Accessibility

· 13 checks — Landmarks, headings, alt text, forms, and link quality rolled into one auditable list.

SCORE

GRADE

FIX

REVIEW

PASS

INFO

Checks

7 PASS 1 REVIEW 5 FIX

Link & Button Quality

Action

5 issue(s) across 413 links and 122 buttons

FIX

5 issue(s) across 413 links and 122 buttons

2 link(s) with no accessible text

Links without text are announced as raw URLs by screen readers.

Got: a#main-content; https://www.hrw.org/tag/crisis-in-the-middle-east

2 link(s) with generic text

Generic link text like 'click here' doesn't describe the destination.

Got: /about/about-us ("Learn more"); /about/about-us ("Learn more")

17 link(s) open in new tab without warning

Add '(opens in new tab)' to link text or aria-label.

Got: https://bit.ly/3qP09tb; https://bit.ly/3C4SbCq; https://bsky.app/profile/hrw.org; https://x.com/hrw; https://www.facebook.com/HumanRightsWatch; https://www.youtube.com/user/HumanRightsWatch; https://www.instagram.com/humanrightswatch/; https://www.linkedin.com/company/human-rights-watch/; https://www.tiktok.com/@humanrightswatch; https://www.threads.net/@humanrightswatch (+7 more)

1 button(s) with no accessible text

Icon-only buttons need an aria-label so screen readers can announce them.

Got: button.form-submit (#125 on page)

392 link(s) with descriptive text

413 links

2 empty

2 generic text

17 new tab

1 empty buttons

Element	Text	Issue	Suggested Fix
https://bit.ly/3qP09tb	Make a One-time Gift	new tab	Add '(opens in new tab)' to text
https://bit.ly/3C4SbCq	Give Monthly	new tab	Add '(opens in new tab)' to text
	(empty)	empty	Add link text or aria-label
/about/about-us	Learn more	generic text	Replace with descriptive text
Before: Learn more Suggested: About Us
/about/about-us	Learn more	generic text	Replace with descriptive text
Before: Learn more Suggested: About Us
https://bsky.app/profile/hrw.org	Bluesky	new tab	Add '(opens in new tab)' to text
https://x.com/hrw	X	new tab	Add '(opens in new tab)' to text
https://www.facebook.com/HumanRightsWatc…	Facebook	new tab	Add '(opens in new tab)' to text
https://www.youtube.com/user/HumanRights…	YouTube	new tab	Add '(opens in new tab)' to text
https://www.instagram.com/humanrightswat…	Instagram	new tab	Add '(opens in new tab)' to text
https://www.linkedin.com/company/human-r…	LinkedIn	new tab	Add '(opens in new tab)' to text
https://www.tiktok.com/@humanrightswatch	TikTok	new tab	Add '(opens in new tab)' to text
https://www.threads.net/@humanrightswatc…	Threads	new tab	Add '(opens in new tab)' to text
https://www.hrw.org/tag/crisis-in-the-mi…	(empty)	empty	Add link text or aria-label
https://bsky.app/profile/hrw.org	BlueSky	new tab	Add '(opens in new tab)' to text
https://twitter.com/hrw	X	new tab	Add '(opens in new tab)' to text
https://www.facebook.com/HumanRightsWatc…	Facebook	new tab	Add '(opens in new tab)' to text
https://www.youtube.com/user/HumanRights…	YouTube	new tab	Add '(opens in new tab)' to text
https://www.instagram.com/humanrightswat…	Instagram	new tab	Add '(opens in new tab)' to text
https://www.linkedin.com/company/human-r…	LinkedIn	new tab	Add '(opens in new tab)' to text
https://www.tiktok.com/@humanrightswatch	TikTok	new tab	Add '(opens in new tab)' to text
<button>	(empty)	empty	Add button text or aria-label

513 links and buttons have descriptive text

Links without text are announced as raw URLs by screen readers.

a#main-content; https://www.hrw.org/tag/crisis-in-the-middle-east

Why this matters

Links with no accessible text (empty <a></a>, image-only no alt, icon-only no aria-label) are unidentifiable to screen readers.

Source: WCAG 2.1 SC 2.4.4

Generic link text like 'click here' doesn't describe the destination.

/about/about-us ("Learn more"); /about/about-us ("Learn more")

Why this matters

Generic anchor text ('click here', 'read more', 'learn more') tells screen readers and search engines nothing about the destination.

Learn more ▾

Out-of-context lists of links read by AT (one navigation pattern) become useless when every link says 'click here'. Use the destination's title or topic as anchor text. Doubles as SEO win — Google passes anchor-text relevance to the destination.

Source: WCAG 2.4.4 / Google Search Central

Add '(opens in new tab)' to link text or aria-label.

https://bit.ly/3qP09tb; https://bit.ly/3C4SbCq; https://bsky.app/profile/hrw.org; https://x.com/hrw; https://www.facebook.com/HumanRightsWatch; https://www.youtube.com/user/HumanRightsWatch; https://www.instagram.com/humanrightswatch/; https://www.linkedin.com/company/human-rights-watch/; https://www.tiktok.com/@humanrightswatch; https://www.threads.net/@humanrightswatch (+7 more)

Why this matters

Links with target="_blank" without rel="noopener" leak the originating page's window context — security and UX issue.

