Skip to content
https://wto.org

Accessibility

· 13 checks — Landmarks, headings, alt text, forms, and link quality rolled into one auditable list.
SCORE
30
GRADE
F
FIX
9
REVIEW
4
PASS
0
INFO
0
Checks
13
4 REVIEW 9 FIX
F
Heading Hierarchy
Action
28 headings, 7 skip(s)
FIX
28 headings, 7 skip(s)
Warning::
Multiple H1 headings (5 found)
A page should have only one H1. Multiple H1s dilute the document outline.
Warning::
Heading level skipped: H1 → H3 (missing H2)
Skipping heading levels breaks the document outline. Screen readers may interpret missing levels as structural errors.
Warning::
Heading level skipped: H1 → H3 (missing H2)
Skipping heading levels breaks the document outline. Screen readers may interpret missing levels as structural errors.
Warning::
Heading level skipped: H1 → H3 (missing H2)
Skipping heading levels breaks the document outline. Screen readers may interpret missing levels as structural errors.
Warning::
Heading level skipped: H1 → H3 (missing H2)
Skipping heading levels breaks the document outline. Screen readers may interpret missing levels as structural errors.
Warning::
Heading level skipped: H1 → H3 (missing H2)
Skipping heading levels breaks the document outline. Screen readers may interpret missing levels as structural errors.
Warning::
Heading level skipped: H2 → H4 (missing H3)
Skipping heading levels breaks the document outline. Screen readers may interpret missing levels as structural errors.
Warning::
Heading level skipped: H2 → H4 (missing H3)
Skipping heading levels breaks the document outline. Screen readers may interpret missing levels as structural errors.
  • H4 Sign up for email updates
  • H1 World Trade Organization
  • H3 News skipped
  • H1 Technology transfer workshop highlights role of enabling environment in LDCs duplicate H1
  • H3 News skipped
  • H1 Kazakhstan initiates dispute regarding Indonesia duties on imported hot-rolled steel coils duplicate H1
  • H3 News skipped
  • H1 Fish Fund extends deadline of second Call for Proposals to 8 May duplicate H1
  • H3 News skipped
  • H1 Viet Nam submits request to join Expansion of the Information Technology Agreement duplicate H1
  • H3 #MC14 skipped
  • H2 Briefing notes
  • H2 Photos/Videos
  • H2 Webcasting
  • H2 Agreement on Fisheries Subsidies
  • H2 Director-General Okonjo-Iweala
  • H2 Latest blog
  • H2 Meetings
  • H2 Live webcasting
  • H2 Our areas of activity
  • H4 Trade Negotiations skipped
  • H4 Dispute Settlement
  • H4 Implementation and monitoring
  • H4 Building trade capacity
  • H2 Working at the WTO
  • H4 About WTO skipped
  • H4 Sign up for email updates
  • H4 Follow WTO

A page should have only one H1. Multiple H1s dilute the document outline.

Why this matters

Multiple H1s blur the page's primary topic — screen-reader users and Google both prefer one H1.

Learn more ▾

HTML5's outline algorithm technically allows multiple H1s within sectioning content, but no browser implements it. In practice: one H1 per page. Use H2-H6 for subsections.

Source: WCAG 2.4.6 / Google Search Central

Skipping heading levels breaks the document outline. Screen readers may interpret missing levels as structural errors.

Why this matters

Skipping heading levels breaks the document outline — screen-reader users lose track of section nesting.

Learn more ▾

Screen reader users navigate by jumping between headings (H1 → H2 → H3). Skipping (H1 → H3) breaks the sense of hierarchy. Use sequential levels even if you don't like the default styling — restyle with CSS instead. WCAG 1.3.1 (Info and Relationships) treats this as an A failure.

Source: WCAG 2.1 SC 1.3.1 / W3C WAI

Skipping heading levels breaks the document outline. Screen readers may interpret missing levels as structural errors.

Why this matters

Skipping heading levels breaks the document outline — screen-reader users lose track of section nesting.

Learn more ▾

Screen reader users navigate by jumping between headings (H1 → H2 → H3). Skipping (H1 → H3) breaks the sense of hierarchy. Use sequential levels even if you don't like the default styling — restyle with CSS instead. WCAG 1.3.1 (Info and Relationships) treats this as an A failure.

