Maryanne: Navigating Global Platforms with Assistive Technology
Navigating Global Platforms with Assistive Technology became a defining reality when Maryanne Emomeri likely became the first person to use Augmentative and Alternative Communication (AAC) on a UN panel. Her presence showed how assistive tools can open global spaces to voices that have long been overlooked, inspiring broader inclusion in decision-making arenas.
Maryanne Emomeri (Photo by Maryanne)
Maryanne’s presence at the United Nations in New York signaled a new direction for disability inclusion and technology. She is probably the first person to use Augmentative and Alternative Communication (AAC) on a UN panel, a moment that expanded the possibilities for how global spaces can include voices expressed through different forms of communication. It showed that people who use AAC belong at the same tables where policies are made and rights are affirmed.
Persons with speech impairments are often pushed out of conversations, sometimes by systems, and sometimes by the weight of long-held assumptions about who gets to speak. AAC is shifting that reality. Through these tools, communication becomes flexible, personal, and dependable, allowing people to express themselves in ways that match their lived experiences.
Maryanne grew up learning to adapt after losing her speech as a child. She never pictured herself addressing the world from a UN platform, yet that is exactly what happened during the Conference of State Parties (COSP18) to the CRPD in New York. Two discussions stood out for her: The “AI for all - Promoting participation of persons with disabilities through inclusive, fair and accessible artificial intelligence,” discussion and the “Harnessing the power of assistive technology: addressing the disability employment gap for persons with disabilities in low- and middle-income countries.”
While many expected spoken communication or sign language, Maryanne chose her text-to-speech app. In doing so, she created space for people who use AAC, people with dexterity limitations, and people who do not use sign language. It became a reminder that everyone has a right to express their opinion in the way that serves them best.
Across the two panels, she shared her lived experience and emphasized the need to build the capacity of young people and persons with disabilities to adopt assistive technology and understand the growing influence of artificial intelligence. The moment affirmed the right to legal capacity and the importance of tools that respond to individual needs.
It also reflected the confidence placed in her by United Disabled Persons of Kenya and EnableMe Kenya. Their trust allowed her to step into a global arena and represent both organizations while demonstrating what inclusive leadership can look like.