An OT's experience contributing to the WHO Global Cooperation on Assistive Technology (GATE) Initiative

Emma Smith at the AFRINEAD Conference

Post by Emma Smith, CAOT-BC Advisory Committee Secretary and Assistive Technology & Seating Practice Network chair. 

From July 2017 to January 2018 I had the privilege of travelling to Ireland as a UBC Friedman Scholar to work on the World Health Organization (WHO) Global Cooperation on Assistive Technology (GATE) Initiative with Professor Malcolm MacLachlan, the GATE Research and Innovation Lead, and Professor of Psychology and Social Inclusion at Maynooth University in Ireland (to learn more about GATE, check out our CAOT-BC Webinar here). The Friedman Scholars in Health program at UBC provides graduate students and medical residents studying health related topics with a broader perspective, informed by leaders in their fields throughout the world.

GREAT Summit, 2017

The GATE Initiative is a response to the UN Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities, which calls on member states to engage in international cooperation to ensure access to (among other things) assistive technologies. The WHO currently estimates only 1 in 10 individuals who need assistive technologies have access to them worldwide, and 2 billion individuals will need assistive technologies by the year 2050.

Throughout the six months, I had many interesting opportunities to engage with this project, and to learn other critical skills in policy development and evaluation which I will bring forward to my future work. A few highlights of my time away include:

• Attending the GATE Global Research and Education in Assistive Technology (GREAT) Summit at the WHO Headquarters in Geneva, Switzerland. Dr. Bill Miller (UBC OSOT Faculty) also attended, among 200 delegates from all over the world, including representatives of the WFOT and other organizations interested in advancing global access to assistive technology.
• Co-authoring two position papers from discussions at the GREAT Summit – on personnel and policy concerns needs for global assistive technology provision.
• Attending the fifth AFRINEAD (African Network for Evidence to Action in Disability) Conference in Kumasi, Ghana, and meeting people from all over the world who are working to make lives better for people with disabilities in Africa.
• Conducting assistive technology policy research in Malawi (Southern Africa). Aside from learning how to apply tools to assess the inclusion of vulnerable groups in policy development and implementation, I also had the chance to learn about their history, people, culture, and even wildlife (weekend safaris are pretty cool)! 

Wildlife in Malawi

While these highlights were wonderful learning experiences, I also benefited from the daily work with a new research team, addressing issues I hadn’t spent much time with before. I was able to dust off my International Development training from my undergraduate degree, and combine it with my training and experience in occupational therapy to try and understand the challenges of assistive technology access globally. Occupational therapists have an important role to play in this conversation, and I was thankful to have my professional background to draw from. I found many new, engaging colleagues and friends, and new potential paths in my career. And, of course, took every opportunity I could to explore Ireland on the weekends on the train, road tripping, and hiking all over the island.

Photo from hiking in Ireland

If you’d like to know more about my experience and the work I was doing, feel free to get in touch at emma.m.smith@gmail.com!

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