All digital services in Ukraine will be barrier-free — a law drafted in line with EU standards

Accessibility is not only about architecture, but also about the digital world. Websites and applications must be developed with the needs of all categories of citizens in mind — and this must be enshrined in law. Therefore, a draft law “On Digital Accessibility in Ukraine” has been drafted and approved by the Government.

Many digital services (from banking applications to ticket purchasing websites) are still not barrier-free. This creates difficulties, for example, for people with visual impairments who need screen reading software, or for people with hearing impairments if videos do not have subtitles.

Our goal is to create an effective mechanism to make websites, applications, and electronic services convenient and accessible to all citizens. First and foremost, for people with disabilities. The bill introduces clear requirements for digital accessibility, which have long been successfully implemented in Europe.

How it will work:

• The requirements shall apply not only to government agencies, but also to private businesses in key areas: banks, transport services, online stores, medicine, education, communications, etc. The requirements shall not apply to small businesses.

• Not only websites and applications shall have accessibility criteria, but also new ATMs and self-service terminals (those installed after the law is passed).

• Service owners shall openly report on the accessibility, and compliance with the rules shall be monitored.

As a result, all services should become convenient for everyone. The text will be easy to read thanks to contrast and sufficient font size. Elements such as buttons will be large enough to be used with one hand. Thus, simple actions such as making a doctor's appointment, buying medicine online, or using an ATM will become equally convenient for everyone.

This bill is part of our systematic work to implement the National Strategy for Creating a Barrier-Free Environment in Ukraine by 2030. It is also another step towards bringing our legislation closer to European standards.

The bill was developed with the support of the United Nations Development Programme in Ukraine as part of the Dіia Support Project, which is being implemented with financial support from Sweden.