Draft ECOWAS ICT Accessibility Policy (2018) v1 post Burkina Faso and Gambia Workshops
The self or co-regulatory Code of Conduct on Mobile Communications Accessibility for
PwD, or regulations, should deal with the actions to be taken by the mobile industry to
facilitate the entry of accessible devices into the market through their procurement
processes, and raise awareness and educate consumers through their points of sale
and distribution channels.
The implementation should include the reinforcement of the stakeholders´capacities
through training, the development of a communication plan on mobile accessibility by the
National Regulatory Authority and development of a network of trainers on accessibility
within the ministries of ICT and digital economies.
Member States should be encouraged to designate a focal point on accessibility issues
and enhance cooperation through the celebration of a number of meetings at a national,
regional and international level.
7.4 Web Accessibility
7.4.1
Context
Web accessibility is critical for all members of society, including PwD. Accessibility
issues related to the internet and web content and services concern a wide range of
PwD, including people with auditory, cognitive, dexterity, hearing, mobility and visual
impairments. The ECOWAS has amongst its objectives, to increase universal service
and access and this means making internet accessible, enabling PwD to participate
equally on the Web.
Accessing and making use of the web can be achieved for PwD through the application
of accessible web standards applied from the stage of the development of websites and
continuing as web pages are maintained and enhanced.
The objective of this policy is to enable PwD to navigate and interact with the web. This
is an important imperative of national universal service and access policies which seek
to increase usage and uptake of ICTs, broadband in particular, and to ensure digital
inclusion of all population groups.
The scope of the web accessibility policy priority area includes:
(a) Public sector websites
(b) Public sector electronic documents made available to the public by public
sector websites
For avoidance of doubt, this policy is applicable to all web pages containing online
government information and services. Conformance is sought on all ECOWAS websites,
ECOWAS Member State’s government websites owned and/or operated by government,
local government, or on behalf of government by non-governmental entities under any
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