Kathmandu Digital Accessibility Validation Workshop

Author: Ms. Sarita Lamichhane
Published: 2025/01/14 - Updated: 2026/01/21
Publication Type: Event
Category Topic: Website - Related Publications

Page Content: Synopsis - Introduction - Main - Insights, Updates

Synopsis: This report documents a validation workshop organized by Prayatna Nepal that brought together government officials, NGOs, UN agencies, and disability rights organizations to address digital accessibility barriers in Nepal. The event presented a detailed Digital Accessibility Checklist covering content creation across Microsoft Office, PDFs, websites, social media, and video platforms, with specific accommodations for visual, hearing, motor, cognitive, and literacy-related disabilities. The workshop proves particularly valuable for organizations and governments seeking actionable frameworks to implement inclusive digital practices, offering tested methodologies including automated, manual, and user-based accessibility audits that can be immediately applied across institutional settings - Disabled World (DW).

Introduction

Prayatna Nepal, a leading organization led by visually impaired women, hosted a groundbreaking Digital Accessibility Validation Workshop, uniting 35 key stakeholders to advance inclusive practices in Nepal's digital sphere. The workshop engaged representatives from government bodies, private sectors, international NGOs, UN agencies, organizations of persons with disabilities (OPDs), and the National Human Rights Commission.

Main Content

Moderated by Ms. Sarita Lamichhane, Chairperson of Prayatna Nepal, the event underscored the critical importance of accessible digital spaces.

"This program aimed to create a shared understanding of digital accessibility and its significance," emphasized Ms. Ritu Pant, Senior Program Coordinator at Prayatna Nepal.

The workshop highlighted the unveiling of the Digital Accessibility Checklist, developed by Mr. Sagar Prasai, Founder and Director of Diverse Pattern. This meticulously designed checklist addresses accessibility challenges for individuals with visual, hearing, motor, cognitive, and language/literacy disabilities. It includes practical guidelines for creating accessible content across various platforms—Microsoft Office tools, PDFs, websites, social media, and videos - along with robust testing methods like automated, manual, and user-based audits.

Sarita Lamichhane, chairperson of Prayatna Nepal, moderating the event. — The image shows a formal event setting where a man and a woman are engaged in their respective roles. The man, seated at a table with a laptop, is wearing a blue checkered shirt, a baseball cap, and glasses, focused on his work. The woman, standing to his right, is wearing a light-colored coat and sunglasses, holding a microphone as she speaks. The backdrop includes a stage with red drapes and a large blank projection screen, indicating a conference or presentation environment. The table in the foreground has a water bottle, glass, and some other items, adding to the professional atmosphere.

Key Remarks and Recommendations

Ms. Neera Adhikari, Under Secretary of the Nepal Government and Head of the Coordination Division at the Ministry of Women, Children, and Senior Citizens, proposed making the checklist available in hard copy to enhance accessibility.
Mr. Ashirwad Tripathi, Vice Chairperson of the Asia Pacific Internet Governance Forum (APrIGF), emphasized fostering collaboration among OPDs, civil society, and government entities. He encouraged OPDs to join APrIGF, a pivotal platform for internet-related dialogue.
Mr. Khomraj Sharma inclusion adviser of nepal association of the blind referencing Article 27 of Nepal's Constitution on the right to information, highlighted the need for proper alt text on public websites.
The representative of National Deaf Federation of Nepal called for larger sign language displays in videos to ensure meaningful inclusion.
Representatives from the Ministry of Communication and Information Technology advocated for sensitization workshops targeting ministry secretaries and emphasized the importance of public-private partnerships in addressing accessibility gaps.

Path Forward - Collaboration for Inclusion

Participants agreed on the necessity of sustained collaboration among civil society, government, and OPDs. They urged bilateral organizations to actively contribute to advancing digital accessibility initiatives in Nepal.

Prayatna Nepal remains committed to eliminating digital barriers and fostering an inclusive digital environment where everyone has equal access to technology and information.

For more information about Prayatna Nepal and the Digital Accessibility Checklist, please visit:

Website: prayatnanepal.org
Email: info@prayatnanepal.org

Article by Ms. Sarita Lamichhane
Women with Disability Rights Activist.

Insights, Analysis, and Developments

Editorial Note: The workshop's emphasis on practical implementation tools rather than abstract principles marks a significant shift in how accessibility conversations unfold in South Asia. By developing a comprehensive checklist that addresses real-world platforms where most digital content lives - from everyday office documents to social media posts - Prayatna Nepal has created something organizations can actually use starting tomorrow. What makes this approach particularly effective is the inclusion of testing methods that go beyond automated scans to include manual reviews and, critically, feedback from actual users with disabilities. The call from participants for hard copies of the checklist and larger sign language displays in videos demonstrates that accessibility discussions are most productive when led by those who navigate these barriers daily, turning technical compliance into genuine usability - Disabled World (DW).

Attribution/Source(s): This quality-reviewed publication was selected for publishing by the editors of Disabled World (DW) due to its relevance to the disability community. Originally authored by Ms. Sarita Lamichhane and published on 2025/01/14, this content may have been edited for style, clarity, or brevity.