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ICT / digital accessibility

Digital accessibility enables digital inclusion and ensures inclusive communication for all people – regardless of their gender, age, ability or location.

To achieve digital accessibility, ICTs should be not only be available and affordable, but also accessible, which means designed to meet the needs and abilities of as many people as possible – including those with disabilities. Accessibility of Information and Communication Technology (ICT) is key given that ICTs have become the primary medium for communications, information, transactions, education and entertainment worldwide. Its implementation by legislators and policy makers in all countries is essential to ensure that everyone’s right to communicate in the digital world is respected.

In the spotlight

Towards building inclusive
digital communities

ITU Toolkit and Self-Assesment for ICT Accessibility Implementation in PDF, Kindle and other ePub formats

Also available with captioning in Arabic, Chinese, French, Russian and Spanish

Download the Toolkit
Download the Interactive Self Assessment in English, French and Spanish

Knowledge development
opportunities

Inclusive employment: How to ensure that online job applications and recruitment systems are accessible to all

Leave no one behind - Global commitment

ITU is commiting to making ICTs accessible and to promoting digital accessibility policies around the world

Doreen Bogdan Martin,
Director, Telecommunication Development Bureau, ITU

ITU members are fully committed to advancing ICT accessibility implementation in their countries and regions. This is also reflected in ITU’s engagements and contribution towards inclusiveness in several Resolutions adopted by our members to support the implementation of digitally inclusive societies. Moreover, ITU Strategic Goal No. 2 “inclusiveness” and its Target 2.9 call on ITU Members to ensure that “By 2023, enabling environments ensuring accessible telecommunications/ICTs for persons with disabilities should be established in all countries”.

The imperative to Leave no one behind is just as relevant in the digital world

António Guterres,
Secretary-General, United Nations

To ensure that “no one is left behind” in the digital world, digital accessibility is recognised as a key priority in several global commitments related to inclusiveness such as the Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities (CRPD), the Transforming the World 2030 Agenda, the Sustainable Development Goals (SDG) and, more recently, the UN Disability Inclusion Strategy.

ICT accessibility - ITU mandate, resolutions and global commitments

ITU Mandate and Resolutions

ITU Strategic Goal No. 2 "Inclusiveness" Bridging the digital divide focuses on global telecommunication/ICT inclusiveness, fostering telecommunication/ICT access, accessibility, affordability and use in all countries and regions and for all peoples, including women and girls, youth and marginal and vulnerable populations, people from lower socio-economic groups, indigenous peoples, older persons and persons with disabilities
ITU Target 2.9: "By 2023, enabling environments ensuring accessible telecommunications/ICTs for persons with disabilities should be established in all countries” from The Final Acts of the Plenipotentiary Conference Dubai, 2018
ITU PP Resolution 175 (Rev. 2018) - Telecommunication/information and communication technology accessibility for persons with disabilities and persons with specific needs
ITU-D WTDC Resolution 58 (Rev. 2017) - Telecommunication/information and communication technology accessibility for persons with disabilities and persons with specific needs
ITU-T WTSA Res. 70 (Rev. 2016) - Telecommunication/information and communication technology accessibility for persons with disabilities
ITU-R Resolution 67-1 - Telecommunication/ICT accessibility for persons with disabilities and persons with specific needs

United Nations Disability Inclusion Strategy (UNDIS)

Other Global Commitments

UN Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities (CRPD) / CRPD Committee
European Accessibility Act (EAA)

Resources on ICT/digital accessibility

ITU’s Development Sector (BDT) work in ICT accessibility supports the advancement of the global disability-inclusive agenda and the development of inclusive digital communities. It does this through raising awareness, building capacity, and providing policy and strategy advice to ITU members. BDT is also facilitating joint working platforms such as Study Groups and regional “Accessible– ICT for ALL” knowledge development forums enabling stakeholders to share good practices and engaging in national and regional digital accessibility implementation. The goal of ITU Member States is to guarantee that all their citizens can benefit from digital information, products and services equally and equitably. Therefore, BDT is supporting members’ efforts in mainstreaming digital accessibility to ensure full and effective participation of everyone in the digital economy and also by developing and making freely available the resources indicated below.

