This document discusses ensuring access to audiovisual media for deaf and hard-of-hearing individuals in Tunisia. It begins by outlining the problem of limited access to information through audiovisual media for this group. While Tunisian laws recognize rights of disabled people, the current legal framework lacks specific regulations and resolutions to implement these rights in practice. The document then reviews relevant international conventions and Tunisian laws, finding the legal basis is strong but implementation is lacking. It compares Tunisia to other countries with more developed regulatory frameworks. The document concludes by calling for regulatory, encouraging, and awareness measures to be adopted to improve access for deaf and hard-of-hearing individuals in line with Tunisia's human rights obligations.
The document discusses factors that contribute to the success of digital citizen feedback platforms. It finds that understanding the local context is critical to developing an effective project. Reports are more likely if barriers like anonymity, responsiveness of authorities, and technical skills are addressed. Successful projects integrate the platforms into broader offline community engagement programs. They also work to build trust between citizens and duty bearers through relationships and intermediaries. Promotion of the platforms and issues raised is important, as is providing training. Funders can help by allowing flexibility, focusing on community engagement beyond just technology, understanding challenges of scaling, and supporting partnerships.
The keynote speaker provided an overview of participatory governance and its importance in democratic transitions. Decentralization does not automatically lead to participatory governance at the local level. The real challenge is transitioning to a model where decentralization benefits citizens and is driven by civil society, not just local politicians. The Tunisian constitution uniquely emphasizes participatory democracy through citizen and civil society inclusion in decision-making. Participatory governance can be approached functionally to improve management, or substantially to promote social cohesion. It implies transparency and engaging citizens in policy execution, monitoring and evaluation. There are different levels of democracy from informative to consultative to deliberative.
This is a recap report on the seminar organized by JFRC on 18 April 2015 about the policies of tripartite partnership between the public sector, the civil society and private sector.
The Role of Public Policy Research Institutions in Policymaking in TunisiaJasmine Foundation
1. Policymaking in Tunisia has traditionally been a closed and top-down process controlled by the central government. Following the 2011 revolution, the process has opened up somewhat with greater participation from representative institutions, civil society, and the public.
2. The paper examines the changing role of public policy research institutes in Tunisia's post-revolution policymaking process. It identifies challenges they face in promoting transparency and breaking down information asymmetry between the administration and public.
3. The paper is based on interviews with state research institutes and independent think tanks. It finds that while state institutes now have more research freedom, all institutes still face challenges in meaningfully contributing to policymaking.
This document contains an editor's note and table of contents for a magazine called "The Serenity". The editor's note discusses issues with Kenya's education system and technology evolution. It introduces various articles in the magazine on topics like media gains and losses, education in Kenya needing overhaul, same-sex marriages, cohabiting among campus students, and living as a genius not a hustler. The table of contents provides more details on the articles in the magazine.
Broadcast Management in Nigeria: The systems approach as an imperativeiosrjce
IOSR Journal of Business and Management (IOSR-JBM) is a double blind peer reviewed International Journal that provides rapid publication (within a month) of articles in all areas of business and managemant and its applications. The journal welcomes publications of high quality papers on theoretical developments and practical applications inbusiness and management. Original research papers, state-of-the-art reviews, and high quality technical notes are invited for publications.
Public policy to enable KBE in Africa. The case of healthcare sector in TunisiaMondher Khanfir
This document summarizes a study on how public policy in Tunisia could enable the development of a knowledge economy, using the healthcare sector as a case study. It provides background on Tunisia's healthcare system and policies, describing the value chain, ecosystem of actors, and export of healthcare services. The study assesses Tunisia's healthcare sector against dimensions of a knowledge-based industry model, examining areas like governance, education, R&D, and ICT. It identifies strengths and weaknesses, and recommends policy options to position healthcare as a leading knowledge-based industry in Tunisia and the region.
What is Electronic Media? (Introduction)
For detailed lectures with Urdu/Hindi explanation, subscribe to my YouTube channel.
https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCvmyC56ovZ8vIspsFMwkBgA
You can also follow us on Instagram, TikTok & Facebook via-@learnwithsamii
The document discusses factors that contribute to the success of digital citizen feedback platforms. It finds that understanding the local context is critical to developing an effective project. Reports are more likely if barriers like anonymity, responsiveness of authorities, and technical skills are addressed. Successful projects integrate the platforms into broader offline community engagement programs. They also work to build trust between citizens and duty bearers through relationships and intermediaries. Promotion of the platforms and issues raised is important, as is providing training. Funders can help by allowing flexibility, focusing on community engagement beyond just technology, understanding challenges of scaling, and supporting partnerships.
The keynote speaker provided an overview of participatory governance and its importance in democratic transitions. Decentralization does not automatically lead to participatory governance at the local level. The real challenge is transitioning to a model where decentralization benefits citizens and is driven by civil society, not just local politicians. The Tunisian constitution uniquely emphasizes participatory democracy through citizen and civil society inclusion in decision-making. Participatory governance can be approached functionally to improve management, or substantially to promote social cohesion. It implies transparency and engaging citizens in policy execution, monitoring and evaluation. There are different levels of democracy from informative to consultative to deliberative.
This is a recap report on the seminar organized by JFRC on 18 April 2015 about the policies of tripartite partnership between the public sector, the civil society and private sector.
The Role of Public Policy Research Institutions in Policymaking in TunisiaJasmine Foundation
1. Policymaking in Tunisia has traditionally been a closed and top-down process controlled by the central government. Following the 2011 revolution, the process has opened up somewhat with greater participation from representative institutions, civil society, and the public.
2. The paper examines the changing role of public policy research institutes in Tunisia's post-revolution policymaking process. It identifies challenges they face in promoting transparency and breaking down information asymmetry between the administration and public.
3. The paper is based on interviews with state research institutes and independent think tanks. It finds that while state institutes now have more research freedom, all institutes still face challenges in meaningfully contributing to policymaking.
This document contains an editor's note and table of contents for a magazine called "The Serenity". The editor's note discusses issues with Kenya's education system and technology evolution. It introduces various articles in the magazine on topics like media gains and losses, education in Kenya needing overhaul, same-sex marriages, cohabiting among campus students, and living as a genius not a hustler. The table of contents provides more details on the articles in the magazine.
Broadcast Management in Nigeria: The systems approach as an imperativeiosrjce
IOSR Journal of Business and Management (IOSR-JBM) is a double blind peer reviewed International Journal that provides rapid publication (within a month) of articles in all areas of business and managemant and its applications. The journal welcomes publications of high quality papers on theoretical developments and practical applications inbusiness and management. Original research papers, state-of-the-art reviews, and high quality technical notes are invited for publications.
