What the law says and what still needs to change
Every young person has the right to access information, participate in public life, pursue education, and engage with services online. For young people with disabilities, these rights are not always a reality. Inaccessible websites, exclusive digital platforms, and poorly designed online services create barriers that undermine legal protections and everyday inclusion. Understanding the legal landscape – and acknowledging where it falls short – is important for anyone working in the youth sector.
The most foundational international instrument on the rights of persons with disabilities is the UN Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities (CRPD), ratified by the European Union in 2011. Article 9 of the CRPD requires states to ensure that persons with disabilities have access to information and communications technologies on an equal basis with others. Article 21 specifically addresses freedom of expression and access to information, requiring accessible formats and technologies.
At European level, the Charter of Fundamental Rights of the European Union prohibits discrimination on grounds of disability and recognises the right of persons with disabilities to benefit from measures designed to ensure their independence. The European Disability Strategy 2021-2030 sets out a framework for implementing the CRPD across EU policy, with digital inclusion identified as a priority area.
The Web Accessibility Directive (2016) and the European Accessibility Act (2019, applying from 2025) translate these broad commitments into specific, enforceable requirements for public and private sector digital services.
In theory, young people with disabilities have the right to access public sector websites, digital government services, educational platforms, and an increasing range of commercial services in accessible formats. In practice, these rights are frequently not fulfilled. Research consistently shows that the majority of websites – including many in the public and non-profit sectors – fail to meet basic accessibility standards. Young people with visual, hearing, cognitive, and motor disabilities routinely encounter barriers that prevent them from accessing content and services that their non-disabled peers take for granted.
Legal frameworks are only as strong as their enforcement mechanisms. Monitoring and enforcement of the Web Accessibility Directive across EU member states has been inconsistent. Many accessibility statements are incomplete, inaccurate, or simply not published. Complaint mechanisms are often difficult to find and slow to respond. Users with disabilities who encounter barriers frequently have no practical way to seek redress.
Beyond enforcement, the law’s scope has limits. Many of the platforms and tools used most by young people – social media apps, gaming platforms, messaging services – fall outside the current mandatory accessibility framework. While the European Accessibility Act will bring some of these into scope, significant gaps remain.
Youth organisations have a dual responsibility. As service providers, they must ensure that their own digital presence – websites, online courses, digital tools – is accessible and compliant with applicable standards. As advocates, they have a role in amplifying the voices of young people with disabilities, documenting accessibility barriers, and pushing for stronger implementation and enforcement of existing rights.
Young people with disabilities should be active participants in shaping the digital services and platforms they use. Involving them in design, testing, and decision-making is not just good practice – it is a rights-based obligation. Nothing about them without them is not just a slogan. In the context of digital rights, it is a design principle.
Digital rights for young people with disabilities are real, legally grounded, and still far from fully realised. Closing that gap requires ongoing effort from organisations, policymakers, and young people themselves.
