- Inclusive Education
UN General Assembly adopts landmark resolution on access to assistive technology
NEW YORK — The United Nations General Assembly has yesterday adopted its first resolution on “Access to Assistive Technology,” marking a significant milestone in the global effort for inclusion, access and opportunity for all.
Presented by Pakistan under the social development agenda of the 80th United Nations General Assembly session, the resolution represents a powerful consensus among Member States that access to assistive technology (AT) is a fundamental right and an essential component of sustainable social and economic development.
Initially introduced during earlier intergovernmental sessions and guided through final negotiations, the resolution successfully passed its silence procedure on August 25, 2026, before being adopted by consensus on September 2. The landmark initiative was adopted by consensus - the resolution formally recognizes assistive technology as essential for achieving the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) and reinforces the implementation of the UN Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities (CRPD) in realizing the rights of persons with disabilities and rapidly ageing populations, the Political Declaration and the Madrid International Plan of Action on Ageing, 2002 and World Health Assembly resolution 71.8 on Improving Access to Assistive Technology.
The initiative carries a powerful human story from Pakistan. The resolution was drafted and negotiated by Counsellor Ms. Saima Saleem, Pakistan’s first visually impaired career diplomat working at Permanent Mission of Pakistan at the United Nations and herself a user of assistive technology. Having relied on assistive technology throughout her education and diplomatic career, Ms. Saleem brought a lived understanding of what access to assistive technology can make possible to the negotiating table.
Assistive technology, which includes a wide range of assistive products and the related systems and services required for their access, can enable greater access to education, employment, and community life. Reliable access through services to assistive products such as wheelchairs, prosthetics, hearing aids, eyeglasses, and digital applications can empower children to learn, adults to earn a living, and older persons to live independently and stay connected. By dismantling barriers to participation, assistive technology helps break the disability-poverty cycle, reduces long-term healthcare costs, and fosters social cohesion.