State-run online resources’ web accessibility gradually improving across the country

The web accessibility of state online resources is steadily on the rise for the second year running. According to a recent data monitoring report from the United Nations Development Program (UNDP) in Ukraine, in collaboration with the Ministry of Digital Transformation of Ukraine, there has been a consecutive two-year increase in web accessibility for government websites. In 2023, 22% of the surveyed government websites met sufficient accessibility standards for individuals with disabilities, marking a 9% increase from 2021. 

The findings were presented at the Media Center Ukraine – Ukrinform. 

Dmytro Popov, the study’s author, and UNDP consultant on web accessibility, emphasized that out of the 100 websites analyzed, 23 showed improvements in accessibility, 52 remained unchanged, and 20 experienced some degree of regression.

Four websites are at the forefront of accessibility, including Ukraine’s Diia portal’s new section “Diia.Barrier-free”, along with the websites of Lviv Regional State Administration, Vinnytsia Regional State Administration, and Kharkiv Regional State Administration.

Notable progress in accessibility is evident on various platforms, such as Vinnytsia Regional State Administration’s website, the Ministry of Economy of Ukraine’s website, and those of Lviv, Poltava, and Volyn Regional State Administrations, as well as the electronic cabinet for individuals with disabilities.

Dmytro Popov highlighted, “We are witnessing a positive trend in accessibility, with an increasing number of websites achieving a high level of basic accessibility and a decreasing number falling behind.”

Volodymyr Brusilovskyi, Team Leader of the “Action Support Project” at UNDP Ukraine, underscored Ukraine’s considerable strides toward prioritizing web accessibility as a crucial aspect of inclusive digitalization. He underscored that the United Nations Development Program, in collaboration with the Ministry of Digital Transformation, will persist in delivering training, educational initiatives, and establishing teams to aid other ministries and entities in maximizing the accessibility of their resources.

“We are hopeful that this year will mark a turning point. Leveraging the groundwork laid in the previous year, including the approval of requirements and standards, we aim to transition from an evolutionary approach to a more sweeping revolutionary stance. By the beginning of next year, we anticipate showcasing significant changes,” he elaborated.

In her turn, Valeriia Tkach, Deputy Chief Executive of E-Services Development at the Ministry of Digital Transformation of Ukraine, outlined the primary objectives for the year ahead: “Our focus for this year is to ensure digital accessibility across all our web resources, provide support to central and local executive authorities, and enhance the availability of e-services.”

Read more: https://mediacenter.org.ua/news