Tech Fund Assessment Committee and Member of the Sub-Committee on Development of Industries under the Advisory Committee on the Northern Metropolis. She is the elected member of the HKSAR Election Committee for the Technology and Innovation Sub-sector, and was also the elected member of the HKSAR Election Committee for the Information Technology Sub-sector in 2006 and 2011.

Presentation title:

Ensuring Digital Accessibility for the Building of a Diverse and Inclusive Smart City

Presentation summary:

Digital accessibility refers to the design and operational feature of all digital technologies, websites, and/or mobile applications that prevent digital divide in guaranteeing equal opportunity in the consumption of digitally-produced information and services.

Despite the HKSAR Government’s years of advocacy in ensuring digital accessibility, recent surveys have shown that many websites, including online shopping platforms and government services websites, which are frequented by citizens, have yet to comply with the principles denoted in the World Wide Web Consortium (W3C)’s standards for digital accessibility, rendering web usage for the disabled and the elderly rather difficult.

Whether it is the construction of a smart city or the realisation of a digitally inclusive and diverse society, the ultimate goal is to improve the quality of life of our citizens. Only in ensuring equity in the consumption of information and digital inclusiveness can we effectively bridge digital divide.

I hope the Government can take the European Accessibility Act as reference, and mandate the provision of digitally accessible functions and designs by all relevant organisations. In addition, I believe it is necessary to include the clause of digital accessibility in the Disability Discrimination Ordinance for bridging digital divide and eventually building a smart city that is digitally inclusive.