Guidelines, Toolkits & Reports

Additional guidelines and standards

ITU-T FSTP-ACC-RCS - Overview of remote captioning services
ITU-T F.921 - Audio-based indoor and outdoor network navigation system for persons with vision impairment
ITU-T FSTP-CONF-F921 - Compliance of audio-based navigation system for persons with vision impairment
ITU-T F.930 - Multimedia telecommunication relay services
ITU-T F.791 - Accessibility terms and definitions
ITU-T FSTP-UMAA - Use cases for assisting persons with disabilities using mobile application
ITU-T FSTP-AM - Guidelines for accessible meetings
ITU-T FSTP-ACC-RemPart - Guidelines for supporting remote participation in meetings for all
ITU-T H.702 - Accessibility profiles for IPTV systems
ITU-T H-series Supplement 17 | ISO/IEC Guide 71 - Guide for addressing accessibility in standards
The ICT Opportunity for a Disability-Inclusive Development Framework
ITU-T FSTP-TACL - Telecommunications Accessibility Checklist

Training & Knowledge Development Programmes

Online self-paced training

(New!) ITU-D Inclusive employment: How to ensure that online job applications and recruitment systems are accessible to all (self-paced e-learning course)
(New!) ITU-D Beyond smart cities = "Smart for all": Towards building inclusive and digitally accessible environments and communities to meet the needs of present and future generations. (self-paced online course) available in English, French and Spanish (2022) (see also the video-tutorials available)
ITU-D How to ensure inclusive digital communication during crises and emergency situations (self-paced online course) available in English, French and Spanish (2021)
ITU-D ICT Accessibility: the Key to Inclusive Communication (self-paced online course) available in Arabic, English, French, Russian and Spanish (2022)
ITU-D Web Accessibility: the Cornerstone of an Inclusive Digital Society (self-paced online course) available in Arabic, English, French, Russian and Spanish (2021)
ITU-D Public Procurement of Accessible ICT Products and Services (online course upon demand)

Knowledge development programmes

ITU-D Internet for @ll: National Programme in Web Accessibility (2018)

Other training

Audio-based indoor and outdoor network navigation system for persons with vision impairment (training course on ITU-T F.921) (2018)

Video Tutorials

New: ITU-D Beyond smart cities = "Smart for all": Towards building inclusive and digitally accessible environments and communities to meet the needs of present and future generations. : English; French and Spanish (see also online self-paced training available)
"Towards building inclusive digital communities": ITU toolkit and self-assessment for ICT accessibility implementation video available in Arabic, Chinese, English, French, Russian and Spanish (2021)
ITU-D Study Group on Question 7/1 Inclusive connectivity English (2021)
ITU-D Video Tutorial "How to ensure inclusive digital communication during crises and emergency situations" in English, French and Spanish (2020)
ITU-D Creation and remediation of accessible digital contents available in English, French and Spanish (2019)

Working, Networking and Knowledge Development Platforms (Study Groups / Forums / Events & Meetings)

Accessible Europe

Accessible Americas

Accessible Arab

Study Groups

ITU-D Study Group Question 7/1 Access to telecommunication ICT services by persons with disabilities and with specific needs (Study Period 2022-2025)
ITU-D Study Group Question 7/1: Access to telecommunication/ICT services by persons with disabilities and with specific needs (Study Period 2017 - 2021)
Question 7/1 - 4th meeting of ITU-D Study Group 1 All Documents for SG1 Questions, Q7/1 Documents, Report, Administrative Documents, Agenda(22 - 26 March 2021)
Question 7/1 Rapporteur Group meeting All Documents for SG1 Questions, Q7/1 Documents, Reports, Administrative Documents, Agenda(30 September - 1 October 2020)
ITU-D Study Groups – Reflections on COVID-19 (27 May - 29 July 2020)
Question 7/1 - 3rd meeting of ITU-D Study Group 1 (17 - 21 February 2020)
All Documents for SG1 Questions, Q7/1 Documents, Reports, Administrative Documents, Agenda
Question 7/1 Rapporteur Group meeting All Documents for SG1 Questions, Q7/1 Documents, Reports, Administrative Documents, Agenda(23 September - 4 October 2019)
Question 7/1 - 2nd meeting of ITU-D Study Group 1 All Documents for SG1 Questions, Q7/1 Documents, Reports, Administrative Documents, Agenda(18 - 22 March 2019)
Question 7/1 Rapporteur Group meeting All Documents for SG1 Questions, Q7/1 Documents, Reports, Administrative Documents, Agenda (17 - 28 September 2018)
Question 7/1 - 1st meeting of ITU-D Study Group 1 All Documents for SG1 Questions, Q7/1 Documents, Reports, Administrative Documents, Agenda (30 April - 4 May 2018)
Report to WTDC 2017 on Question 7/1: Access to telecommunication/ICT services by persons with disabilities and with specific needs (2017)

WSIS Forums

Other ITU working and networking platforms, meetings and events

Other external meetings and events

COVID-19 Response and Recovery

Additional ICT Accessibility Resources

Upcoming Resources