UN General Assembly adopts landmark resolution on access to assistive technology

A historic milestone for global inclusion, equity, and opportunity, led by Pakistan and co-sponsored by over 40 Member States, establishing assistive technology as a global priority for sustainable development and universal health coverage.

NEW YORK, 2 September — The United Nations General Assembly has today 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 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.
“This resolution is a powerful statement of international solidarity,” said Pascal Bijleveld, CEO of ATscale.

“It affirms that assistive technology is not a luxury; it is a right and an economic necessity. From digital tools to mobility aids, assistive technology is the key that opens the door to education, employment, and independent living. We are grateful to Pakistan and all co-sponsoring countries for their vision and leadership in steering this resolution. We call upon governments, civil society, and the private sector to unite under this new global declaration to scale up access and investment globally. ATscale looks forward to working hand-in-hand with our partners to translate this historic resolution into tangible, life-changing progress on the ground.”

“Millions of children around the world still lack access to affordable and appropriate assistive products such as eyeglasses, hearing aids and wheelchairs. For children who need them, these products and related services are critical to their development, education, and participation,” said Gopal Mitra, UNICEF Global Lead on Children with Disabilities. 

“The adoption of this resolution is an important step toward closing these gaps, particularly in low- and middle-income countries and humanitarian contexts. It provides us with a stronger mandate and a vital advocacy tool to hold decision-makers accountable and ensure that sustainable provision models and appropriate services are established at the country level.”

In 2022 the World Health Organization and UNICEF released the Global Report on Assistive Technology, which highlighted that more than 2.5 billion people around the world require one or more assistive products. By 2050, this number is expected to grow to 3.5 billion.
Those who can benefit from assistive technology include persons with disabilities, older people and people with health conditions. However, global data makes it clear that access is far from equitable, with fewer than10% of people in need having access in low-income countries compared to 90% in high-income countries. This inequity exacerbates other inequalities, such as restricted opportunities for education and employment, and diminished quality of life.

The resolution advocates for a comprehensive, multi-sectoral approach, emphasizing that assistive technology must be integrated into national systems—including health, education, labour, and social protection. It highlights the critical necessity of embedding assistive technology into universal health coverage (UHC) and primary healthcare services. Furthermore, it recognizes assistive technology as a high-return investment that significantly boosts economic productivity, reduces public healthcare burdens, and builds resilient, inclusive societies.

The resolution emphasises the critical role of:

• Member States in integrating assistive technology into health, education, labour, and social protection systems, ensuring coordinated national strategies and plans of action.
• Governments - in investing in local production, sustainable supply chains, manufacturing, and innovation, thereby reducing reliance on external aid and lowering procurement costs.
  Expanding the training of specialized personnel to ensure products are properly prescribed, fitted, and maintained.
• The full, equal, and meaningful participation of users, organizations of persons with disabilities (OPDs), and associations of older persons in all stages of policy and decision-making.
• Access to assistive technology in humanitarian preparedness and response plans, ensuring vulnerable populations are not left behind during armed conflicts, natural disasters, or other emergencies.
• Disaggregated data collection to understand gaps and trends, paving the way for stronger national decision-making, global monitoring and knowledge-sharing.

This resolution:

• Signals a strong global consensus: showing that Member States agree on the importance of assistive technology.
• Guides national policy: Encouraging countries to develop and regularly review national essential or priority assistive product lists, aligned with the WHO Model Priority Assistive Products List, and allocate appropriate national budgets.
• Creates political pressure: Provides local, national, and regional advocacy groups with a powerful intergovernmental mandate to push for national legislative and policy reforms.
• Strengthens links to existing obligations and commitments: supporting the implementation of the UN Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities (CRPD) and the 2018 World Health Assembly Resolution on assistive technology. 
   

Summary

Today’s resolution marks a transformative step toward ensuring universal and equitable access to assistive technology. It represents a transformative, high-level intergovernmental action that brings together health, education, employment, social protection, and humanitarian dimensions under a single, cohesive framework, recognizing assistive technology as a critical component of Universal Health Coverage and the Sustainable Development Goals, committing to sustainable national systems, inclusive governance, innovation and stronger partnerships. 

The adoption of this resolution lays down the path for a future where assistive technology is universally accessible, ensuring that everyone, everywhere, can live a life of dignity, independence, and equal opportunity.
 

For more information:

• Information on the resolution: Find the link to the UNWebTV for the 15 minutes during which the draft resolution was discussed. Find UN documents for the UNGA resolution. 
• Member states: On behalf of Pakistan and the co-sponsors, Ambassador Asim Iftikhar Ahmad, Permanent Representative of Pakistan to the United Nations in New York, introduced Draft Resolution A/80/L.110.  Additional member states co-sponsoring:  Algeria, Angola, Antigua and Barbuda, Azerbaijan, Bangladesh, Belarus, Botswana, Burundi, Cambodia, Chad, China, Cuba, Democratic People’s Republic of Korea, Egypt, Eswatini, Gabon, Ghana, Equatorial Guinea, Guinea, Guyana, Honduras, Indonesia, Islamic Republic of Iran, Jamaica, Japan, Kazakhstan, Kuwait, Lebanon, Lesotho, Liberia, Malaysia, Maldives, Mali, Morocco, Nicaragua, Oman, Qatar, Rwanda, Saint Kitts & Nevis, Saudi Arabia, Senegal, Singapore, Sri Lanka, Sudan, Tajikistan, Thailand, Turkmenistan, Uzbekistan, and Yemen.
   

For inquiries or interviews, please contact: Ceridwen Johnson, Advocacy and Communications Advisor, ATscale, the Global Partnership for Assistive Technology, cjohnson@atscalepartnership.org Mob: +41 79 291 42 81