Isn't it absurd that Karine Elharrar, Israel's Energy Minister, who has muscular dystrophy, could not attend the 2021 United Nations Climate Change Conference (COP26) in Glasgow, Scotland, because of inaccessibility for persons with disabilities?
In Israel, as in the United States, protecting and upholding the rights of persons with disabilities is a crucial facet of human rights and sustainable development and is more pertinent now than ever. Moreover, the coronavirus pandemic that recently engulfed the world has hit people with disabilities hardest due to reduced access to routine health care and rehabilitation, not to mention the adverse social impacts of efforts to mitigate the pandemic. Therefore, shaping an inclusive post-Covid future is imperative. That vision was anchored by International Day of Persons with Disabilities, held last month.
The Israeli private sector has mobilized its world-renowned entrepreneurial capabilities to improve the quality of life of persons with disabilities and secure their access to information. To this end, a range of innovative services and accessibility technologies have been developed over the recent years, many with connections to Boston.
For example, one Israeli startup with ties to Boston, ReWalk Robotics, has created a wearable robotic exoskeleton that allows people with spinal cord injuries to stand upright, walk, climb and descend stairs.
Another company, Arazim Mobile, develops tablets that make apps accessible to the blind and visually impaired with its dynamic tactile interface. At the same time, Nagish service enables those who are deaf or hard-of-hearing to communicate over the phone by converting text to speech, and vice versa, in real time.
The Israeli government's efforts to cultivate its innovations ecosystem and facilitate entrepreneurship have gone a long way in allowing entrepreneurs to create a more accessible world. For example, OrCam's assistive technology has changed the lives of tens of thousands of people worldwide. In addition, its "MyEye" device was named the best invention of 2019 by Time magazine: MyEye is a wearable device that reads text, recognizes faces and identifies products for blind or visually impaired people.
Furthermore, Wheelchairs of Hope, an Israeli nonprofit, has redesigned wheelchairs to enable children with disabilities to become mobile, attend school, and participate fully in community life. Lastly, EyeControl has developed technology to allow people with locked-in syndrome to communicate with their eyes, allowing them to converse with family and medical staff.
As the Israeli ambassador to the United Nations, I hosted a viewing of the Israeli drama "Yellow Peppers," a television program showcasing a family raising an autistic child in a rural village lacking any therapeutic resources. One of my staff members at the U.N. had a son with autism. I highly recommend this program to understand better what autism is and how vital it is to have resources for families.
I call upon the Greater Boston community to see if any Israeli technology can assist you or anyone you know who has a disability. I applaud our energy minister, Karine Elharrar, who, upon accepting apologies from British Prime Minister Boris Johnson, stated she is less interested in apologies and more focused on ensuring that something similar doesn't happen in the future.
I couldn't agree more; let's work together to ensure that persons with disabilities have access to life-changing technology, empowering them and ensuring their full accessibility.
Ambassador Meron Reuben is Israel’s Consul General to New England.
