The Bank of Russia discussed new steps to increase the availability of remote financial services for people with disabilities
The pandemic has shown the real level of adaptation of remote interaction channels in the financial sector to the needs of people with disabilities. Although the mobile apps of major banks already convenient for use by the visually impaired and blind people, people with motor impairments, there remains a number of significant difficulties. In particular, the necessary adaptation of biometrics to people with limited speech and hearing.
This was discussed at the meeting of the working group on enhancing financial accessibility for people with disabilities.
Work to address these and other identified problems included in the new road map working group in 2020-2021 years. Other priorities of the road map — the promotion of the new national standard for digital accessibility for the blind, technology training, financial literacy of people with intellectual disabilities.
Financial literacy for vulnerable groups, primarily people with disabilities, the elderly, and people with mental characteristics, has also been the subject of detailed discussion at the working group meeting.
Association for the advancement of financial literacy and the Institute of correctional pedagogy are working on a Glossary of financial terms for people with disabilities. The aim is not only to explain the terms, but also to help people with disabilities to master remote financial transactions, learn to identify risks and to distinguish the scams. The Glossary is also available in versions for people with impaired vision and hearing (with the definition of key financial terms in Russian sign language).
A working group under the Bank of Russia to improve financial inclusion for people with disabilities and people with limited mobility was created in 2017. For three years in credit and non-credit financial organizations were sent the recommendations to ensure access to financial services for people with disabilities and people with limited mobility, as well as guidelines for employees customer service with features. At the end of the next monitoring phase in 2019 completed or almost completed the implementation of the recommendations 58% of credit organizations — by 20 p. p. more than in 2018, and without taking into account the guidance on technical re — equipment of infrastructure, 83%, which is 15 percentage points higher than in 2018. Monitoring, as well as individual work with the banks, not fully the recommendations of the Bank of Russia will continue in 2020.
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