As we celebrate Global Accessibility Awareness Day (GAAD) 2026, Centre for Accessibility Australia (CFA Australia) is proud to stand alongside organisations, advocates, and communities around the world working towards a more inclusive digital future.
GAAD is an important reminder that accessibility is not optional, it’s essential. More than one billion people globally live with disability, and in Australia alone, around 4.4 million people identify as having disability. Accessible digital experiences help ensure everyone can participate equally online, whether accessing information, services, education, employment, or social connection.
While awareness and accessibility standards have improved over the years, a digital divide still exists across websites, apps, and digital platforms. Many Australians continue to experience digital exclusion due to disability, age, geography, or other circumstances.
Some key figures highlight the ongoing challenge:
- 1 in 5 Australians experience digital exclusion (Australian Digital Inclusion Index)
- 96% of the world’s top websites still contain detectable accessibility issues (WebAIM Million Report)
- Australians with disability are still less likely to access online services and information compared to the wider population
At CFA Australia, we believe accessibility should be built in from the beginning and not treated as an afterthought. Creating inclusive digital environments benefits everyone and leads to better, more usable experiences across the board.
Through advocacy, training, testing, and community engagement, we continue working with organisations and government to improve accessibility outcomes and promote inclusive design practices.
This GAAD, we encourage everyone to take practical steps towards a more accessible digital world by:
- Raising awareness about digital accessibility
- Building accessibility into design and development from the start
- Supporting accessibility initiatives and lived-experience voices
- Creating digital spaces everyone can use
We also encourage you to check out our Accessible Tech for All initiative – a laptop donation program helping improve access to technology for people with disability. Whether you’re an individual wanting to donate, an organisation looking to support the program, or someone in need of a laptop, there are many ways to get involved and make a difference.
Thank you, as always, for being a part of our social movement!
Happy GAAD 2026 from CFA Australia!