encourage integration of digital technologies into the educational and vocational system at all levels to ensure that our current and future workforce is prepared for the changes that are happening now. Skills: It is the Government’s position that all Kenyans should become proficient users of appropriate digital technology so that they can benefit from the sea-change currently underway. This policy seeks to build on the already universal use of mobile digital money and inculcate widespread adoption of cognate digital services, goods and activities. 6.1.4 Accessibility The Government will provide an ICT environment fully accessible to persons with disabilities. The Government of Kenya is fully committed to providing equal treatment to people with disabilities with respect to the use and benefit of ICT services, programs, goods and facilities in a manner that respects their dignity and that is equitable in relation to the broader public. Kenya is a signatory to the United Nations Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities (CRPD), adopted by the UN General Assembly on 13th December 2006. The Convention stipulates that Persons with Disabilities have a right to access to information through different mediums with Article 9 covering accessibility including ICTs while Article 30 covers television programmes, films, theatre and other cultural activities. The World Health Organization estimates that about ten per cent of the world’s population has some type of disability. This policy mandates full accessibility for persons with disabilities. All public and government communications will be suitably instrumented. The Government will take measures to: 4. Ensure that persons with disabilities can exercise the right to access to information, freedom of expression and opinion; 5. Require both public and private entities that render services to the public to provide information and services in accessible and usable formats for persons with disabilities; 6. Require content producers for distribution and public consumption in Kenya to produce such content in accessible format; 7. Ensure that websites of government departments and agencies comply with international web accessibility standards and are accessible for persons with disabilities; 8. Provide incentives to providers of accessible technology solutions including software, hardware and applications; 9. Take such measures as will lessen the burden of acquisition of accessible technologies and associated devices for PWDs through fiscal means such as funding acquisitions, etc.; 10. Ensure that licensed providers of telecommunications services make available services and supporting technologies for persons with disabilities including emergency services, accessible public phones and relay services to enable persons with speech, hearing and seeing disabilities to communicate with the rest of society; 11. Ensure existing works in print format to be adapted into accessible format transformative forms which can be used by the blind without any liability; and 1. Ensure that ICT services and emergency communications made available to the public are provided in alternative accessible formats for persons with disabilities (PWD); 12. Promote Research and Development for ICT access for Persons with Disabilities. 2. Review existing legislation and regulations to promote ICT accessibility for PWDs in consultation with organisations representing PWDs among others; 6.2.1 Background 3. Promote the design, production and distribution of accessible ICT at an early stage; Ministry of ICT, Kenya 6.2 The Market This ICT policy has been formulated to spur economic growth, recognising ICTs as an enabler. The contributions of the ICT policy to The Market are in three domains, namely: Money: We want to use ICT to enable more people to make more money faster. It is our goal to give every Kenyan the opportunity to 17/37 November-2019