The importance of access and accessibility legislation
Christine Woolley
Understanding the importance of access
The United Nations Educational, Scientific and Culture Organization (UNESCO) identifies the universal right to information as essential for the well-being of individuals (United Nations Educational, Scientific, and Cultural Organization, 2015). The right to information is an important element of the fundamental right to freedom of expression. Article 19 of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights (1948) states that the fundamental right to freedom of expression includes the freedom “to seek, receive and impart information and ideas through any media and regardless of frontiers”.
Ensuring that graphic materials are accessible upholds the right to information. This allows for equitable access to information and affords people with disabilities equal opportunities to easily access and use information (Buller & Spevack, 2019).
Accessibility legislation is fundamental to bringing about a culture shift towards inclusion
Federal accessibility legislation exists in the form of the Accessible Canada Act (2019), Canada’s first national accessibility law. The Act aims to achieve a barrier-free Canada by 2040 by identifying, addressing, and preventing barriers. Barriers are defined as anything that “hinders the full and equal participation in society of persons with an impairment, including a physical, mental, intellectual, cognitive, learning, communication or sensory impairment or a functional limitation” (Accessible Canada Act, SC 2019. C. 10., 2019).
Relevance of my research within the B.C. context
On June 17, 2021, the B.C. legislature passed the Accessible British Columbia Act into law. The new act will remove barriers and create accessibility standards throughout the province (Legislative Assembly of British Columbia, 2021). Today, almost 25 percent of British Columbians over the age of 15 identify as having some form of disability. The number of people with disabilities, as well as the severity of their disabilities, are likely to increase as the population ages. Additionally, B.C. is the most ethnically diverse province in Canada. Almost 30 percent of British Columbians immigrated to B.C. from another country; approximately 25 percent of the population identify as a visible minority; and another six percent of the population identify as Indigenous (Government of British Columbia, 2019).
Learn more about the Accessible British Columbia Act.