Digital for All: Centering Accessibility in Nepal's Digital Future

Author: Sarita Lamichhane
Published: 2025/05/15 - Updated: 2025/08/19
Publication Type: Informative
Category Topic: Website Accessibility - Academic Publications

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

Synopsis: This article, released in conjunction with Global Accessibility Awareness Day (GAAD) 2025, serves as a critical call to action from organizations of persons with disabilities in Nepal, advocating for digital accessibility to be made a central component of the country's ongoing digital transformation. As Nepal expands its digital infrastructure under the Digital Nepal Framework 2.0, this information highlights how the absence of accessible design continues to marginalize people with disabilities-particularly those with visual impairments-by denying them equal access to essential services like healthcare, education, transportation, and governance.

This piece is especially valuable to policymakers, developers, educators, civil society, and tech industry stakeholders, as it outlines concrete actions to ensure inclusive design and policy reform. By centering the lived experiences of disabled Nepalis and offering actionable recommendations, the article underscores that digital inclusion is not merely a technical concern but a matter of human rights and equitable development-especially relevant for seniors and individuals with disabilities who are most impacted by digital exclusion - Disabled World (DW).

Introduction

As Nepal accelerates its digital transformation with vital services in education, healthcare, banking, transportation, and governance increasingly delivered through digital means-persons with visual impairments and other disabilities continue to face systemic exclusion. Rather than bridging divides, technology often reinforces them when accessibility is not built in from the start.

Main Content

On the occasion of Global Accessibility Awareness Day (GAAD) 2025, we the undersigned organizations of persons with disabilities: Blind Youth Association Nepal (BYAN) Prayatna Nepal and Nepal Association of the Blind, jointly call upon the Government of Nepal, the private sector, academia, civil society, and development partners to put digital accessibility at the core of Nepal's digital future.

Accessibility is not a technical feature it is a fundamental human right and a critical precondition for inclusive development.

Why Digital Accessibility Must Be a National Priority?

Nepal's Digital Nepal Framework 2.0 (DNF 2.0) presents a bold and transformative vision. However, this vision will remain incomplete unless people with disabilities are actively included in its design, implementation, and monitoring. Today, inaccessible websites, mobile applications without screen reader compatibility, multimedia lacking alternative text or audio descriptions, and non-compliant documents prevent thousands of Nepalis from accessing essential services and opportunities. These are not minor oversights; they are barriers that deny people their basic rights.

From Vision to Action: What Needs to Change

To build a truly inclusive digital ecosystem, we urge the following immediate actions:

Mandate digital accessibility standards (WCAG 2.1 or higher) across all public digital services.
Amend relevant policies and guidelines to explicitly require digital accessibility.
Conduct regular accessibility audits of government websites and applications, and act on the findings.
Build the capacity of developers, communicators, and government staff on inclusive design.
Integrate digital accessibility into journalism, ICT, CTEVT, and education curricula.
Launch nationwide awareness campaigns and include people with disabilities in all stages of policymaking.

Private Sector & Civil Society:

Conduct accessibility audits and implement necessary changes.
Use CSR funds to support innovation in accessible digital tools.
Develop organizational policies and train staff on accessibility standards.

IT/Software Industry:

Embed accessibility into every phase of product development.
Employ accessibility testers early in the design process.
Provide continuous training on accessibility best practices.

Academic Institutions:

Integrate digital accessibility into teaching and practical training.
Ensure university websites and materials are fully accessible.

Organizations of Persons with Disabilities (OPDs):

Lead awareness and advocacy efforts.
Support policy reform and monitor implementation.
Generate and share evidence for inclusive change.

Our Message: Nothing About Us Without Us

Digital platforms are now essential to full participation in modern life. Yet for many, these remain out of reach due to poor design. Digital inclusion must be intentional, systemic, and sustained. It is time to move from awareness to accountability.

On GAAD 2025, let us come together to build a digitally accessible Nepal for everyone.

Insights, Analysis, and Developments

Editorial Note: The importance of this article lies not only in its urgent message but in its clarity: inclusion must be intentional. As digital services increasingly define access to public life, ensuring they are designed for everyone is not optional-it's essential. This is particularly true in countries like Nepal, where digital infrastructure is being rapidly built and can either reinforce existing inequalities or correct them. The leadership of organizations of persons with disabilities in drafting this agenda is both timely and necessary. It reminds all stakeholders-from governments to coders-that accessibility must be integrated from the ground up. Nepal's future depends on a digital landscape that leaves no one behind - 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 Sarita Lamichhane and published on 2025/05/15, this content may have been edited for style, clarity, or brevity.