Digital accessibility is incredibly important today, especially given the significant gap in digital literacy between younger and older generations. After all, developments in this area have progressed at a rapid pace in recent years. Efforts to improve the digital accessibility of government apps and websites have been underway for nearly 24 years, yet they still do not meet the relevant requirements. This is despite the fact that compliance is actually a legal requirement for municipalities. Where is the problem?
The government's digital accessibility efforts are lagging behind
Under the Digital Accessibility Act, the government is required to ensure that its apps and websites are accessible, understandable, and user-friendly—including for people who struggle to keep up with the latest technological developments in society. Unfortunately, this is not yet the case in many instances; it appears to remain a problem, particularly at the municipal level. In 2023, only 6% of government apps and websites met the legally mandated accessibility requirements. While 36% of websites complied with the legal obligation, they did not include the tools that people with limited technological skills need to use them effectively.
Improvements over the past year
In the first half of this year, the government invested a great deal of time in making websites and apps more accessible. As a result, the number of accessibility statements increased by 16%. Such a statement indicates that your websites and other applications can be used by people with disabilities. If a resource meets the legal accessibility requirements, it is awarded an A rating. Figures from DigiToegankelijk show that only 6% of government websites and apps currently have an A status, following the improvements made. A B status means that improvements have been made, but that further adjustments are still needed to comply with the accessibility law. The number of declarations with a B status has increased significantly over the past year, by an average of 62% among municipalities. The government is therefore making significant improvements, but still has a long way to go in the area of digital accessibility.
What's behind these improvements?
Why has the government suddenly made such significant progress this year with its improvements in digital accessibility? One reason is that the providers of these websites and apps have made audit reports available to government agencies. This makes it easier for the agencies to justify why they deserve a compliance certificate. In addition, it naturally gives them more insight into what they can still improve on their websites and other digital applications!
What’s next for digital accessibility in the public sector?
The government’s digital accessibility has thus improved significantly over the past year, but it still has a way to go before it is fully compliant with the law. Currently, 40% of government websites and apps meet the legal requirements. That is still less than half, but it represents significant progress compared to 2023.