Public policy to enable KBE in Africa. The case of healthcare sector in TunisiaMondher Khanfir
This document summarizes a study on how public policy in Tunisia could enable the development of a knowledge economy, using the healthcare sector as a case study. It provides background on Tunisia's healthcare system and policies, describing the value chain, ecosystem of actors, and export of healthcare services. The study assesses Tunisia's healthcare sector against dimensions of a knowledge-based industry model, examining areas like governance, education, R&D, and ICT. It identifies strengths and weaknesses, and recommends policy options to position healthcare as a leading knowledge-based industry in Tunisia and the region.
What is Electronic Media? (Introduction)
For detailed lectures with Urdu/Hindi explanation, subscribe to my YouTube channel.
https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCvmyC56ovZ8vIspsFMwkBgA
You can also follow us on Instagram, TikTok & Facebook via-@learnwithsamii
This document outlines Vanuatu's National Information and Communication Technology Policy. The overall objective of the policy is to maximize the contribution of ICTs to achieving Vanuatu's national vision of "A Just, Educated, Healthy and Wealthy Vanuatu" by empowering and benefiting citizens. The policy identifies 8 priority areas for ICT development, including access to ICTs in education, e-government, capacity building, and establishing a platform for multi-stakeholder coordination. It also outlines approaches like collaboration, private sector involvement, and integrating ICTs into other sector policies to guide implementation. The policy aims to harness ICTs to support economic growth, governance, and access to services in
2010-06 analysis of laws inconsistent with human rights in uganda_hurinetAlex Taremwa
This document analyzes laws in Uganda that are inconsistent with the right of access to information as established in Uganda's Access to Information Act of 2005. It focuses on analyzing key provisions of the Official Secrets Act, Evidence Act, and Parliamentary Powers and Privileges Act that contradict the right of access to information. The analysis finds that the Official Secrets Act contains overly broad and ambiguous definitions of classified information and official documents that can be used to unjustifiably withhold information. It also recommends amendments to laws like the Official Secrets Act to harmonize them with Uganda's constitutional right of access to information.
This report provides practical guidance indicating what language works for communicating about
climate change in Tunisia and what language is less effective. It is a result of a research programme
carried out in Tunisia from September to December 2019, where partner organisations based in
Tunisia ran nine values-based focus groups (known as Narrative Workshops) across the country,
with 107 participants in total. As far as the authors know, this is the first time in-depth climate
change communications research has been undertaken in Tunisia.
UNITED NATIONS December 2005 DOCUMENTS OUTCOME WSIS Dr Lendy Spires
This document contains the outcome documents from the 2003 and 2005 World Summits on the Information Society (WSIS). It includes the Geneva Declaration of Principles, the Geneva Plan of Action, the Tunis Commitment, and the Tunis Agenda for the Information Society. These documents establish a vision for an inclusive global information society and set goals and targets and areas of action to bridge the digital divide and ensure that the benefits of information and communication technologies (ICTs) are available to all.
The document summarizes the report of the UN Special Rapporteur on the rights of indigenous peoples regarding their fact-finding mission to the Republic of Congo. The report examines the extreme social, economic, political and cultural marginalization faced by indigenous groups such as the Baaka and Mbendjele peoples. It discusses issues such as discrimination, labor exploitation, poverty, lack of access to education, health services, civil registry and political participation. The report also outlines recent initiatives by the government and others to promote indigenous rights, but notes challenges in implementing these initiatives and applying related laws. It concludes by making recommendations to further protect and advance indigenous peoples' rights in Congo.
Popular Participation & Decentralization in AfricaJamaity
At the end of World War II, all but three African nations (Ethiopia, Liberia and South
Africa) were ruled by some European State. Then the independence movement began:
first in North Africa with Libya (1951), and over the next five years, Egypt, the Sudan.
Tunisia and Morocco. The Sub-Saharan States soon followed, beginning with Ghana
(1957) and, by 1990, 42 other countries. Being newly independent and largely poor,
the thinking was that if a country could come up with a national plan for generating
and investing a sufficient amount of funds in a manner consistent with macro stability,
then that country would have met the pre-conditions for development. It would
be a “State” (central government) — led process whereby “the flexibility to implement
policies by technocrats was accorded price-of-place and accountability through checks
and balances was regarded as an encumbrance” (World Bank, WDR, 1997). It was not
an unreasonable strategy: national governments populated by good advisers and with
external technical and financial assistance would put the country on the sure path to
growth and development
popular participation-decentralization-in-africa-minJamaity
This document provides an introduction to the concepts of decentralization and popular participation in Africa. It discusses definitions of political and fiscal decentralization, and explains why decentralization is occurring globally and the potential benefits it can provide if implemented well through improved services and poverty alleviation. However, decentralization can also fail if done poorly. The document emphasizes that popular participation is important for giving sustainability to decentralized systems of governance. It explores concepts of public and social accountability and how these relate to participation. Country examples of decentralization frameworks in Mozambique, South Africa, and Ethiopia are also provided.
This document is a community guide created by the Centre on Housing Rights & Evictions (COHRE) to educate communities in Nigeria about their housing rights and how to defend against forced evictions. It aims to address the lack of information and awareness around housing rights that communities in Nigeria face. The guide covers international human rights law and the Nigerian constitution's protections for housing rights. It is intended to empower communities to understand their rights, participate in decisions that affect them, and take collective action to defend against losing their homes and land to development projects. The guide provides strategies communities can use to advocate for their rights and will be used by COHRE to train grassroots activists.
Centre on Housing Rights & Evictions Community GuideDr Lendy Spires
Combating poverty is one of the major challenges the world faces. Today, between 1.5 and 2 billion people are trapped in extreme poverty, with less than a dollar a day to provide for their needs. In many countries, including Nigeria, poverty is deeply entrenched, preventing the vast majority of people in the developing world from realizing their economic and human potential. The majority of Nigeria’s 140 million people live in squalor, with 16 million Nigerians either landless, inadequately housed, or living in shacks and slums due to a huge housing deficit.
Hundreds of thousands of people have been displaced from their homes and farms annually to make way for development projects, city “beautification,” road expansion and infrastructural upgrading, urban renewal, implementation of development master plans etc— thereby pushing people further into chronic poverty. Sometimes projects are for the benefit of the country, but often the main benefits go to the powerful individuals and companies that take the land. Frequently, the people living on and using the land do not have secure rights to their land because the procedures for obtaining legal titles are so cumbersome, expensive, and laden with irregularities and deceit that ultimately they are forced to abandon the process or not engage in it at all.
