Legal

Accessibility statement

We build to WCAG 2.2 Level AA and test it automatically on every change. Where we fall short, we would rather hear about it than not know.

Last updated August 2026

Our commitment

USAW is committed to making this website usable by everyone, including people who use screen readers, keyboard-only navigation, magnification, speech input or reduced-motion settings. Inclusion is one of our five core values, and a website that excludes people is not consistent with it.

Conformance target

We target Web Content Accessibility Guidelines (WCAG) 2.2, Level AA. WCAG 2.2 AA is a superset of 2.1 AA, which is the benchmark referenced under the Americans with Disabilities Act and, through EN 301 549, in European accessibility law.

We believe the site currently conforms to WCAG 2.2 Level AA, subject to the limitations below.

How we test

  • Automated axe-core auditing of every page at 375, 768, 1280 and 1920 pixels, run on every change. A failure blocks the change from being published.
  • Automated checking that no page scrolls horizontally at any of those widths.
  • Colour contrast measured numerically against WCAG thresholds for every colour pairing in the design system, not judged by eye. Two of our brand colours failed as body text and are used only for non-text elements as a result.
  • Manual keyboard testing: visible focus on every interactive element, a skip link, logical tab order, and no keyboard traps.

What we have done

  • A skip link to the main content on every page.
  • A visible, high-contrast focus indicator on every interactive element.
  • Navigation that works by keyboard and by pointer; no destination reachable only by hovering.
  • Text that reflows without horizontal scrolling down to 320 pixels.
  • Interactive targets of at least 44 by 44 pixels.
  • Respect for the operating system's reduced-motion setting.
  • Meaningful text alternatives for images, and decorative graphics hidden from assistive technology.

What we deliberately have not done

We do not use an accessibility overlay widget. Overlays do not deliver conformance, and organizations relying on them have been the subject of both litigation and regulatory action over accessibility claims. We fix the underlying markup instead.

Known limitations

  • Documents published as PDFs are not yet checked for accessibility. As USAW publishes its governance documents and reports, each will be reviewed, and we will provide an accessible alternative format on request in the meantime.
  • Third-party embeds, including the newsletter signup and any future donation form, are supplied by external providers. We test them, but we do not control their markup. If one presents a barrier, tell us and we will raise it with the provider or replace it.

Tell us about a barrier

If any part of this site is difficult or impossible for you to use, please tell us. Describe what you were trying to do, what happened, and the assistive technology or settings you use if you are comfortable sharing that.

Email info@usawomen.global, or use the contact form and choose "Accessibility or a problem with this website".

We aim to acknowledge within five working days and to tell you what we are going to do about it and when. If we cannot fix something quickly, we will offer the information in another format.

Assessment approach

This statement is based on self-assessment using automated tooling and manual review. It has not yet been subject to an independent third-party audit; we intend to commission one as USAW's resources allow, and will update this statement with the result.