Source: WCAG 2.1 SC 1.3.1 / W3C WAI

Skipping heading levels breaks the document outline. Screen readers may interpret missing levels as structural errors.

Why this matters

Skipping heading levels breaks the document outline — screen-reader users lose track of section nesting.

Learn more ▾

Screen reader users navigate by jumping between headings (H1 → H2 → H3). Skipping (H1 → H3) breaks the sense of hierarchy. Use sequential levels even if you don't like the default styling — restyle with CSS instead. WCAG 1.3.1 (Info and Relationships) treats this as an A failure.

Source: WCAG 2.1 SC 1.3.1 / W3C WAI

Skipping heading levels breaks the document outline. Screen readers may interpret missing levels as structural errors.

Why this matters

Skipping heading levels breaks the document outline — screen-reader users lose track of section nesting.

Learn more ▾

Screen reader users navigate by jumping between headings (H1 → H2 → H3). Skipping (H1 → H3) breaks the sense of hierarchy. Use sequential levels even if you don't like the default styling — restyle with CSS instead. WCAG 1.3.1 (Info and Relationships) treats this as an A failure.

Source: WCAG 2.1 SC 1.3.1 / W3C WAI

Skipping heading levels breaks the document outline. Screen readers may interpret missing levels as structural errors.

Why this matters

Skipping heading levels breaks the document outline — screen-reader users lose track of section nesting.

Learn more ▾

Screen reader users navigate by jumping between headings (H1 → H2 → H3). Skipping (H1 → H3) breaks the sense of hierarchy. Use sequential levels even if you don't like the default styling — restyle with CSS instead. WCAG 1.3.1 (Info and Relationships) treats this as an A failure.

Source: WCAG 2.1 SC 1.3.1 / W3C WAI

Skipping heading levels breaks the document outline. Screen readers may interpret missing levels as structural errors.

Why this matters

Skipping heading levels breaks the document outline — screen-reader users lose track of section nesting.

Learn more ▾

Screen reader users navigate by jumping between headings (H1 → H2 → H3). Skipping (H1 → H3) breaks the sense of hierarchy. Use sequential levels even if you don't like the default styling — restyle with CSS instead. WCAG 1.3.1 (Info and Relationships) treats this as an A failure.

Source: WCAG 2.1 SC 1.3.1 / W3C WAI

Skipping heading levels breaks the document outline. Screen readers may interpret missing levels as structural errors.

Why this matters

Skipping heading levels breaks the document outline — screen-reader users lose track of section nesting.

Learn more ▾

Screen reader users navigate by jumping between headings (H1 → H2 → H3). Skipping (H1 → H3) breaks the sense of hierarchy. Use sequential levels even if you don't like the default styling — restyle with CSS instead. WCAG 1.3.1 (Info and Relationships) treats this as an A failure.

Source: WCAG 2.1 SC 1.3.1 / W3C WAI

F
Alt Text Quality
Action
4 of 19 images have issues
FIX
4 of 19 images have issues
Critical::
4 image(s) missing alt attribute
Images without alt text are invisible to screen readers.
Critical::
3 image-in-link without alt text
An image inside a link with no alt creates an empty link.
Info::
6 decorative image(s) correctly marked
Info::
9 image(s) with good alt text
19 images 9 good alt text 6 decorative 4 missing
IssueCount
missing4 image(s)

Images without alt text are invisible to screen readers.

Why this matters

Each image without alt text is a WCAG 1.1.1 failure — invisible to screen-reader users, lost from Google Image Search.

Learn more ▾

WCAG 2.1 Level A requires text alternatives for non-decorative images. Empty alt='' is fine for decorative; meaningful images need descriptive text. Common fixes: CMS audit + bulk add, build-time linter (alt-text-required ESLint rule), CI gate on Lighthouse a11y score.

Source: WCAG 2.1 SC 1.1.1 / WebAIM Million Report

An image inside a link with no alt creates an empty link.

Why this matters

Image-only links with no alt create empty links — screen-reader users hear 'link' with no destination context.