Similarly, people are not given the opportunity to participate in decision-making about development projects that implicate them. However, due to efforts by international organizations, non-governmental organizations (NGOs) and community-based organizations (CBOs), there is a growing “Today, between 1.5 and 2 billion people are trapped in extreme poverty.„
This chapter provides an overview of the development of minority rights in international law. It discusses how the first significant attempt to identify internationally recognized minority rights was through a number of treaties adopted after World War I. It then outlines the work of the UN, including the adoption of the Declaration on the Rights of Persons Belonging to National or Ethnic, Religious and Linguistic Minorities in 1992. The chapter establishes the framework for understanding minority rights focus in the UN system.
ACCESSIBLE_The ICT Opportunity for a Disability_Inclusive Development FrameworkNabil Eid
ICTs provide significant opportunities for persons with disabilities to access social and economic activities. Websites are critical for accessing healthcare services, education at all levels, employment opportunities, and government services. Mobile devices and services are vital enablers of independent living. Radio and television also contribute to the social inclusion of persons with disabilities, though to a lesser extent. When made accessible, ICTs can greatly improve access and participation in all areas of society and development for persons with disabilities.
This document provides an introduction and overview of the World Summit on the Information Society (WSIS) process. Some key points:
- WSIS was a two-phase UN summit held in 2003 and 2005 that established a vision for building an inclusive global information society.
- The WSIS Stocktaking database collects projects implementing WSIS outcomes across 11 action lines related to ICT policies and applications.
- The annual WSIS Forum convenes stakeholders to discuss progress. In 2014 it included the WSIS+10 High-Level Event to review implementation.
- Other ongoing components of the WSIS process include the United Nations Group on the Information Society (UNGIS) and regional/international cooperation on achieving WSIS
This document discusses the need for global cooperation and connection in the digital media and entertainment industries. It argues that countries and cultures should work together not just as observers of technological advances but as active participants. To truly communicate information across boundaries requires considering different perspectives and ensuring accessibility regardless of economic situation. The document proposes strengthening regional networks to distribute information more widely and prevent any single entity from monopolizing information control, while still collaborating with larger networks. This would help maintain information quality and authenticity as it spreads more broadly. Overall, the document advocates for low-cost technology access, ongoing education, and global exchange to connect people worldwide through information and communication.
Australia sociedad de la informacion carloscarlos sornoza
The World Social Forum concluded in Mumbai, India with a large closing march and rally celebrating cultural diversity and the hope for another possible world with social justice for all. Over 10,000 participants from around the world joined together speaking 13 different languages but united in their vision of alternatives to inequality and a world where basic human rights are ensured for dignity. The event highlighted the role of communications and information as fundamental rights in bringing people together from different backgrounds towards common goals of social and economic justice.
UNICEF Turkey digital landscape exploratory paperAkshay Sinha
This document provides an exploratory study of the digital landscape among youth in Turkey. Some of the key findings include:
- Turkish youth, aged 10-24, make up a disproportionately large portion of Internet users in Turkey. However, there remains a pronounced gender gap with males reporting higher Internet use than females.
- The most common online activities among Turkish youth are social networking on sites like Facebook and MSN, as well as gaming. Blogging is also a popular form of user generated content.
- The primary risks Turkish youth face online are exposure to malicious software, sharing personal information, and cyberbullying.
- While the Turkish government actively promotes Internet development and online safety, some of its monitoring
This document provides an exploratory study of the digital landscape for youth in Turkey. Some key findings include:
- Turkish youth, aged 10-24, make up a disproportionate share of Internet users in Turkey. However, there remains a gender gap in Internet usage.
- Popular online activities for Turkish youth include social networking on sites like Facebook and MSN, as well as gaming and consuming news/media.
- Main risks Turkish youth face online are exposure to malicious software, sharing personal information, and cyberbullying.
- The Turkish government actively promotes Internet development but also monitors online content, raising concerns about freedom of expression.
Young Lions Czech Republic 2021 | MEDIA
www.younglions.cz
The only platform where young professionals can find out how good they are compared to their peers.
Powerful learning through experience by working under time pressure.
Young Lions develop ambition and the ability to create excellent communications solutions.
We can call them the national championship for brand communication professionals aged 30 or under.
They provide a unique opportunity to develop creative and personal excellence.
This document discusses humanitarian donors and their policies and practices. It focuses on institutional humanitarian donors as key elements of the humanitarian system. Some key points:
- Donor peer reviews conducted by the OECD Development Assistance Committee assess donors' adherence to principles like the Good Humanitarian Donorship. Reviews find common challenges faced by donors in ensuring humanitarian principles, coordination, and demonstrating results.
- EU donors face similar challenges, such as respecting humanitarian principles across government, linking humanitarian and development approaches, and responding to demands for accountability. Peer reviews promote peer learning and pressure for reform.
- Learning and accountability are weaknesses in humanitarian systems. Peer reviews encourage donors to improve monitoring, reporting, and using lessons learned to guide
The document provides an overview of the United Nations (UN) and its structure. It describes how the UN was established in 1945 to replace the League of Nations, with its goal of maintaining international peace and cooperation. The UN is made up of sovereign states that have agreed to the principles in its charter. It has six main organs: the General Assembly, Security Council, Trusteeship Council, International Court of Justice, Secretariat, and Economic and Social Council. These organs can create subsidiary bodies and the UN also includes specialized agencies to promote issues like human rights, development, and the environment.
CIVIL SOCIETY PARTICIPATION IN DECISION-MAKING PROCESSESDr Lendy Spires
The document discusses civil society participation in decision-making processes in Kosovo. It provides an overview of existing mechanisms for civil society organizations (CSOs) to participate in policy and decision-making at both the central and municipal levels of government. Effective CSO participation is important for several reasons, including promoting good governance, inclusiveness, accountability, transparency, and conflict prevention. The document outlines various laws and frameworks that establish the right of CSOs to participate, and provides examples of mechanisms such as working groups, public consultations, and advocacy campaigns that facilitate their involvement in the political process.
This document outlines Vanuatu's National Information and Communication Technology Policy. The overall objective of the policy is to maximize the contribution of ICTs to achieving Vanuatu's national vision of "A Just, Educated, Healthy and Wealthy Vanuatu" by empowering and benefiting citizens. The policy identifies 8 priority areas for ICT development, including access to ICTs in education, e-government, capacity building, and establishing a platform for multi-stakeholder coordination. It also outlines approaches like collaboration, private sector involvement, and integrating ICTs into other sector policies to guide implementation. The policy aims to harness ICTs to support economic growth, governance, and access to services in
2010-06 analysis of laws inconsistent with human rights in uganda_hurinetAlex Taremwa
This document analyzes laws in Uganda that are inconsistent with the right of access to information as established in Uganda's Access to Information Act of 2005. It focuses on analyzing key provisions of the Official Secrets Act, Evidence Act, and Parliamentary Powers and Privileges Act that contradict the right of access to information. The analysis finds that the Official Secrets Act contains overly broad and ambiguous definitions of classified information and official documents that can be used to unjustifiably withhold information. It also recommends amendments to laws like the Official Secrets Act to harmonize them with Uganda's constitutional right of access to information.
