Accessibility – A Responsibility, Not a Luxury

Accessibility means ensuring that everyone, including people with disabilities, can use technology and spaces equally. It’s about removing barriers so that disability doesn’t limit participation in society. This spans the physical world and the digital world – from ramps on sidewalks to captions on videos. Over one billion people (about 16% of the world) live with some form of disability. In developing countries like Cameroon, the proportion is even higher. When we ignore accessibility, we exclude a huge community from education, work, and daily life. True accessibility is not just “nice to have” – it is a basic human right and a foundation of inclusive design.

Why Accessibility Matters for Everyone

Making things accessible isn’t only about helping those with disabilities. When we design for inclusion, everyone benefits. This is often called the “curb cut effect” – named after the small ramps on pavements invented for wheelchair users that ended up helping parents with prams, workers with carts, and many others. As one review noted, when the “wall of exclusion came down, everybody benefitted – not only people in wheelchairs”. In the digital space, the same happens: captions created for deaf users are used by millions who prefer to watch videos on mute, and voice assistants first built for blind users now help people hands-free. In short, accessibility features tend to benefit all users. By building products that anyone can use, we improve user experience across the board and reach a wider audience.

Accessibility is also critical for business and innovation. Many view it as merely a legal box to tick, but it’s so much more – it can drive real growth. An accessible website isn’t just about compliance; it actively boosts your search engine optimisation (SEO) and strengthens your brand’s reputation. It means every potential client or user, regardless of ability, can engage with your content and services. In other words, prioritising accessibility expands your market and makes good business sense. It’s a win-win: we create a fairer society and better products.

Germany’s Example: Championing Accessibility

Germany stands out as a country that treats accessibility as essential, not optional. It has built a strong culture and legal framework to include people with disabilities in all areas of life. This didn’t happen overnight – it’s the result of clear policies and sustained commitment. Germany’s Disability Equality Act (BGG), for instance, was passed back in 2002 to ensure equal access for people with disabilities. Similar to the American ADA, the BGG lays the groundwork by defining accessibility as a right. Importantly, Germany kept strengthening its laws over time. It updated the BGG to incorporate the EU Web Accessibility Directive, which mandates that all public sector websites and mobile apps be usable by people with disabilities. In other words, government websites must meet accessibility standards so that, say, a blind person using a screen reader or a deaf person needing subtitles isn’t shut out.

Germany didn’t stop at the public sector. It introduced the Barrier-Free Information Technology Ordinance (BITV 2.0) to specify technical standards for accessible websites and apps. This ensures things like proper text alternatives for images, keyboard navigation, sufficient colour contrast, and so on are consistently implemented in government digital services. And now, in 2025, Germany is extending these requirements to many private businesses through its new Accessibility Strengthening Act (BFSG). This move recognises that inclusion shouldn’t depend on whether a service is public or private – all digital products should be barrier-free. Thanks to these measures, accessibility is becoming a default expectation in Germany. Public transport has audible and visual announcements, buildings have ramps and lifts, and websites from banks to shops are increasingly complying with accessibility guidelines. While no country is perfect, Germany’s proactive approach – strong laws, monitoring, and a mindset that values equal access – shows what’s possible when a society treats accessibility as non-negotiable.

Cameroon’s Reality: Gaps and Lessons to Learn

In Cameroon, the importance of accessibility is just starting to get the attention it deserves. The government has taken some positive steps on paper. In 2022, Cameroon finally ratified the United Nations Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities (CRPD) after years of advocacy campaigning. This was a landmark move, signaling a commitment to protect the rights of people with disabilities. Cameroon also became one of the first African countries to adopt the African Disability Protocol, aiming to address unique regional challenges. These agreements are important, but the real test is putting them into practice.

Today, many Cameroonians with disabilities still find everyday technology and environments unusable. In the workplace, for example, digital access remains elusive. Journalists with impairments in Cameroon have described accessible tech as a “distant myth” because basic tools are lacking. One visually impaired reporter explained that his office had no internet and no screen reader software (like NVDA or JAWS) on the computers, making it nearly impossible for him to do his job. Websites he needs for research often don’t work with his phone’s TalkBack screen reader.  Another journalist who is deaf recounted that events she covers rarely have sign language interpreters or even captions on projectors, leaving her literally out of the conversation. These are not isolated anecdotes – they reflect a broader lack of accessible infrastructure in Cameroon’s public and private sectors.

