Draft ECOWAS ICT Accessibility Policy (2018) v1 post Burkina Faso and Gambia Workshops
accessible, and if so, to what extent. This will promote awareness of web accessibility
and well as support the enforcement of this policy.
The ECOWAS will support capacity building and training programs for civil society
organizations involved in promoting accessibility and the rights of PwD and involve those
organizations to the greatest possible extent in all aspects of the implementation of this
policy including regular consultative activities and annual reviews of progress
accomplished.
In order to achieve the effective implementation of this policy, Member States, through
their ICT Ministries, Ministries responsible for Information Technology, and/or Ministries
responsible for e-government, are responsible for:
(a) Leading by example and maintaining minimum technical requirements for web
accessibility on all government websites,
(b) Consolidating transition plans of all public sector websites in order to guide the
implementation of this policy across all agencies;
(c) Evaluating and promoting across all agencies technical solutions and web
templates that are most effective to ensure the accessibility of websites, toward
achieving greater efficiency;
(d) Monitoring and publishing the progress made by public sector web sites as
measured by accessibility tests; and
(e) Promoting the training and employment of PwD for web accessibility related
projects and activities
(f) Promoting awareness of web accessibility
(g) Develop penalties for failure to comply with the accessibility standard
7.5 Broadcasting Accessibility
7.5.1
Context
Broadcasting includes television / video programming and radio and the devices and
equipment that support the provision of these services. Television is mentioned explicitly
in article 30(1) (b) of the UNCRPD which states that “parties recognize the right of
Persons with Disabilities to take part on an equal basis with others in cultural life, and
shall take all appropriate measures to ensure that Persons with Disabilities: a) enjoy
access to cultural materials in accessible formats; and b) enjoy access to television
programmes, films, theatre and other cultural activities, in accessible formats.” The
implication of Article 30 is that metrics for television accessibility need to cover not only
awareness of access service provision, but also use and benefit. Finally, article 9(2)(b)
stipulates that States Parties to the Convention must “ensure that private entities that
offer facilities and services which are open to or provided to the public take into account
all aspects of accessibility for Persons with Disabilities” – this covers private sector
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