This report provides practical guidance indicating what language works for communicating about
climate change in Tunisia and what language is less effective. It is a result of a research programme
carried out in Tunisia from September to December 2019, where partner organisations based in
Tunisia ran nine values-based focus groups (known as Narrative Workshops) across the country,
with 107 participants in total. As far as the authors know, this is the first time in-depth climate
change communications research has been undertaken in Tunisia.
UNITED NATIONS December 2005 DOCUMENTS OUTCOME WSIS Dr Lendy Spires
This document contains the outcome documents from the 2003 and 2005 World Summits on the Information Society (WSIS). It includes the Geneva Declaration of Principles, the Geneva Plan of Action, the Tunis Commitment, and the Tunis Agenda for the Information Society. These documents establish a vision for an inclusive global information society and set goals and targets and areas of action to bridge the digital divide and ensure that the benefits of information and communication technologies (ICTs) are available to all.
The document summarizes the report of the UN Special Rapporteur on the rights of indigenous peoples regarding their fact-finding mission to the Republic of Congo. The report examines the extreme social, economic, political and cultural marginalization faced by indigenous groups such as the Baaka and Mbendjele peoples. It discusses issues such as discrimination, labor exploitation, poverty, lack of access to education, health services, civil registry and political participation. The report also outlines recent initiatives by the government and others to promote indigenous rights, but notes challenges in implementing these initiatives and applying related laws. It concludes by making recommendations to further protect and advance indigenous peoples' rights in Congo.
Popular Participation & Decentralization in AfricaJamaity
At the end of World War II, all but three African nations (Ethiopia, Liberia and South
Africa) were ruled by some European State. Then the independence movement began:
first in North Africa with Libya (1951), and over the next five years, Egypt, the Sudan.
Tunisia and Morocco. The Sub-Saharan States soon followed, beginning with Ghana
(1957) and, by 1990, 42 other countries. Being newly independent and largely poor,
the thinking was that if a country could come up with a national plan for generating
and investing a sufficient amount of funds in a manner consistent with macro stability,
then that country would have met the pre-conditions for development. It would
be a “State” (central government) — led process whereby “the flexibility to implement
policies by technocrats was accorded price-of-place and accountability through checks
and balances was regarded as an encumbrance” (World Bank, WDR, 1997). It was not
an unreasonable strategy: national governments populated by good advisers and with
external technical and financial assistance would put the country on the sure path to
growth and development
popular participation-decentralization-in-africa-minJamaity
This document provides an introduction to the concepts of decentralization and popular participation in Africa. It discusses definitions of political and fiscal decentralization, and explains why decentralization is occurring globally and the potential benefits it can provide if implemented well through improved services and poverty alleviation. However, decentralization can also fail if done poorly. The document emphasizes that popular participation is important for giving sustainability to decentralized systems of governance. It explores concepts of public and social accountability and how these relate to participation. Country examples of decentralization frameworks in Mozambique, South Africa, and Ethiopia are also provided.
This document is a community guide created by the Centre on Housing Rights & Evictions (COHRE) to educate communities in Nigeria about their housing rights and how to defend against forced evictions. It aims to address the lack of information and awareness around housing rights that communities in Nigeria face. The guide covers international human rights law and the Nigerian constitution's protections for housing rights. It is intended to empower communities to understand their rights, participate in decisions that affect them, and take collective action to defend against losing their homes and land to development projects. The guide provides strategies communities can use to advocate for their rights and will be used by COHRE to train grassroots activists.
Centre on Housing Rights & Evictions Community GuideDr Lendy Spires
Combating poverty is one of the major challenges the world faces. Today, between 1.5 and 2 billion people are trapped in extreme poverty, with less than a dollar a day to provide for their needs. In many countries, including Nigeria, poverty is deeply entrenched, preventing the vast majority of people in the developing world from realizing their economic and human potential. The majority of Nigeria’s 140 million people live in squalor, with 16 million Nigerians either landless, inadequately housed, or living in shacks and slums due to a huge housing deficit.
Hundreds of thousands of people have been displaced from their homes and farms annually to make way for development projects, city “beautification,” road expansion and infrastructural upgrading, urban renewal, implementation of development master plans etc— thereby pushing people further into chronic poverty. Sometimes projects are for the benefit of the country, but often the main benefits go to the powerful individuals and companies that take the land. Frequently, the people living on and using the land do not have secure rights to their land because the procedures for obtaining legal titles are so cumbersome, expensive, and laden with irregularities and deceit that ultimately they are forced to abandon the process or not engage in it at all.
Similarly, people are not given the opportunity to participate in decision-making about development projects that implicate them. However, due to efforts by international organizations, non-governmental organizations (NGOs) and community-based organizations (CBOs), there is a growing “Today, between 1.5 and 2 billion people are trapped in extreme poverty.„
This chapter provides an overview of the development of minority rights in international law. It discusses how the first significant attempt to identify internationally recognized minority rights was through a number of treaties adopted after World War I. It then outlines the work of the UN, including the adoption of the Declaration on the Rights of Persons Belonging to National or Ethnic, Religious and Linguistic Minorities in 1992. The chapter establishes the framework for understanding minority rights focus in the UN system.
ACCESSIBLE_The ICT Opportunity for a Disability_Inclusive Development FrameworkNabil Eid
ICTs provide significant opportunities for persons with disabilities to access social and economic activities. Websites are critical for accessing healthcare services, education at all levels, employment opportunities, and government services. Mobile devices and services are vital enablers of independent living. Radio and television also contribute to the social inclusion of persons with disabilities, though to a lesser extent. When made accessible, ICTs can greatly improve access and participation in all areas of society and development for persons with disabilities.
This document provides an introduction and overview of the World Summit on the Information Society (WSIS) process. Some key points:
- WSIS was a two-phase UN summit held in 2003 and 2005 that established a vision for building an inclusive global information society.
- The WSIS Stocktaking database collects projects implementing WSIS outcomes across 11 action lines related to ICT policies and applications.
- The annual WSIS Forum convenes stakeholders to discuss progress. In 2014 it included the WSIS+10 High-Level Event to review implementation.
