Digitalisation must be inclusive
At the meeting of the «Digital Switzerland Advisory Committee», Elisabeth Baume-Schneider emphasised that digitalisation must take all population groups into account.
Representatives from politics, business, science, and civil society convene several times a year to discuss the challenges of digital transformation. The focus of this advisory board in November 2023 was on legal challenges.
Laws and regulations should be designed to foster, not hinder, digitalization. In particular, the question was raised whether the Federal Constitution might need to be adapted in view of digitalisation and to what extent a digitalisation-friendly design of the law can promote digital innovation.
In this context, Justice Minister Elisabeth Baume-Schneider emphasised that digitalisation must be inclusive and consider the different needs of different population groups, such as people with disabilities. For example, technical precautions should be taken to make websites, apps and documents accessible.
NRP 77 is making a contribution to this challenge: Professor Gabriela Antener from the Institute for Integration and Participation at the University of Applied Sciences Northwestern Switzerland is currently researching this topic.
Her focus is on vocational education. What barriers do people with disabilities encounter in vocational education and training? And how can we overcome these obstacles?