Downing Street praised for online accessibility
5 December 2006
The Downing Street website has been praised in the first ever global web accessibility survey.
Only this website, and the sites of the German Chancellor and the Spanish Government, met the minimum required level for people with disabilities.
Accessibility consultants Nomensa tested over 100 websites in 20 countries for the United Nations sponsored report. They surveyed websites of the Head of State, and also a leading airline, bank, newspaper and a retailer.
Sites from Australia, Brazil, China, India, Russia, South Africa and the United States were among the other countries examined.
The report comes soon after the UN International Day of Disabled Persons on Sunday 3 December. This year the event focussed on e-accessibility.
Secretary General Kofi Annan said the day "reminds us of the need to make the internet available to everyone."
"Slowly, governments and the private sector have been recognizing the economic and social benefits of making websites fully accessible, and have been putting place changes involving software and hardware alike."
He added:
"The Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities, which is expected to be approved by the General Assembly later this month, can give additional impetus to this trend."
