Javaabu and BVISM shine a light on digital accessibility at Maldives IGF

Malé, Maldives Javaabu Pvt Ltd, together with the Blind and Visually Impaired Society of Maldives (BVISM), led a dedicated session at the Maldives Internet Governance Forum 2023 on how to make the internet more inclusive for everyone in the country. The session, titled “Making the Internet Inclusive and Accessible,” focused on the real challenges people with disabilities face when trying to use local websites and apps.

The discussion opened with BVISM Vice President Mohamed Shareef demonstrating several accessibility issues using examples from commonly used Maldivian platforms. His walkthrough made it clear how small design choices can completely block someone from accessing an online service. Missing labels, poor colour contrast and layouts that do not work with screen readers were some of the problems he highlighted.

Javaabu’s CEO, Mohamed Jailam, followed with a session for developers and service providers. He explained how these issues can be avoided through simple design decisions and proper testing. Jailam encouraged the tech community to think about accessibility from the very beginning instead of trying to fix it at the end. He reminded participants that digital transformation is only successful if everyone can use the tools and services being built.

The event brought together students, developers, policymakers and accessibility advocates, both in person and online. Participants were encouraged to treat inclusive design as a shared responsibility across the country’s tech ecosystem. The organisers also stressed that improving accessibility is not only a technical matter but an important step toward equal participation in daily life, education and employment.

The session was held at the Maldives National University Conference Room and was streamed virtually for those joining remotely.