Learn more ▾

An <a><img></a> with no img alt is the worst-case for accessibility: AT announces the link but can't describe where it goes. Either add alt to the image OR add aria-label to the link.

Source: WCAG 2.1 SC 2.4.4

F
404 Error Page
Action
Soft 404 detected
FIX
Soft 404 detected
Critical::
Soft 404: server returns HTTP 200 for non-existent pages
The server returns HTTP 200 for a path that does not exist. Search engines will index these pages, diluting your real content. Configure your server to return a proper 404 status code for missing pages.
Got: Status: 200 for /beavercheck-404-test-dbvktx
404 Page Quality ✗ Soft 404 (HTTP 200)
Status Code: HTTP 200

The server returned HTTP 200 for a non-existent path. Search engines will index this page as real content. Configure your server to return HTTP 404 for missing pages.

F
Favicon & Branding
Action
1 icon(s) detected
FIX
1 icon(s) detected
Info::
favicon.ico present at site root
Info::
No apple-touch-icon detected
iOS devices use this when users add your site to their home screen. Add <link rel='apple-touch-icon' sizes='180x180' href='/apple-touch-icon.png'>.
✓ favicon.ico Present
✗ PNG Icons Missing
✗ Apple Touch Missing
✗ SVG Favicon Missing
✗ Manifest Icons Missing
✗ Multiple Sizes Missing
F
Web Manifest
Action
Invalid JSON
FIX
Invalid JSON
Warning::
Manifest contains invalid JSON
Manifest at https://wto.org/manifest.json contains invalid JSON. Browsers cannot parse it.
Got: https://wto.org/manifest.json

Manifest contains invalid JSON.

D
Dark Mode Support
Action
No dark mode signals
FIX
No dark mode signals
Info::
No dark mode signals detected
Consider adding CSS with @media (prefers-color-scheme: dark) and <meta name='color-scheme' content='light dark'>.
Info::
Detection limited to meta tags and inline styles
External CSS files may contain prefers-color-scheme rules not visible to this scan.
Dark ModeNo Dark Mode Detected
color-scheme meta Not set ✗Dark theme-color Not set ✗CSS indicators Not detected ✗

Detection limited to meta tags and inline styles.

D
Print Stylesheet
Action
No print styles
FIX
No print styles
Info::
No print-specific styles detected
When users print this page, they get the screen layout including navigation and non-essential elements. Add @media print rules to hide navigation and optimize layout for paper.
Print Stylesheet No Print Styles
Print stylesheet Not found ✗Inline @media print Not detected ✗
F
Navigation UX
Action
No navigation patterns
FIX
No navigation patterns
Info::
1 navigation landmark(s) detected
Info::
No breadcrumbs, search, or skip link detected
These navigation aids help users orient themselves and find content efficiently, especially on large sites.
Breadcrumbs
Search
Skip Link
Labeled Navigation 1 <nav> element(s)
Back to Top
Hamburger Menu
Sticky Navigation Cannot reliably detect (CSS-based)
1 of 6 testable patterns navigation patterns detected. Limited navigation support. Consider adding breadcrumbs, search, and skip link.
C
Landmark Structure
Action
2 landmarks
REVIEW
2 landmarks
Critical::
No <main> landmark found
Screen reader users cannot quickly navigate to the primary content. Wrap your main content in <main>.
Info::
1 <nav> landmark(s) found
Info::
No contentinfo (footer) landmark
Warning::
Skip navigation link is missing (WCAG 2.4.1)
Add a skip link as the first focusable element so keyboard users can bypass repeated navigation.
Page Structure — as a screen reader sees it
BANNER header NAV MAIN (missing!) CONTENTINFO (missing!)

Screen reader users cannot quickly navigate to the primary content. Wrap your main content in <main>.

Why this matters

Without a <main> landmark, screen-reader users can't skip past the navigation to the page content — every page starts with re-reading the menu.

Learn more ▾

The <main> element marks the page's primary content area. Assistive tech offers a 'jump to main' shortcut — but only if <main> exists. Without it, every page navigation forces re-reading the header. Wrap your primary content in a single <main>.

Source: WAI-ARIA / WCAG 2.4.1

Add a skip link as the first focusable element so keyboard users can bypass repeated navigation.