Cameroon actually has laws that call for accessibility, such as a 2010 law on the protection of persons with disabilities, which mandates access in public buildings. But enforcement is weak, and many buildings, schools, and websites remain full of barriers. Budgets for accessibility improvements are limited, and there isn’t yet the same public awareness that exists in Germany. It’s common in Cameroonian cities to see buildings with staircases at every entrance and no ramps, or public websites with images that have no text descriptions. The result is that people with disabilities often cannot participate fully – they struggle to enter government offices, use public transport, or even navigate a simple webpage. This exclusion also feeds harmful perceptions. As one report noted, employers in Cameroon often see people with disabilities as “burdens” and are reluctant to hire them. Such stigma persists when society isn’t set up for inclusion.

The contrast with Germany shows how Cameroon can improve. German cities and digital services are far more accessible because they’ve been deliberately designed that way over decades. Cameroon can learn from this by not only passing laws but actually implementing them: ensuring new buildings have ramps and lifts, investing in accessible transit, and adopting digital accessibility standards (like the widely used WCAG guidelines) for government and business websites. It’s also about mindset – treating accessibility as fundamental. The cost of inaction is high: when a portion of the population can’t go to school, get a job, or access services due to disability, the whole country misses out on their contributions. On the other hand, making systems accessible can unleash potential and talent. Cameroon has a young, dynamic population and growing tech scene – it’s a perfect opportunity to build inclusivity in from the start, rather than retrofitting it later.

Designing for Everyone, Not Just the Able-Bodied

One of the biggest challenges in technology today is that too often, products are designed by able-bodied people who do not consider the needs of those with disabilities. Developers might advertise their app or website as “inclusive” because it targets a broad market, yet overlook basic accessibility features like text-to-speech support or captioning. The tech industry has a habit of treating accessibility as an afterthought – something to maybe revisit after launch, if someone complains. This mindset has real consequences. A recent analysis of the top one million websites found that about 95% of homepages had accessibility errors as of 2025. That means the vast majority of sites fail to meet at least one standard needed by users with disabilities. Common issues include text with low contrast (hard to read for people with low vision), images without alt text (invisible to blind users), or forms that can’t be navigated via keyboard. Such oversights happen when designers and developers don’t prioritise accessibility from the start.

When able-bodied creators design in a vacuum, they can miss problems that are obvious to someone with a disability. For instance, an app might have tiny buttons that a person with a motor impairment can’t tap, or confusing layouts that overwhelm users with cognitive disabilities. In some cases, tech companies have launched flashy new features only to face backlash from the disability community. A notable example was when Twitter introduced “voice tweets” (audio clips attached to tweets) without any captions. Deaf users and allies immediately objected – the feature literally excluded them. Twitter was forced to apologise after a public outcry, admitting it was wrong to roll out that tool “without support for people who are visually impaired, deaf, or hard of hearing”. This goes to show that even big companies can have a blind spot for accessibility if people with disabilities aren’t involved in design and testing.

The solution is straightforward: nothing about us without us. In practice, this means involving users with different abilities at every stage of design, and treating their feedback as essential. It also means educating developers and designers about accessibility guidelines. Building truly inclusive tech requires empathy and humility – recognising that just because a feature works for you doesn’t mean it works for everyone. As Camsol’s team aptly put it, “Accessibility isn't a feature, it's a foundation – and a daily learning process.” It’s about staying curious, humble, and committed to doing better. Concretely, that involves steps like:

• Testing with real users, not just assuming everything is fine. A sighted developer cannot fully predict how a blind user navigates their site – you have to test and listen.
  
  
  

• Designing for assistive tech from the start. This includes ensuring a website works with screen readers and can be used with only a keyboard (vital for those who can’t use a mouse). It means providing captions, transcripts, and easy-to-understand layouts so people with hearing or cognitive disabilities aren’t left out.
  
  
  

• Asking who might be excluded by a design choice – and then changing it. This could be as simple as adding an alternative text description to an image for blind users, or as involved as rethinking a feature that might confuse users with dyslexia or epilepsy.
  
