UNIS/INF/590
5 March 2025
VIENNA, 5 March (UN Information Service) – The Zero Project Conference 2025, hosted at the United Nations in Vienna for the thirteenth time, will highlight cutting-edge innovations in employment and information and communication technology (ICT) for people with disabilities. Since 2013, the United Nations in Vienna, through the UN Office at Vienna (UNOV), the UN Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC), and the Essl Foundation, have collaborated to advance disability inclusion globally.
This year’s conference underscores the urgency of fostering inclusive employment opportunities and accessible ICT solutions, aligning with the broader objectives set forth by the UN General Assembly in preparation for the upcoming World Social Summit 2025, whichwill emphasize the commitment to “full and productive employment and decent work for all” and highlights that “social development must be at the heart of the global agenda, ensuring that no one is left behind” as underlined by General Assembly Resolution 78/261.
Driven by its mission to advance the United Nations Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities (CRPD), the Zero Project identifies and shares innovative solutions that improve the daily lives and legal rights of all people with disabilities. Since its inception, the Zero Project has gathered and awarded more than 1,000 proven-concept solutions, ensuring that these good practices are recognized and replicated across different regions.
Ghada Waly, Director-General of UNOV and Executive Director of UNODC, said: “Innovative technologies are transforming employment opportunities for persons with disabilities, empowering them to reach their full potential. The Pact for the Future calls on us to harness emerging technologies to advance equity and inclusion. The Zero Project Conference provides an important platform to share ideas and experiences. As we approach the World Social Summit in 2025, we must use this opportunity to accelerate efforts to remove barriers to employment and digital inclusion for a more accessible, equitable world for all.”
The Zero Project Conference 2025 will showcase award-winning solutions that promote inclusive employment practices and policies, such as vocational training programmes, and assistive technologies that enable people with disabilities to fully participate in the workforce. Furthermore, digital accessibility solutions—including AI-driven captioning, screen readers, and universally designed platforms—will be highlighted as fundamental tools for social and economic inclusion.
Martin Essl, Founder and Initiator of the Essl Foundation, emphasized: “Employment is not just a means of livelihood but a fundamental right. Digital transformation presents an unprecedented opportunity to bridge gaps in accessibility and inclusion. As we move towards the World Social Summit 2025, collaboration as demonstrated by the global Zero Project Network is more critical than ever in shaping an equitable and just society.”
The Zero Project Awardees of 2025, selected through a rigorous research-driven process, will include groundbreaking initiatives from across the globe, with a significant representation of solutions from the Global South, with the countries of Guinea and Guyana being represented for the first time as Zero Project Awardees. This further highlights the universal need—and universal ability to innovate—for collaborative efforts in creating sustainable and inclusive environments for people with disabilities.
The long-standing partnership between the UN in Vienna and the Essl Foundation has contributed to fostering an inclusive dialogue on disability innovation. Both Mr. Essl and Ms. Waly reiterated their commitment to leveraging the momentum of this conference to inform international policy discussions and influence tangible action leading up to the World Social Summit 2025.
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About the Zero Project
The Zero Project is an initiative by the non-profit Essl Foundation based in Vienna, Austria. Worldwide, the Zero Project finds and shares solutions that improve the daily lives and legal rights of all people with disabilities.
The Zero Project's approach is research-driven and aims to identify, curate, and share inclusive solutions, as intended and encouraged by Article 32 of the United Nations (UN) Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities (CRPD). To achieve this objective, the Zero Project engages with a worldwide cross-sectoral network of innovators, decision-makers, and opinion leaders. https://zeroproject.org/
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For information, please contact:
Sonja Wintersberger
Officer-in-Charge, UN Information Service Vienna
Email: sonja.wintersberger[at]un.org
Judith Hermetter
Head, Communications, Zero Project
Email: press[at]zeroproject.org
Robin Tim Weis
Director, International Affairs, Zero Project
Email: r.weis[at]zeroproject.org
The Zero Project Conference 2025, hosted at the United Nations in Vienna for the thirteenth time, will highlight cutting-edge innovations in employment and information and communication technology (ICT) for people with disabilities.
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