Why this matters

Without a skip-nav link, keyboard users tab through every nav item before reaching content — every page, every visit.

Learn more ▾

WCAG 2.4.1 (Bypass Blocks) requires a mechanism to skip past repeated content. The standard implementation is a 'Skip to main content' link that's the first focusable element, visually hidden until focused. Three lines of HTML + four of CSS.

Source: WCAG 2.1 SC 2.4.1

B
Form Accessibility
3 of 4 controls have issues
REVIEW
3 of 4 controls have issues
Warning::
3 control(s) rely on placeholder only
Placeholder text disappears on focus and is not a reliable label.
Got: <input type="text" name="searchText" id="searchbox">; <input type="email" name="email-address">; <input type="email" name="email-address">
Info::
1 control(s) properly labeled
4 controls
1 labeled
3 placeholder only
0 unlabeled
ControlTypeLabelMethod
#keywordstextKeywordfor/id
#searchboxtext(Search)placeholder only
email-addressemail(Enter your email address)placeholder only
email-addressemail(Enter your email address)placeholder only

Placeholder text disappears on focus and is not a reliable label.

<input type="text" name="searchText" id="searchbox">; <input type="email" name="email-address">; <input type="email" name="email-address">

Why this matters

Placeholder-only labels disappear when the user starts typing — they must remember what the field was for.

Learn more ▾

Placeholders are NOT labels. They vanish on input, fail color contrast checks (most are gray), and don't satisfy WCAG SC 3.3.2. Always use a real <label> alongside (or aria-labelledby).

Source: WCAG 2.1 SC 3.3.2 / Nielsen Norman

B
Color Contrast (Screenshot)
20 text elements analyzed, 0 fail WCAG AA
REVIEW

Analyzes text contrast against the actual rendered page, including background images, gradients, and overlays that CSS-based tools cannot detect.

20 pass 1 pass AA only
Show all checked elements (20)
ElementRatioRequiredFGBGResult
h1 World Trade Organiza…20.47:13.0:1
#000000
#FCFCFC
Pass
h2 Briefing notes20.47:13.0:1
#000000
#FCFCFC
Pass
h2 Photos/Videos20.47:13.0:1
#000000
#FCFCFC
Pass
h2 Webcasting20.47:13.0:1
#000000
#FCFCFC
Pass
h2 Agreement on Fisheri…20.47:13.0:1
#000000
#FCFCFC
Pass
h2 Director-General Oko…20.47:13.0:1
#000000
#FCFCFC
Pass
h2 Latest blog20.47:13.0:1
#000000
#FCFCFC
Pass
h2 Meetings20.47:13.0:1
#000000
#FCFCFC
Pass
h2 Live webcasting20.47:13.0:1
#000000
#FCFCFC
Pass
h2 Our areas of activit…20.47:13.0:1
#000000
#FCFCFC
Pass
h2 Working at the WTO20.47:13.0:1
#000000
#FCFCFC
Pass
h3 News20.47:13.0:1
#000000
#FCFCFC
Pass
h3 News20.47:13.0:1
#000000
#FCFCFC
Pass
h3 News20.47:13.0:1
#000000
#FCFCFC
Pass
h3 News20.47:13.0:1
#000000
#FCFCFC
Pass
title World Trade Organiza…8.50:14.5:1
#000000
#00AEFF
Pass
span English4.60:14.5:1
#000000
#377DA0
Pass
span Français11.31:14.5:1
#000000
#BEBEBF
Pass
span Español21.00:14.5:1
#000000
#FFFFFF
Pass
span Login21.00:14.5:1
#000000
#FFFFFF
Pass

Methodology: The top 20 text elements by font size were checked. Background color was sampled from the desktop screenshot using a 5-point pattern. WCAG 2.1 AA requires 4.5:1 for normal text and 3:1 for large text.

C
Lighthouse Accessibility Audits
Action
Score 78/100 — 6 failing, 21 passed
REVIEW
78

Accessibility

These checks highlight opportunities to improve the accessibility of your web app. Automatic detection can only detect a subset of issues and does not guarantee the accessibility of your web app, so manual testing is also encouraged.

Names and labels

When a button doesn't have an accessible name, screen readers announce it as "button", making it unusable for users who rely on screen readers. Learn how to make buttons more accessible.