- Other ongoing components of the WSIS process include the United Nations Group on the Information Society (UNGIS) and regional/international cooperation on achieving WSIS
This document discusses the need for global cooperation and connection in the digital media and entertainment industries. It argues that countries and cultures should work together not just as observers of technological advances but as active participants. To truly communicate information across boundaries requires considering different perspectives and ensuring accessibility regardless of economic situation. The document proposes strengthening regional networks to distribute information more widely and prevent any single entity from monopolizing information control, while still collaborating with larger networks. This would help maintain information quality and authenticity as it spreads more broadly. Overall, the document advocates for low-cost technology access, ongoing education, and global exchange to connect people worldwide through information and communication.
Australia sociedad de la informacion carloscarlos sornoza
The World Social Forum concluded in Mumbai, India with a large closing march and rally celebrating cultural diversity and the hope for another possible world with social justice for all. Over 10,000 participants from around the world joined together speaking 13 different languages but united in their vision of alternatives to inequality and a world where basic human rights are ensured for dignity. The event highlighted the role of communications and information as fundamental rights in bringing people together from different backgrounds towards common goals of social and economic justice.
UNICEF Turkey digital landscape exploratory paperAkshay Sinha
This document provides an exploratory study of the digital landscape among youth in Turkey. Some of the key findings include:
- Turkish youth, aged 10-24, make up a disproportionately large portion of Internet users in Turkey. However, there remains a pronounced gender gap with males reporting higher Internet use than females.
- The most common online activities among Turkish youth are social networking on sites like Facebook and MSN, as well as gaming. Blogging is also a popular form of user generated content.
- The primary risks Turkish youth face online are exposure to malicious software, sharing personal information, and cyberbullying.
- While the Turkish government actively promotes Internet development and online safety, some of its monitoring
This document provides an exploratory study of the digital landscape for youth in Turkey. Some key findings include:
- Turkish youth, aged 10-24, make up a disproportionate share of Internet users in Turkey. However, there remains a gender gap in Internet usage.
- Popular online activities for Turkish youth include social networking on sites like Facebook and MSN, as well as gaming and consuming news/media.
- Main risks Turkish youth face online are exposure to malicious software, sharing personal information, and cyberbullying.
- The Turkish government actively promotes Internet development but also monitors online content, raising concerns about freedom of expression.
Young Lions Czech Republic 2021 | MEDIA
www.younglions.cz
The only platform where young professionals can find out how good they are compared to their peers.
Powerful learning through experience by working under time pressure.
Young Lions develop ambition and the ability to create excellent communications solutions.
We can call them the national championship for brand communication professionals aged 30 or under.
They provide a unique opportunity to develop creative and personal excellence.
This document discusses humanitarian donors and their policies and practices. It focuses on institutional humanitarian donors as key elements of the humanitarian system. Some key points:
- Donor peer reviews conducted by the OECD Development Assistance Committee assess donors' adherence to principles like the Good Humanitarian Donorship. Reviews find common challenges faced by donors in ensuring humanitarian principles, coordination, and demonstrating results.
- EU donors face similar challenges, such as respecting humanitarian principles across government, linking humanitarian and development approaches, and responding to demands for accountability. Peer reviews promote peer learning and pressure for reform.
- Learning and accountability are weaknesses in humanitarian systems. Peer reviews encourage donors to improve monitoring, reporting, and using lessons learned to guide
The document provides an overview of the United Nations (UN) and its structure. It describes how the UN was established in 1945 to replace the League of Nations, with its goal of maintaining international peace and cooperation. The UN is made up of sovereign states that have agreed to the principles in its charter. It has six main organs: the General Assembly, Security Council, Trusteeship Council, International Court of Justice, Secretariat, and Economic and Social Council. These organs can create subsidiary bodies and the UN also includes specialized agencies to promote issues like human rights, development, and the environment.
CIVIL SOCIETY PARTICIPATION IN DECISION-MAKING PROCESSESDr Lendy Spires
The document discusses civil society participation in decision-making processes in Kosovo. It provides an overview of existing mechanisms for civil society organizations (CSOs) to participate in policy and decision-making at both the central and municipal levels of government. Effective CSO participation is important for several reasons, including promoting good governance, inclusiveness, accountability, transparency, and conflict prevention. The document outlines various laws and frameworks that establish the right of CSOs to participate, and provides examples of mechanisms such as working groups, public consultations, and advocacy campaigns that facilitate their involvement in the political process.
Similar to Policy Paper: access to audiovisual media by deaf people (20)
La Jasmine Foundation pour la recherche et la communication est une institution de recherche pluridisciplinaire privée, spécialisée dans les sciences humaines, sociales et politiques. Son objectif est de contribuer à la construction des fondements de la société démocratique naissante en Tunisie en mobilisant les connaissances des sciences sociales et politiques au service de la grande opération de réaménagement démocratique des conditions de vie dans ce pays et dans les pays du printemps arabe. La Jasmine Foundation cherche aussi à remplir cette mission en invitant les spécialistes et experts dans les champs pertinents à cet objectif pour profiter de leurs connaissances mais aussi pour les mettre en contact avec les acteurs qui sont impliqués directement sur le terrain, dans cette grande opération de fondation de la démocratie en Tunisie, pour les engager dans un dialogue où, les uns et les autres, peuvent arriver à une compréhension optimale des enjeux à l’œuvre.
Improving the quality of the policy making process in Tunisia: The role of th...Jasmine Foundation
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محتويات الملف:
1- الدستور التونسي الجديد: صراع المرجعيات والمصالح
2- حقوق الإنسان في مشروع الدستور التونسي الجديد
3- الدين بين دستور 1/6/1959 ومشروع الدستور التونسي الجديد2013
ملخص الملف:
على الرغم من تعدّد شواغل التونسيّين إثر التحوّل السياسيّ العميق الّذي شهدته تونس منذ سنتين ونصف، وكذلك رغم توزّع تلك المشاغل على مجالات عديدة منها ما هو سياسيّ، ومنها ما هو اجتماعيّ واقتصاديّ، فإنّ قضيّة الدستور التونسي المرتقب تبقى أولويّة كبرى في هذه المرحلة، كما أنّها تبقى القضيّة الأكثر راهنيّة، وفرضا لنفسها في وسائل الإعلام المختلفة، وفي نقاشات النخب عموما، لا في هذه الفترة فحسب، وإنّما منذ أن وقع الاختيار الحاسم بتنظيم انتخابات عامّة أفرزت مجلسا وطنيّا تأسيسيّا مهمّته الأولى، نظريّا على الأقلّ، وضع دستور جديد للبلاد يخلف دستور سنة 1959.
