Building Capacity for AT and AAC Provision for Children in Low- and Middle-Income Countries, including emergency contexts (Ukraine crisis)

Experts / speakers / chairs / moderators that will be involved: 
This session is promoted by AAATE in collaboration with UNICEF. Invited speakers and panellists: Nora Shabani (UNICEF), Tone Øderud (AAATE), Dennis Soendergaard (UNICEF Supply Division), Gavin Adam Wood (UNICEF Centre for research on assistive technology), David Banes, Evert-Jan Hoogerwerf, others......
Proposed format: 
panel_discussion
Abstract / Short Description of the Proposed Session – will be published in the conference programme and the Book of Abstracts: 
The national capacities for AT provision overall and notably for children in developing countries are underdeveloped and fragmented. In emergency contexts, these are further deteriorated. This is illustrated when considering the needs and key challenges in Ukrainian children gain access to AT. Recent evidence including the AT Scale reports and GReAT report has helped to raise the profile of this topic on global and regional agenda. There has been enormous progress in the development of resources, but implementation remains slow in developing countries. The key question is to identify entry points on how countries can begin and then further accelerate AT reforms to benefit children. From the perspective of UNICEF and AAATE, seeking to support children, we must establish the key considerations in the context of policy development and implementation and further more establish viable models of provision in the context of Ukraine. Global Initiatives such as those by UNICEF and WHO have sought to address the key challenges such as a lack of availability of products, high prices and low quality. But to address this gap we must address the lack of evidence that is focused on children.