Complex wording and overloaded texts: a focus group was held in Uman to identify barriers for people with disabilities

A focus group involving young people with intellectual disabilities was held at the Uman art and education hub of the NGO Shlyakh Dobra (The Way of Good). The organization reported this on its Facebook page Facebook page.

The work was carried out as part of the project “Strengthening the protection of the rights of persons with disabilities during humanitarian response and recovery in accordance with the UN Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities.”

According to the organizers, the event brought together 10 participants and was aimed at assessing the clarity of information, identifying barriers, and determining key issues of access to important public information. Participants had the opportunity to share their own experiences and openly express their thoughts on the difficulties they face.

During the discussion, special attention was paid to the experience of using the official websites of local authorities in the Uman community. Young people talked about how easy it is to navigate the websites, whether the information is understandable and accessible, and what obstacles they encounter when searching for the information they need. The level of accessibility of humanitarian and social information, which is particularly important in the current situation, was discussed separately.

During the focus group, a number of barriers that most hinder people with disabilities were identified. These include the complexity of wording, overloaded texts, and the lack of adapted formats for presenting information. Participants emphasized the importance of simple language, clear website structure, and visual cues that greatly facilitate perception. The results will form the basis for further recommendations on improving information accessibility.

Holding such discussions is an important step towards ensuring equal access to information and taking into account the needs of people with disabilities in local decision-making processes.

The project “Strengthening the protection of the rights of persons with disabilities during humanitarian response and recovery in accordance with the UN Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities” is being implemented by the NAPD within the framework of a grant from the International Disability Alliance (IDA). International Disability Alliance (IDA)