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सुप्रीम कोर्ट ने यह भी माना था कि मजिस्ट्रेट का यह कर्तव्य है कि वह सुनिश्चित करे कि अधिकारी पीएमएलए के तहत निर्धारित प्रक्रिया के साथ-साथ संवैधानिक सुरक्षा उपायों का भी उचित रूप से पालन करें।
Policy Paper: access to audiovisual media by deaf people
1. 1
ENSURING THE RIGHT OF THE DEAF AND HARD-OF-HEARING TO
ACCESS AUDIOVISUAL MEDIA: A REFORM PROJECT
August 2015
Policy Paper
Written by Rim Guermassi
Sign language interpreter and trainer since 2008.
Active in civil society and frequent collaborator of “Handicap
International”, OTDDPH, and “Give me a sign” (Montpellier, France).
Alumnus of “Tunisia Policy Shapers” (Jasmine Foundation)
2. 2
Table of Contents
Table of Contents............................................................................................................................ 2
Abstract........................................................................................................................................... 3
Chapter One: importance of the issue............................................................................................. 4
1. Description of the problem...................................................................................................... 4
1.1. Limited access to information through audiovisual media:.......................................... 4
2.1. Loose and incomplete legislation: .................................................................................... 5
2. The numbers:........................................................................................................................... 5
3. Why intervene now: ................................................................................................................ 6
Chapter Two: the legal basis of claiming the right of the deaf and hard-of-hearing to access
information in Tunisia..................................................................................................................... 7
1. International framework:......................................................................................................... 7
1.1. Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities (CRPD)...................................... 7
1.2. Convention on the Rights of the Child (CRC) ................................................................. 8
2. Tunisian legal texts: ................................................................................................................ 8
2.1. Constitution of 27 January 2014:...................................................................................... 8
2.2. Directive Law n°83 of 15 August 2005 on the promotion and protection of people with
disabilities:............................................................................................................................... 9
2.3. Decree number 116 of November 2, 2011 in regard to freedom of audiovisual
communication and the creation of an independent supreme body for the audiovisual sector
............................................................................................................................................... 10
2.4. Set of Specifications (cahier de charges) for the creation and operation of private TV
channels ................................................................................................................................. 10
Chapter Three: main shortcomings of the current legal framework and comparison with other
countries........................................................................................................................................ 10
Chapter Four: Recommendations ................................................................................................. 12
1. Regulatory measures:............................................................................................................ 12
2. Encouraging measures........................................................................................................... 13
3. Sensitization measures .......................................................................................................... 13
4. Benefits of adopting these measures ..................................................................................... 13
3. 3
Abstract
The deaf and hard-of-hearing community in Tunisia is virtually deprived from access to
audiovisual media because of the absence of the necessary regulations. This comes as a shock
considering the arsenal of international conventions signed by Tunisia and the local laws that
fully recognize their right to access to information and recreational activities and the obligation
of the State to ensure that.
In this policy paper, we set out to first explain the importance of the issue and its urgency, then
lay out the current legal framework in Tunisia and its shortcomings, display successful
experiences elsewhere in the world, and finally present our set of recommendations.
Key words:
Deaf and hard-of-hearing; access to information; access to audiovisual media; regulations;
recommendations.
4. 4
Chapter One: importance of the issue
The need of the deaf and hard-of-hearing to access audiovisual media has always been dire, but it
just grew bigger after the Jasmine Revolution as this category of people found it very hard to
keep up with the rapid changes and new developments (political, social, cultural, etc.). And
despite some efforts from the legislature to meet that need, the current measures and legal
framework are far from doing that. Profound improvements are yet to be made.
1. Description of the problem
The deaf and hard-of-hearing in Tunisia suffer from a real isolation, not only because of the
physical challenge they already face, but also because of the lack of effective measures granting
them equal access to information.
1.1. Limited access to information through audiovisual media:
The deaf and hard-of-hearing in Tunisia feel marginalized, just like most people with disabilities
do in general. They have not gotten enough attention so far from the authorities, in addition to
severe lack of public awareness of their issues and needs, thus living virtually in utter isolation.
This is illustrated, for instance, by their inability to understand what is broadcasted on television
due to limited programs that are accompanied by sign language interpreter or subtitles. It is a
scarce “luxury” limited to only the news journal, once a day, on a very limited number of TV
channels. This deprives them from the opportunity to improve their cultural and educational level
and enrich their vocabulary and personal skills, ultimately leading to more isolation and fewer
chances to integrate them into society. Slowly but surely, they become disengaged and
disconnected from the current events and happenings locally and internationally. For children,
the television offers content of recreational and educational nature that contributes to his
development and personality-building. Being unable to profit from that is such a loss. It’s like
closing his only window to the world, considering how difficult it is for a deaf child to
communicate with his counterparts in particular and external environment in general. Last but
not least, constantly needing someone to interpret and explain things while watching television is
somewhat humiliating for the deaf person and also burdensome to people around him. It further
deepens his feeling of dependency and could scar him forever.
5. 5
2.1. Loose and incomplete legislation:
Although it seems there is rich legislation strongly embracing the rights of disabled people
including the right to equal access to information in Tunisia -as we will detail in the next
chapter-, the current legal framework lacks a lot of specificities and resolutions that could
actually translate that goodwill into actionable measures of notable effect.
2. The numbers:
Statistics with regard to the deaf community in Tunisia are scarce and the numbers are often not
updated and somewhat unreliable. This perhaps mirrors once again the lack of attention this
group of people is getting from authorities. One official figure given by the “Institute of
Promoting the Disabled” which is administratively related to the Ministry of Social Affairs
indicates that the number of the deaf in Tunisia is estimated at 18,838 or the equivalent of 12%
of the overall disabled people in general. However, this number is calculated mainly based on
“Disability Cards” issued by the Ministry of Social Affairs itself. People who are close enough
from people with disabilities (especially the hard-of-hearing) know that many of them do not ask
for these cards –mainly for personal reasons. There are also some deaf people at remote inland
Tunisian regions that do not possess these cards as well. A 2008-study published on the website
of the World Federation of the Deaf (WDF) claims that the official number of deaf people in
Tunisia is 21,240. The study was conducted by WFD Interim Regional Secretariat for the Arab
Region (WFD RSAR). A less official number (yet probably closer to reality) is found on a
missionary website that estimates the number of the deaf people group in Tunisia at 53.500,
double the official number (www.peoplegroups.org).
Now, regardless of their exact number, this is first and foremost about their universal right in
equal opportunity and accessing information and the obligation of the state to provide them with
this right as guaranteed by the constitution and the international treaties (see next chapter). Our
approach is then primarily based on human rights, not a statistical or a ROI study.