  
  

Crucially, we must remember that disabilities can be invisible. Not every user’s needs are apparent. Someone might not disclose their disability, or may not even identify as disabled while still facing challenges (like the many people with partial hearing loss who rely on captions). That’s why developers should assume a diversity of needs in their audience. By embracing that mindset, accessibility becomes a natural part of the creation process rather than an afterthought.

Camsol’s Commitment: Accessible and Sustainable Tech

In Cameroon, one pioneering force pushing this inclusive vision is Camsol. Camsol is a tech company with roots in both Cameroon and Germany, and it was founded on the idea that technology can empower people only if it’s accessible to all. The company’s mission is to promote social and technological sustainability by connecting talent in Cameroon with opportunities in Europe  – a bridge between two worlds. Part of “technological sustainability” for Camsol means building solutions that continue to serve people long-term, which naturally includes people with disabilities. In practice, Camsol’s developers make accessibility a core requirement in their projects, whether it’s a website for a client or an in-house innovation. They aren’t doing this just to follow rules; they genuinely see inclusive design as the right way to build tech. As their team noted on Global Accessibility Awareness Day, inclusive tech isn’t a luxury – it’s a responsibility. They openly acknowledge they’re not perfect, but they’ve “made it part of our mission to learn, to listen, and to build better”. This attitude is helping to set a new standard in Cameroon’s tech scene.

Camsol’s unique position – with one foot in Germany and one in Cameroon – allows it to transfer knowledge and standards between the two. German accessibility standards (like the BITV guidelines for websites) influence how Camsol designs products in Cameroon. At the same time, the company tailors solutions to local contexts, understanding the constraints in Cameroon (such as lower bandwidth or lack of assistive device availability) and innovating around them. By training young developers in Cameroon in these best practices, Camsol is nurturing a new generation of tech professionals who think about accessibility from the start. This is critical for making lasting change. When more Cameroonian developers treat alt text, captions, and keyboard navigation as normal parts of development, inaccessible design will gradually fade away.

Camsol also shows that inclusive tech can be sustainable and scalable. For example, when a website is built to be accessible, it often ends up more robust and user-friendly for everyone. Features like fast page loading, clear layouts, and text alternatives don’t just help disabled users; they make the site better overall (and even improve SEO rankings, as mentioned earlier). By delivering high-quality, accessible websites to businesses, Camsol is proving that accessibility and commercial success go hand in hand. Their approach strengthens brands and opens those businesses to more customers. This helps dispel the myth that accessibility is only a charitable effort – it’s actually part of smart, sustainable business in the digital age.

It’s worth noting that Camsol can provide accessibility audits for any organisation that needs it. This shows leadership in spreading the importance of accessibility. It encourages more website owners in Cameroon to think about users who might currently be shut out of their sites. Little by little, these efforts contribute to a culture shift. Just as Germany’s accessibility journey was propelled by both law and advocacy, Cameroon’s journey can be accelerated by companies like Camsol leading by example and by technologists who are passionate about inclusion.

Accessibility as a Shared Duty

Accessibility isn’t an add-on or an afterthought – it’s a shared responsibility we all have to uphold. Whether we are policymakers, business owners, developers, or everyday citizens, we each have a role in making our world inclusive. Germany’s experience demonstrates that with commitment and clear standards, enormous progress is possible: people with disabilities can navigate cities, use services, and contribute fully when barriers are removed. Cameroon, with its youthful population and growing tech industry, has the opportunity to leapfrog into a future where accessibility is built into its development plans. It can draw inspiration from Germany’s successes while crafting solutions that fit its own context and culture.

Most importantly, we must remember that accessibility is about dignity and opportunity. When a website has a high-contrast mode or a mobile app works with voice commands, it’s not just a technical tweak – it means an elderly person can read the news online, or a paralysed individual can send messages to friends. It means talented students in wheelchairs can attend university classes, and skilled professionals with low vision can do their jobs effectively. Inaccessible design, by contrast, needlessly locks people out, feeding inequality. We should no longer tolerate that in our public spaces or our digital products.

As Camsol’s ethos highlights, building inclusive technology means continuously asking, “Who might we be leaving behind?” and then having the drive to fix it. The future we shape with technology must include everyone, or it’s simply not a future worth building. Embracing accessibility is an act of respect and common sense. It ensures that tech fulfils its promise of improving lives – for all of us, not just some. By taking accessibility seriously today, we are laying the groundwork for a more equitable and innovative tomorrow.