Thursday, 4 June is World Day for Assistive Technology, a campaign that aims to transform lives, remove barriers to independence, and unlock opportunities for millions of people around the world through the provision of assistive technology.
It highlights the problem of accessing such tools and support in low-income countries: only 10% of people who need it can get it. This creates an inequality, and the World Assistive Technology Day aims to change that.
It has been launched by leading health and development organisations that are working together to address this inequity, as part of its Unlock the Everyday campaign.
Organisers say that the day is the perfect opportunity for everyone – individuals, organisations, businesses, and policymakers from across the world – to come together and champion the importance of assistive technology.
Assistive technology, they add, can make the difference between failure or success at school, between a job or unemployment, and between a life of opportunity or of dependency. If it’s made available them it can have a transformative impact on people’s wellbeing and makes sound economic sense for funders and governments. It is both the right thing and the smart thing to do.
Research suggests that investing in hearing aids, prostheses, eyeglasses, and wheelchairs yields a 9:1 return on investment, while for a child in a low- or middle-income country, access to assistive technology can later make a difference of US$100,000 in lifetime income.
The push for global equity in assistive tech includes the long-term importance of affordable, universal standards like Auracast. Because Bluetooth LE Audio is being integrated into mainstream consumer smartphones and public infrastructure rather than remaining a costly, niche medical add-on, it has the unique potential to drastically lower the financial barriers to high-quality assistive listening, helping to bridge the access gap currently faced by hard-of-hearing individuals.
The World Day for Assistive Technology team wants supporters to take a photo or record a short video using a photo frame with a message explaining how assistive technology helps them to live their life and do the things they love.
These can be shared to the Unlock The Everyday socials (Instagram or Facebook) and also on other social media channels using the hashtag #MeAndMyAT and #WorldATDay 2026.
More details can be found at https://unlocktheeveryday.org/world-at-day/
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