Today, inABLE.org and the Kenya Bureau of Standards (KEBS) launched the first-ever national ICT Accessibility Standard development process in Africa at Enashipai Spa and Resort in Naivasha. This new standard is intended to ensure that people with disabilities (PWDs) and older people who have been disconnected from most e-government services and digital platforms due to a variety of challenges have equal access to public and private sector digital products and services (including websites, mobile applications among others).

As the world quickly shifted to digital platforms, including virtual meetings, working from home, homeschooling, and even the government sharing public health information, millions of people, particularly people with disabilities, became disconnected.

“Digital standards play a critical role in ensuring that accessibility challenges are addressed in a wide range of disabilities, including visual, auditory, physical, speech, cognitive, language, learning, and neurological disabilities,” said KEBS Managing Director Lt Col (Rtd.) Bernard Njiraini.

“KEBS is partnering with industry stakeholders to develop standards in this field, with dedicated organizations like inABLE helping to make this possible, and is committed to delivering meaningful and operational standards that improve Kenyans’ lives,” he added.