As for the figures showing the limited access to audiovisual media by the deaf and hard-of-
hearing, a quick look into the broadcasting landscape in Tunisia reveals a sorry state of affairs.
As a matter of fact, of the 12 currently-broadcasting Tunisian TV channels, only 4 (including the
2 public ones) offer news bulletins accompanied by a sign language interpreter. That merely
represents a share that doesn’t exceed 3% of total programming time. Simply put, without
6. 6
assistance from a friend or a family member, the Tunisian deaf does not have access to a
whopping 97% of TV time, and that’s just shameful. Adding insult to injury, every household in
Tunisia pays a fee associated with the electricity bill for “accessing public TV”. This means that
people with hearing disability are paying for a service they truly need but don’t get in the first
place. In a May 2013 study with “Action on Hearing Loss”, Ofcom (Office of Communications
(Ofcom), the regulatory body for UK television broadcasting) found that 67% of people with
hearing loss said that TV is important to them. People with hearing loss watch TV for an average
of 4.3 hours a day. Considering the difficulty of dealing with the challenging real-world
environment, it seems that the hard-of-hearing find relief in TV.
3. Why intervene now:
The quest to enable the deaf and hard-of-hearing to get equal access to information just like the
“hearing” society consecrates the most important principles of the Jasmine Revolution, the
principles of dignity, fairness, equal opportunities and non-discrimination.
And while the new Tunisian Constitution was certainly set to protect these principles, now is the
time to get the constitutional text translated into more specific legislation and clear public
policies that can bring about these rights and protect them.
What’s more, the civil society has been increasingly active since the revolution thanks to the
greater space of freedom of expression. This has encouraged many groups of minorities and
marginalized people to come out and speak out to demand their rights, and we believe seize the
opportunity and act fast before the momentum goes away.
Perhaps more relevantly, the creation in May 2013 of a constitutional body that supervises the
audiovisual industry and all the operating radios and TV channels that is currently amidst the
reform of the law governing the audiovisual sector is the very reason this paper comes at a
perfect timing. This new governing body, called HAICA (Haute Autorité Indépendante de la
Communication Audiovisuelle) or Supreme Independent Authority for Audiovisual
Communication, is the equivalent of the Office of Communication (Ofcom) in the UK and the
Federal Communications Commission (FCC) in the United States. It governs all the aspects of
the audiovisual sector, sets regulations, and gives licenses to radios and TV stations. HAICA has
been very open to civil society so far by organizing several workshops on the reform of the law
7. 7
organizing the audiovisual sector and it had consistently welcomed input from participating
CSOs. I personally was pleased to see that all my suggestions were included in the final
workshops report.
Tunisia is living today a transitional phase where it aspires to join the ranks of developed
countries, and to achieve this it is necessary to architect a comprehensive development strategy
that gets all of its citizens proactively involved. No one should be leaved behind.
Chapter Two: the legal basis of claiming the right of the deaf and hard-of-
hearing to access information in Tunisia
Not so surprisingly, there are almost no texts pertaining to the deaf and hard-of-hearing in
particular, but as part of people with disabilities, there is indeed a solid legal basis to claiming
their right to access information.
1. International framework:
Tunisia has always led Arab countries in adopting international treaties and conventions.
1.1. Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities (CRPD)
Adopted by the United Nations General Assembly on 13 December 2006, and opened for
signature on 30 March 2007, the Convention provides enough standards of protection for the
civil, cultural, economic, political and social rights of persons with disabilities on the basis of
inclusion, equality and non-discrimination. It makes clear that persons with disabilities are
entitled to live independently in their communities, to make their own choices and to play an
active role in society. Tunisia adopted the convention 2008.
In this convention composed of 50 articles, there is a whole article dedicated to accessibility
(Article 9) with 8 points. Here are the last three of them:
[States Parties shall also take appropriate measures to:]
f. Promote other appropriate forms of assistance and support to persons with disabilities to
ensure their access to information;
8. 8
g. Promote access for persons with disabilities to new information and communications
technologies and systems, including the Internet;
h. Promote the design, development, production and distribution of accessible information and
communications technologies and systems at an early stage, so that these technologies and
systems become accessible at minimum cost.
1.2. Convention on the Rights of the Child (CRC)
Tunisia signed this treaty on 26 February 1990 while it was originally signed by the United
Nations General Assembly on 20 November 1989 and became effective on 2 September 1990.
The 2 following points (1 and 3) from Article 23 speak very much to the right of disabled
children to get empowered with equal accessibility whenever possible:
Article 23:
1. States Parties recognize that a mentally or physically disabled child should enjoy a full and
decent life, in conditions which ensure dignity, promote self-reliance and facilitate the child's
active participation in the community.
3. Recognizing the special needs of a disabled child, assistance extended in accordance with
paragraph 2 of the present article shall be provided free of charge, whenever possible, taking
into account the financial resources of the parents or others caring for the child, and shall be
designed to ensure that the disabled child has effective access to and receives education,
training, health care services, rehabilitation services, preparation for employment and
recreation opportunities in a manner conducive to the child's achieving the fullest possible social
integration and individual development, including his or her cultural and spiritual development.
2. Tunisian legal texts:
2.1. Constitution of 27 January 2014:
There are clear hints supporting the right of disabled people to access information equally and
the obligation of the state to just ensure that:
Article 32: Access to information
9. 9
The state guarantees the right to information and the right of access to information and
communication networks.
Article 48: Persons with disabilities
The state shall protect persons with disabilities from all forms of discrimination. Every disabled
citizen shall have the right to benefit, according to the nature of the disability, from all measures
that will ensure their full integration into society, and the state shall take all necessary measures
to achieve this.
These two articles combined make up a very strong legal basis to the recommendations we will
lay down in chapter five.
2.2. Directive Law n°83 of 15 August 2005 on the promotion and protection of people with
disabilities:
The law sets out to ensure equal opportunities for disabled persons and protect them from any
discrimination, and it really makes it clear that this is a national responsibility that concerns local
authorities, public institutions, private sector, civil society, etc. (Article 3).
As for the right to access information and recreational media, Articles 10 and 36 address this
issue rather pertinently:
Article 10:
State, local authorities and public and private enterprises and institutions shall work to ensure
the suitability of the environment and the appropriateness of the means of communication and
information and facilitate the movement of persons with disabilities and their access to services.
Article 36:
The State guarantees the right of people with disabilities to undertake cultural, sporting and
recreational activities and benefit from them. The State shall remove the barriers to performing
these activities normally and shall provide encouragement and facilities to promote them.
10. 10
2.3. Decree number 116 of November 2, 2011 in regard to freedom of audiovisual
communication and the creation of an independent supreme body for the audiovisual sector
Article 4 (Chapter 1): Every citizen has the right to access to information and to audiovisual
communication.
