BSI Accessibility Documentary Endorsed on United Nations Website
Press release: 23 December 2010
The UN has long been a proponent of human rights worldwide. This includes the rights of disabled persons, as integral members of society often overlooked in public service sectors. In an article recognising the International Day of Persons with Disabilities on 3 December, the UN endorsed BSI’s documentary “Overview: Way to Accessibility in Buildings and on the Web” as a way to encourage companies to make their services indiscriminately applicable to all consumers.
The need for organisations to make services more accessible is an international priority. From web development, to modes of transportation and general building facilities, companies and designers are responsible to ensure that their services answer the needs of consumers - regardless of circumstance or capability.
One of the best ways to guarantee adequate levels of accessibility is through standards. As the world’s first national standards body, BSI has led the way through the creation of its documentary giving an overview of accessibility and answering key questions regarding the need for designers and developers to think ahead.
“We need to remind ourselves all the time that people have different needs and abilities, yet everyone shares the right to be included in society,” says Sofie Sandell, Film producer, BSI. “Exclusion often comes as a result of unawareness, rather than deliberate discrimination; thus, BSI hopes to spread the knowledge from our standards to more web designers, architects and transport planners.”
This year, the World Standard’s Day introduced the year’s global message: “Standards make the world accessible to all.” Standards play an essential role in setting an international framework for companies to refer to, in order to correctly handle issues of service discrimination and accessibility.
“The use of standards at the start of the design process will enable one to include more people and follow the UN Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities,” concludes Sandell.