Why this matters

Performance issues directly impact user engagement and conversion rates.

Failing Elements
div.newsletter > form.signupform > div.form-group > button.newsletter-button div.newsletter > form.signupform > div.form-group > button.newsletter-button
div.newsletter > form.signupform > div.form-group > button.newsletter-button div.newsletter > form.signupform > div.form-group > button.newsletter-button

Informative elements should aim for short, descriptive alternate text. Decorative elements can be ignored with an empty alt attribute. Learn more about the `alt` attribute.

Why this matters

Performance issues directly impact user engagement and conversion rates.

Failing Elements
div > div.row > a > img div > div.row > a > img
div.panel > div.row > div.col-xs-12 > img.img-responsive div.panel > div.row > div.col-xs-12 > img.img-responsive
ul.follow-wto > li.twitter > a > img ul.follow-wto > li.twitter > a > img

Link text (and alternate text for images, when used as links) that is discernible, unique, and focusable improves the navigation experience for screen reader users. Learn how to make links accessible.

Why this matters

Performance issues directly impact user engagement and conversion rates.

Failing Elements
div.row > div.col-xs-8 > div.rel > a.btn div.row > div.col-xs-8 > div.rel > a.btn
div.col-xs-6 > form.site-search-form > div.form-group > a.btn div.col-xs-6 > form.site-search-form > div.form-group > a.btn
nav#menu > ul.nav > li.dropdown > a.dropdown-toggle nav#menu > ul.nav > li.dropdown > a.dropdown-toggle
nav#menu > ul.nav > li.dropdown > a.dropdown-toggle nav#menu > ul.nav > li.dropdown > a.dropdown-toggle
nav#menu > ul.nav > li.dropdown > a.dropdown-toggle nav#menu > ul.nav > li.dropdown > a.dropdown-toggle
nav#menu > ul.nav > li.dropdown > a.dropdown-toggle nav#menu > ul.nav > li.dropdown > a.dropdown-toggle
nav#menu > ul.nav > li.dropdown > a.dropdown-toggle nav#menu > ul.nav > li.dropdown > a.dropdown-toggle
nav#menu > ul.nav > li.dropdown > a.dropdown-toggle nav#menu > ul.nav > li.dropdown > a.dropdown-toggle
div.row > div.col-xs-12 > div.rel > a div.row > div.col-xs-12 > div.rel > a
div.col-xs-8 > div > div.row > a div.col-xs-8 > div > div.row > a
div.col-xs-12 > ul.follow-wto > li.more-footer > a div.col-xs-12 > ul.follow-wto > li.more-footer > a

These are opportunities to improve the semantics of the controls in your application. This may enhance the experience for users of assistive technology, like a screen reader.

Contrast

Low-contrast text is difficult or impossible for many users to read. Learn how to provide sufficient color contrast.

Why this matters

Performance issues directly impact user engagement and conversion rates.

Failing Elements
Home nav#menu > ul.nav > li.active > a
About WTO nav#menu > ul.nav > li.dropdown > a
News and events nav#menu > ul.nav > li.dropdown > a
Trade topics nav#menu > ul.nav > li.dropdown > a
WTO membership nav#menu > ul.nav > li.dropdown > a
Documents, data and resources nav#menu > ul.nav > li.dropdown > a
WTO and you nav#menu > ul.nav > li.dropdown > a
Sign up for email updates div#banner > nav#menu > div.newsletter > h4
div.newsletter > form.signupform > div.form-group > input.form-control div.newsletter > form.signupform > div.form-group > input.form-control
More news div.row > div.col-xs-12 > div#news-slider > a.more-news
#MC14 div.panel-body > h3.semi-bold500 > strong > a
div.newsletter > form.signupform > div.form-group > input.form-control div.newsletter > form.signupform > div.form-group > input.form-control

Low-contrast text is difficult or impossible for many users to read. Link text that is discernible improves the experience for users with low vision. Learn how to make links distinguishable.

Why this matters

Performance issues directly impact user engagement and conversion rates.

Failing Elements
More  div.row > div.col-xs-12 > p > a.link-blue

These are opportunities to improve the legibility of your content.