2.4. Set of Specifications (cahier de charges) for the creation and operation of private TV
channels
On March 2014, the Supreme Independent Authority for Audiovisual Communication (HAICA)
issued its first set of specification for those who want to obtain a license to launch and operate a
private TV station.
Article 14 states the ethics and principles that should be adopted by the license holder, namely
equality and non-discrimination, in addition to the protection of the rights of the elderly, people
with disabilities and vulnerable categories.
What’s more, this is the first regulation to bluntly refer to the right of the deaf and hard-of-
hearing to access TV content albeit in a very limited way. Indeed, Article 24 stipulates that the
license holder must ensure one daily news bulletin accompanied with a sign language interpreter.
Finally, the appendix related to children stresses their right to access information, participation
and entertainment.
Chapter Three: main shortcomings of the current legal framework and
comparison with other countries
The Tunisian legal framework offers a strong foundational basis to achieve the rights of the deaf
and hard-of-hearing from a human rights perspective. However, its fails to provide the measures
and regulations necessary to grant them equal access to information on audiovisual media. As
mentioned in the previous chapter, neither the laws related to the protection of the rights of the
disabled nor the regulations governing the audiovisual sector oblige TV networks to add subtitles
(closed captions; CC), subtitles for the deaf and hard-of-hearing (SDH) or a sign language
interpreter to their programs. Only the set of specifications issued by HAICA stipulates that
every license holder must ensure one daily news bulletin accompanied with a sign language
11. 11
interpreter, but then it doesn’t elaborate on the penalties (probably of financial nature) of non-
compliance with that requirement.
By comparison, many other countries took successful steps in the rights direction and they
reaping of rewards of such measures.
One of the best examples is France. The law 2005-102 of 11 February 2005 for equal rights and
opportunities, participation and citizenship of people with disabilities, gives five years to major
French public and private TV channels to make all of its programs accessible to the deaf and
hard-of-hearing, either by translating them into French sign language (LSF) or by adding
subtitles. The other TV channels (with less than 2.5% audience share) would have to make ‘only’
40% of their programs accessible. A study had shown that, by 2009 (i.e. one year before the
deadline), 83% of the programs offered by major French TV outlets were accessible to the deaf
and people with hearing loss.
In the UK, Ofcom’s “Code on Television Access Services” (last update December 2012)
provides similar provisions. This code sets the specific requirements for subtitling, sign
language, and audio description for licensed television broadcasters. Broadcasters need to reach
certain accessibility milestones 5 years and 10 years after the ‘relevant date': 60% of all
programming must be subtitled by year 5, and 80% must be subtitled by year 10.
In the United States, the FCC is way ahead of its counterparts as the commission first handed
down significant captioning requirements in the 1990s and then again in 2002. In fact, FCC
seems now to be past ensuring access to TV as it shifts its interest to regulating web accessibility
for people with hearing disabilities. According to FCC, “Full-length Internet video programming
must be captioned if the programming is shown on TV in the U.S. with captions”. This means
that TV channels that re-run or distribute their content on the Internet must add closed captions
to it (see figure 1 below). This is totally relevant to the Tunisian context as most TV stations
have official YouTube channels where they upload their programmes shortly after the initial
broadcast.
12. 12
Figure 1. A screenshot of one of the captioned videos from Comedy Central YouTube Channel.
One final example is Australia. Australian broadcasters have been compelled to add closed
captioning to programming since the 1992 Broadcasting Services Act (BSA). This law gave
Parliament the right to establish codes of practice that include “captioning of programs for the
hearing impaired.” In 1999, the BSA's title was amended with “Online Services” to cover digital
television in addition to radio broadcasting. Additional amendments passed in 2001 and 2010
adjusted the requirements for how many public television programs, or “Free Air TV”, needed
captions and established timeframes for compliance.
Chapter Four: Recommendations
1. Regulatory measures:
We suggest that the set of specifications (French: cahier de charges) issued by HAICA relating
to licensing TV channels get amended to include a section on accessibility for people with
hearing disabilities, or maybe the HAICA issues a separate act devoted to the matter. Either way,
we urge the supreme independent authority for audiovisual communication to engage TV
stations in a comprehensive and progressive 5-year plan that will enable people with hearing
disabilities to profit from a healthy share of the broadcasted programmes. Taking into
consideration the specificities of the Tunisian context, we suggest the following plan:
13. 13
a) All licensed TV channels must provide a sign language interpreter for at least two news
bulletins per day in the span of one year.
b) Add closed captions (subtitles) or subtitles for the deaf and hard-of-hearing (SDH) to 40% of
the recorded programs in the span of 3 years, and to 60% in the span of 5 years.
c) All TV programmes broadcasted originally with closed captions on TV and then re-diffused
on the official channels of the TV stations on the Internet should also be subtitled online.
Failure to comply with the above-mentioned instructions will result in financial penalties (TBS)
or even de-licensing the TV station.
2. Encouraging measures
In various parts of the current legal framework, we find that the State is compelled to take all
necessary measures to protect the rights of people with disabilities and encourage all initiatives
and programs that could help with their integration within the society. Therefore, we propose
fiscal incentives for TV stations that positively engage with the suggested amendments above
and also companies that produce closed captions and subtitles for the deaf and hard-of-hearing.
A State-sponsored capacity building program should be envisioned as there are no enough talents
to provide this very technical task at the present time.
3. Sensitization measures
It is necessary to conduct sensitization campaigns and develop the awareness of society to learn
more about the specificities and needs of people with hearing disabilities, their rights, and how to
ensure the involvement of all stakeholders in a comprehensive system to better integrate them
into society and improve their living conditions and quality of life.
This cannot be the responsibility of the State alone. Civil society, political parties and private
sector should all get involved to make things happen fast and effectively.
4. Benefits of adopting these measures
Succeeding in adopting and implementing the above-mentioned measures will improve the
educational and cultural level of the people with hearing disabilities. It will help them achieve
14. 14
greater levels of autonomy and self-dependency. What’s more, it will create job opportunities for
sign language interpreters and closed captions producers.
It’s also noteworthy that not only deaf people seek subtitles. A 2006 research study conducted by
Ofcom found that 7.5 million people in the UK (18% of the population) used closed captions: of
that 7.5 million, only 1.5 million were deaf or hard of hearing. This suggests that 80% of
television viewers used closed captions for reasons other than hearing loss, and that closed
captions benefit many more than just those who require them for accessibility.
Finally, and perhaps most importantly, these measures will fulfill the constitutional principles of
equal opportunity, equality and non-discrimination.