World Day for Assistive Technology 2025: encouraging global action to unlock the everyday
4 June 2025 marked a powerful moment in the global movement for inclusion as World Day for Assistive Technology (AT) was celebrated in countries around the world. From bustling conferences in Africa to grassroots radio campaigns in Asia, the event underscored a shared mission: making life-changing assistive technology accessible to all.
World Day for Assistive Technology is the perfect opportunity for everyone - individuals, organizations, businesses and policymakers from across the world - to come together and champion the importance of assistive technology. The goal? To increase access and raise awareness, especially in low- and middle-income countries.
A world united in celebration
Across continents, communities found creative ways to spotlight the importance of assistive technology: Reports of events are still coming in.
Below are some of the highlights:
- Togo – The OADCPH ran an extensive awareness-raising campaign over a week, mobilizing numerous players. On this occasion, OADCPH also organised a mission to a community hospital in the Savanes region, 598 km north of Lomé, ensuring that World AT Day was marked in a significant and community-centred way.
- Nigeria – The National Eye, Ear, and Sensory Functions Programme ran public forums urging more-inclusive health systems.
- Zambia – The Kyaro Assistive Tech team organised community events to showcase assistive technology solutions and stories from users.
- Senegal, Georgia and Tajikistan, – WHO country offices facilitated public events, health forums and human interest storytelling to highlight how assistive technology transforms lives.
- Cambodia – Humanity & Inclusion (H&I) and CHAI hosted six community-level events raising awareness of assistive technology and local services.
- Inclusive Africa Conference – Hosted in Nairobi, the event drew international attention, with nine media articles covering assistive technology innovations and policy discussions.
- Campaign partners as CBM Australia, GDI Hub, Motivation International, Shonaquip and A Leg To Stand On amplified impact with events and storytelling.
Small grants boost national engagement of OPDs in Southern Africa
SAFOD in partnership with ten organizations of persons with disabilities (OPDs) in eight countries in southern Africa led a three-month campaign to raise awareness about assistive technology, which was supported by ATscale.
The project partners in the eight countries were FEDOMA in Malawi, FODPZ in Zimbabwe, NFPDN in Namibia, FODSWA in Eswatini, DPSA in South Africa, BOFOD in Botswana, ZAFOD & VILOLE Images Production in Zambia, and LNFOD and LNLVIP in Lesotho. The national campaigns aimed to raise visibility of, and build momentum towards the commemoration of the day, and to increase meaningful participation and engagement of persons with disabilities to lobby and advocate for awareness on the provision of high-quality and affordable assistive technology in their respective countries. Read about all the events in detail on this dedicated website
The Me and My AT challenge: Voices from assistive technology users around the world
A centrepiece of the 2025 campaign, launched at the GDS in April, the Me And My AT challenge invited assistive technology users to provide photos and videos showing how technology helps them participate fully in everyday life.
More than 200 users took part, from Paralympic athletes to grassroots advocates. Marcel Hug, Swiss Paralympian, known as The Silver Bullet told his followers: “Assistive technology is my everyday freedom. It’s how I train, compete and live fully.”
The challenge reached far beyond the disability community, with stories flooding in in over 11 languages, amplifying authentic voices and lived experiences.
Record-breaking digital impact
The campaign hashtags #UnlockTheEveryday and #WorldATDay generated unprecedented engagement:
- +22,200 per cent increase in online mentions compared with last year.
- 42 million potential reach in 2025 - an 18-fold increase from 2024.
- Content in 11 languages, ensuring accessibility across cultures and regions.
Over 346 posts were posted on Instagram, Facebook and X, with an additional 150+ Instagram stories tagging partners and users. Collaboration posts with global NGOs, AT innovator, and advocates boosted visibility even further.
Why World AT Day matters
The celebrations also brought attention to sobering global realities. According to the World Health Organization, 2.5 billion people currently need at least one assistive product, yet nearly 1 billion people don’t have access. In low-income countries, only 10 per cent of those who need assistive technology can obtain it. Without urgent action, the number in need is projected to climb to 3.5 billion by 2050.
Anne Wafula Strike, Paralympian and disability rights advocate, used her platform to call for systemic change. “It’s not enough to celebrate assistive technology for one day - we must make it available, affordable and designed with the user in mind.”
A blueprint for the future
World AT Day 2025 showed that when countries, communities and individuals rally together, the impact is extraordinary. The blend of high-level conferences, grassroots events and user-led digital campaigns created both immediate awareness and lasting momentum.
With WHO EURO launching a new guide to shape global AT markets, and local initiatives pushing for policy reform as well as posting a video on social media - such as Nigeria’s call to remove import duties on assistive technolgy - the message is clear: the world is ready to unlock the everyday for everyone. ATscale also launched a teaser for the Assistive Products Market Report 2025, reinforcing its market-shaping work to make assistive products more affordable and accessible worldwide - a key step towards unlocking the everyday for all.
Thank you to every partner, assitive technology user and advocate who made the day so powerful. Watch this recap of just some of the campaign partners who celebrated with us on social media and helped raise awareness. From sharing your stories through the#MeAndMyAT challenge to spreading awareness worldwide - your voices truly made a difference.