Navigation

Properly ordered headings that do not skip levels convey the semantic structure of the page, making it easier to navigate and understand when using assistive technologies. Learn more about heading order.

Why this matters

Performance issues directly impact user engagement and conversion rates.

Failing Elements
NEWS div.col-xs-12 > article.panel > div.panel-heading > h3.panel-title
#MC14 div.col-xs-12 > div.panel > div.panel-body > h3.semi-bold500
About WTO div.inset > div.row > div.col-xs-12 > h4

These are opportunities to improve keyboard navigation in your application.

○Interactive controls are keyboard focusable
○Interactive elements indicate their purpose and state
○The page has a logical tab order
○Visual order on the page follows DOM order
○User focus is not accidentally trapped in a region
○The user's focus is directed to new content added to the page
○HTML5 landmark elements are used to improve navigation
○Offscreen content is hidden from assistive technology
○Custom controls have associated labels
○Custom controls have ARIA roles
●`[aria-*]` attributes match their roles
●`[aria-hidden="true"]` is not present on the document `<body>`
●`[role]`s have all required `[aria-*]` attributes
●`[role]` values are valid
●`[aria-*]` attributes have valid values
●`[aria-*]` attributes are valid and not misspelled
●Form elements have associated labels
●`[user-scalable="no"]` is not used in the `<meta name="viewport">` element and the `[maximum-scale]` attribute is not less than 5.
●ARIA attributes are used as specified for the element's role
●`[aria-hidden="true"]` elements do not contain focusable descendents
●Elements use only permitted ARIA attributes
●Document has a `<title>` element
●`<html>` element has a `[lang]` attribute
●`<html>` element has a valid value for its `[lang]` attribute
●Lists contain only `<li>` elements and script supporting elements (`<script>` and `<template>`).
●List items (`<li>`) are contained within `<ul>`, `<ol>` or `<menu>` parent elements
●No element has a `[tabindex]` value greater than 0
●Touch targets have sufficient size and spacing.
●Document has a main landmark.
●Deprecated ARIA roles were not used
●Identical links have the same purpose.
○`[accesskey]` values are unique
○`button`, `link`, and `menuitem` elements have accessible names
○Elements with `role="dialog"` or `role="alertdialog"` have accessible names.
○ARIA input fields have accessible names
○ARIA `meter` elements have accessible names
○ARIA `progressbar` elements have accessible names
○Elements with an ARIA `[role]` that require children to contain a specific `[role]` have all required children.
○`[role]`s are contained by their required parent element
○Elements with the `role=text` attribute do not have focusable descendents.
○ARIA toggle fields have accessible names
○ARIA `tooltip` elements have accessible names
○ARIA `treeitem` elements have accessible names
○The page contains a heading, skip link, or landmark region
○`<dl>`'s contain only properly-ordered `<dt>` and `<dd>` groups, `<script>`, `<template>` or `<div>` elements.
○Definition list items are wrapped in `<dl>` elements
○ARIA IDs are unique
○No form fields have multiple labels
○`<frame>` or `<iframe>` elements have a title
○`<html>` element has an `[xml:lang]` attribute with the same base language as the `[lang]` attribute.
○Input buttons have discernible text.
○`<input type="image">` elements have `[alt]` text
○The document does not use `<meta http-equiv="refresh">`
○`<object>` elements have alternate text
○Select elements have associated label elements.
○Skip links are focusable.
○Cells in a `<table>` element that use the `[headers]` attribute refer to table cells within the same table.
○`<th>` elements and elements with `[role="columnheader"/"rowheader"]` have data cells they describe.
○`[lang]` attributes have a valid value
○`<video>` elements contain a `<track>` element with `[kind="captions"]`
○Tables have different content in the summary attribute and `<caption>`.
○All heading elements contain content.
○Uses ARIA roles only on compatible elements
○Image elements do not have `[alt]` attributes that are redundant text.
○Elements with visible text labels have matching accessible names.
○Tables use `<caption>` instead of cells with the `[colspan]` attribute to indicate a caption.
○`<td>` elements in a large `<table>` have one or more table headers.
All checks on this page are automated. Results are estimates - run targeted manual reviews when the score affects a release decision.

Send Feedback