International Day of Persons with Disabilities, observed on Dec. 3 annually, serves as a global reminder to raise awareness about the challenges faced by individuals with disabilities and promote inclusivity in all aspects of life. It’s a day to celebrate the unique abilities and contributions of people with disabilities and to advocate for a more accessible and equitable world for all.

On this day, "Accessible Everything" is a pioneering social initiative dedicated to promoting greater accessibility for individuals and businesses alike in Türkiye.

With a focus on custom-designing user experiences, Accessible Everything reshapes how employees and customers interact with companies. They ensure that every place, product, content, service and even digital platform is not just accessible but intuitively understandable and effortlessly usable.

Their commitment extends to all, including the elderly and those with disabilities, championing a world where accessibility is not an afterthought but a fundamental standard.

The idea for Accessible Everything was sparked by three disability activists from the same university, Hale Yıldız, Serim Berke Yarar and Seben Ayşe Dayı. Recognizing the diverse needs of different disability groups, they saw the crucial importance of implementing accessibility solutions in a unified manner.

On their initiative, Dayı explained: "Accessible Everything appeared as an inclusive mechanism that gives solutions to all kinds of disability problems. While founding Accessible Everything, we noticed that there need to be different kinds of disabled users and advisors. Our philosophy is based on the idea of ‘For us, never without us.’"

"Accessible Everything, which was founded in late 2019, began to transform brands in accessible ways from the culture and arts sector. Our first job was at the Bozcaada Jazz Festival in July 2019. We hosted a lot of disabled people, more than we estimated. At that festival, we saw blind people and people with wheelchairs at the same time, and musicians described themselves on the stage. It was an extraordinary experience," she added.

The organization’s reach extended beyond the arts sector, exemplified by its collaboration with the Sabancı Foundation Changemakers in Türkiye. An outstanding achievement was making the "Past, Present, Istanbul" exhibition at the Sakıp Sabancı Museum accessible to both blind and deaf visitors. This involved adapting the artworks of living artists for an inclusive audience, making it a groundbreaking endeavor.

Furthermore, Accessible Everything’s partnership with Yeşilay was another success. They transformed educational materials about fighting addiction into formats accessible to disabled individuals. This initiative was crucial as it provided disabled people battling addiction access to vital resources.

The organization has deeply identified and addressed the unique accessibility needs across various sectors. Their efforts include providing solutions for physical, digital and accessibility training needs. One of their latest achievements is Cafe Yanımda, an accessible cafe designed to cater to all disability groups, established with guidance from Accessible Everything.

The focus in addressing the needs of disabled individuals should be on quality rather than quantity. Key concerns include the level of active participation of these individuals in the education and employment sectors.

Particularly, students and recent university graduates who are job searching represent a group with urgent accessibility needs. Tailored actions are essential to support these individuals effectively.

Furthermore, a significant number of disabled individuals are awaiting suitable assignments. Their needs require immediate attention. While statistical data provides insights, the ultimate goal should be to ensure accessibility for every disabled individual.

"People do not need to be ‘one day disabled’ to have disability awareness. It is enough to respect people’s rights and stand with those who face challenges in accessing their rights. We must remember to care for the different needs and experiences of each individual. The most crucial aspect is to ensure accessibility, as it is the cornerstone of equality and justice," Dayı added.

Since 2009, the Sabancı Foundation has run the "Changemakers" program, supporting active citizens and organizations that provide innovative, sustainable solutions to societal problems. Out of nearly 14,000 applicants, 210 from 46 cities have been chosen as Changemakers, including the "Accessible Everything" platform.

When assessing the global methodologies in terms of embracing disabled individuals, Türkiye’s position is noteworthy, particularly in the realm of health care services. The country has shown commendable progress in ensuring that disabled individuals have access to various medical treatments.

The services offered to disabled individuals in Türkiye should extend beyond mere aid. Easy access to rights is equally important. While free urban and intercity travel is a beneficial provision, it falls short if public vehicles are not accessible to all. Similarly, the availability of accessible vehicles is not sufficient if drivers lack the necessary contact information to assist disabled passengers.

While health care services in Türkiye are commendable from a social standpoint, a rights-based approach to disability policy is crucial. This approach ensures that disabled individuals have equal access to all aspects of life, not just health care.

Dayı highlighted that the team at Accessible Everything has been continuously working in the field of accessibility for the past four years. Their future goals include evolving into an institute that not only improves but also develops new accessibility standards, with a special focus on education and tourism.

A primary objective for Accessible Everything is the expansion of its user experience network, specifically tailored for disabled users. They have been conducting structured studies in this area and aim to implement a comprehensive disabled user experience network by the second half of 2024.

In addition to these efforts, they are developing a scoring system to assess accessibility standards. The overarching aim of Accessible Everything is to integrate accessibility into every field, ensuring its implementation from a rights-based perspective.