What is universal accessibility?

Universal accessibility was born from a need to eliminate the barriers found in much of our environment. These barriers still impede a large group of people from carrying out simple tasks independently.

This can be defined as “the conditions for easy access that would allow any individual (even those whose mobility, communicative ability, or understanding is reduced) to access and enjoy a place, product, or service, and to do so freely and independently”.

This difficult task involves social transformation; a reconfiguration of an environment eagerly seeking change, as well as new actions and strategies.

Accessibility as a fundamental right

Promoting and working for universal accessibility means acknowledging the rights of people affected by the various barriers imposed by the environment, and the advantages that accessibility offers to everyone, regardless of their situation.

Although accessibility is closely associated with the movement promoted by those with disabilities and their allies, NGO’s, and experts in favour of a model of independent living, this issue is also related to sustainable development. Sustainable development is defined as meeting our needs in the present without putting at risk the capacity of coming generations to meet their own needs in the future.

This relationship means there is an increasing demand for more active participation by every member of society based on a set of firm principles and always mindful of:

• Citizens with rights of their own.
• Active individuals who have the right to make decisions that affect their lives.
• People who occasionally find it difficult to satisfy everyday needs but who should not be considered special people whose needs differ from the rest.
• Citizens calling for assistance and adjustments to their environment that eliminate obstacles to their active participation as productive citizens within this society.

When we do this, we realize that accessibility is a subtle and effective way of ensuring social inclusion and preventing discrimination; without it, people with disabilities are at a disadvantage with respect to those without.

Recall that non-discrimination, universal accessibility, and positive action guarantee and recognize the right to equal opportunity and fairness in every aspect of our social, political, economic, and cultural life.

This is a fundamental aspect that ensures we achieve equality and fairness; a pressing need if we want to improve the quality of life of all citizens.

That is why it is of paramount interest that we understand that universal accessibility is absolutely essential for 10% of the population, necessary for 40% and advantageous for 100%.

How do we ensure universal accessibility?

Now, if we agree that people have the right to live their lives fully independently and that accessibility is the path to guaranteeing equal opportunities for all, then it is important to keep the following in mind:

• We need to understand that universal accessibility is a fundamental right that benefits all of us and therefore it’s incumbent on us all to apply, promote, and defend accessibility.
• In this regard, we need to be aware of both the National and Regional Laws on Universal Accessibility, as well as the guarantees and aid available for those interested in implementing actions that will eliminate barriers and obstacles in all fields.
• We should also be aware of innovation and technology, which are essential, and which can also provide a good deal of support in improving the quality of life for people with disabilities. This is because they offer simple solutions (both in the field of domotics and technology in general) that remove such barriers.

There is still much to be done before accessibility becomes a constant in our society. That is why we encourage you to implement even the smallest of actions to improve accessibility. Because this is what will allow us to build a truly inclusive future.

Start now by making your website accessible!

Here at inSuit, we’ve always been convinced of the benefits that come with universal accessibility, which is why we decided to develop a tool that would bring accessibility to any website.

In doing so, we’ve concentrated our efforts on making sure that everyone can freely access the Web, by creating a tool that allows them to use, understand, and enjoy its content in a secure, convenient, and efficient manner.

And this always governed by our firm conviction that both accessibility and the Sustainable Development Goals play a very important role in the transformation of people’s lives. When this happens and they are able to fully exercise their rights as citizens, more opportunities will become available to them.

So now you know! If you want to contribute to the spread of universal accessibility, start with your website! If you haven’t yet brought web accessibility to your website, inSuit will provide you with a solution that will make it 100% accessible. Contact us today!