The analysis of regulations on the accessibility of websites of government institutions in Bosnia and Herzegovina for persons with disabilities and compliance with European Union regulations was created within the project “Communities of Different but Equal Citizens” implemented by the Organization of Amputees “Udas” Banja Luka in partnership with Helsinki Citizens’ Assembly Banja Luka and the Association of Citizens “Nešto Više” from Sarajevo, which was supported by the European Union.
The goal is to present the key international standards in ensuring web accessibility in a comprehensive, accessible and understandable way, in the context of general accessibility; to point out the validity of the request for harmonization of Bosnian-Herzegovinian regulations with international standards and regulations in the field of accessibility of web content; and that through the analysis of the websites of the key legislative and executive institutions in Bosnia and Herzegovina, we recommend changes that will ensure more accessible web content for persons with disabilities.
We believe that this analysis will encourage advocates of the rights of persons with disabilities to familiarize themselves with the directives of the European Union in the field of accessibility, and to ensure through their advocacy actions that these regulations become part of the legislation of Bosnia and Herzegovina through the process of its adaptation to the legislation of the European Union.
We also expect that this analysis will encourage a greater number of persons with disabilities to direct their searches for content to the websites of institutions and authorities at all levels in Bosnia and Herzegovina, and to demand from those institutions and authorities the adaptation of web content in such a way that become accessible to persons with disabilities as one of the key rights.
We hope that this analysis will further encourage Internet service providers to consistently apply accessibility standards for Internet content for persons with disabilities, because what is useful for persons with disabilities is useful for all citizens. It is one of the best arguments for advocating changes in the editing of both web content and other goods intended for citizens.
The analysis is available here.
