Cayenne, French Guiana – 24th September 2026 – The Caribbean Telecommunications Union (CTU) convened its 1st ICT for Persons with Disabilities (ICT4PWDs) Leadership Workshop during ICT Week 2026 under the theme “Digital Transformation for a Disability Inclusive Economy”, which provided understanding on the economic realities of disability inclusion, challenged the assumptions that have shaped policies and practice and examined how inclusion can be intentionally designed into our organisations, technologies and services.
The Workshop was chaired by Ms. Shanea Lewis, Policy Analyst, CTU, with Mr. David Fazio, Chief Executive Officer, Helix Opportunity, serving as facilitator, who brought data and perspectives on the systemic, economic and practical dimensions of creating more inclusive societies and digital environments.
In her opening remarks, Ms. Lewis highlighted the importance of ensuring that disability inclusion remains part of the region’s broader digital development agenda.
“Digital transformation must be inclusive by design. As Caribbean countries develop new technologies, services and systems, we have an opportunity to ensure that persons with disabilities are considered from the outset. Inclusion is not a separate conversation from digital development; it is an essential part of building systems that work for everyone,” said Ms. Lewis.
The programme opened with presentations from local representatives on the status of inclusion in French Guiana before Mr. Fazio took a wider look at the Caribbean region. He began by “Unlocking the Disability Inclusive Economy,” examining the economic realities of disability inclusion and the factors contributing to the stagnation of inclusion across societies. Participants also explored regional and global disability data, including how data collection can support or hinder progress.
The Workshop examined how social paradigms have influenced legislation, programme development and technology design, highlighting the importance of understanding inclusion not only as a policy objective but also as a consideration in the development of digital systems and services.
A second session, “The Paradigm Reveal and Call to Action,” focused on the mindsets shaping disability inclusion and introduced a Disability Inclusive Economy capacity-building initiative aimed at transforming perspectives, empowering persons with disabilities and supporting economic participation.
Facilitating the Workshop, Mr. Fazio emphasised the need to move beyond approaches that treat accessibility as an adjustment made after systems have already been designed and highlighted the need to consider PWDs from a social perspective rather than the medical.
“Inclusion cannot be an afterthought. If we build accessibility into the architecture of our systems, services and workplaces from the beginning, we create greater opportunities for participation and reduce the barriers that prevent persons with disabilities from contributing fully to economic and social life,” said Mr. Fazio.
By incorporating disability inclusion into ICT Week 2026, the CTU reinforced the importance of ensuring that digital transformation reaches and benefits persons with disabilities across the Caribbean and that accessibility and inclusion are considered throughout the development of digital systems, services and opportunities.
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