UAE Business: Technology can ‘hasten financial inclusion’ for disabled – Gulf Digital News

UAE Business: Technology can ‘hasten financial inclusion’ for disabled – Gulf Digital News

A compassionate approach to the financial needs of persons with disabilities, backed by innovative technology solutions, has the potential to address their needs across the Middle East and Africa, says a white paper from Mastercard.

According to the latest available data, one billion people, or 15% of the world’s population, experience some form of disability, constituting the largest minority group in the world. Types of disabilities include visual, hearing, speech, mobility, cognitive, and psycho-social.

A combination of physical constraints in accessing financial institutions and services prevents many persons with disabilities from banking independently. Depending on the type of disability, this includes being unable to travel to and enter a financial institution, branch, or ATM, not perceiving and understanding what is written on paper or electronic devices, being unable to hear, understand, and communicate with banking service providers, and being unable to access paper or digital content.

Digital inclusion is the pathway

The study, Bridging the Disability Gap: An Opportunity to Make a Positive Impact, reveals that digital inclusion is the pathway to financial inclusion for persons with disabilities.

As governments adopt and prioritise policies to improve accessibility of services, this paves the way for public and private sector financial institutions, mobile network operators (MNO), fintech