Learn more ▾

Without rel="noopener", the new tab can navigate the original tab via window.opener (tab-nabbing attack). Modern browsers default to noopener for target=_blank but only since recent versions. Always set rel="noopener noreferrer" explicitly.

Source: MDN target / OWASP

Icon-only buttons need an aria-label so screen readers can announce them.

button.form-submit (#125 on page)

Why this matters

Buttons with no accessible text (icon-only, no aria-label) can't be activated by voice control or understood by screen readers.

Source: WCAG 2.1 SC 4.1.2

Favicon & Branding

Action

2 icon(s) detected

FIX

2 icon(s) detected

favicon.ico present at site root

HTML icon links detected

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 Present

✗ Apple Touch Missing

✗ SVG Favicon Missing

✗ Manifest Icons Missing

✗ Multiple Sizes Missing

Web Manifest

Action

Not found

FIX

Not found

No web manifest found

No manifest at standard paths (/manifest.json, /site.webmanifest). A manifest is optional but enables PWA features like home screen installation and standalone display.

No web manifest found.

Dark Mode Support

Action

No dark mode signals

FIX

No dark mode signals

No dark mode signals detected

Consider adding CSS with @media (prefers-color-scheme: dark) and <meta name='color-scheme' content='light dark'>.

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.

Heading Hierarchy

139 headings

REVIEW

139 headings

No H1 heading found

Every page should have one H1 that describes the page content.

H2 //
H2 Primary navigation
H2 Please rush an urgent gift now to help expose human rights abuses and defend justice.
H2 Burkina Faso: Crackdown on Civil Society
H2 Latest News
H3 Was the Attack on an Iranian Primary School a War Crime?
H3 Lebanon: Israeli Bridge Attack a Potential War Crime
H3 Repression of Uyghurs Persists as the World Moves On
H3 China: Pressure on Catholics Escalates
H3 Iran: Israel’s Oil Depot Strikes Endanger Environment, Health
H3 Peaceful Protesters Face Military Trial in DR Congo
H3 Beijing-Pyongyang Thaw Leaves North Koreans No Escape
H3 Belarus Escalates Punitive Use of ‘Extremism’ Legislation
H2 How We Work
H2 Spotlight
H3 Hungary: New Government Needs to Restore Rule of Law
H3 India: Proposed Rules to Expand Online Censorship
H3 Known, Documented, and Ignored: Confronting the International Politics of Inaction
H3 Maldives: Withdraw Proposed Death Penalty Bill
H3 Appeal for AU Action in Zambia Lead Poisoning Case
H2 Reports
H3 “None Can Run Away”
H3 “Self-Determination is the Pathway to Liberation”
H3 “Farmers Have No Freedom”
H3 Silencing the Streets
H3 “Like a Prisoner in My Home”
H3 “We Need U”
H2 Videos
H3 More videos
H2 Quick Takes
H2 World Report 2026
H2 Stay informed
H3 Get updates on human rights around the world.
H3 Follow us
H3 Crisis in the Middle East
H2 Nearly 5 Decades of Impact
H3 A Proud Record Tackling the Scourge of Landmines
H3 Canada: All 10 Provinces To End Immigration Detention in Jails
H3 Some Governments, Companies Take Steps to Protect Children
H3 Interview: Victory for People with Disabilities and Older Persons in Mexico
H3 Chad’s Ex-Dictator Convicted of Atrocities
H3 Japan Passes Law to ‘Promote Understanding’ of LGBT People
H2 Regions
H3 Africa
H3 Peaceful Protesters Face Military Trial in DR Congo
H3 Burkina Faso: Crackdown on Civil Society
H3 Known, Documented, and Ignored: Confronting the International Politics of Inaction
H3 United States
H3 Was the Attack on an Iranian Primary School a War Crime?
H3 Sudan: World Leaders Need to Act on Ongoing Atrocities
H3 Iran: Israel’s Oil Depot Strikes Endanger Environment, Health
H3 Middle East/North Africa
H3 Was the Attack on an Iranian Primary School a War Crime?
H3 Lebanon: Israeli Bridge Attack a Potential War Crime
H3 Bahrain: Sayed Mohamed Almosawi Dies in Custody
H3 Asia
H3 Repression of Uyghurs Persists as the World Moves On
H3 Beijing-Pyongyang Thaw Leaves North Koreans No Escape
H3 India: Proposed Rules to Expand Online Censorship
H3 Europe/Central Asia
H3 Belarus Escalates Punitive Use of ‘Extremism’ Legislation
H3 Gig Workers in France Need Protection as Regulations Take Shape
H3 Hungary: New Government Needs to Restore Rule of Law
H3 Americas
H3 International Force in Haiti Allegedly Responsible for Sexual Violence
H3 Peru’s Elections Need International Attention
H3 Cuba’s Prisoner Release Excludes Critics
H2 Topics
H3 Crisis and Conflict
H3 Was the Attack on an Iranian Primary School a War Crime?
H3 Sudan: World Leaders Need to Act on Ongoing Atrocities
H3 Lebanon: Israeli Strikes Kill Hundreds, Damage Vital Bridge
H3 Technology and Rights
H3 India: Proposed Rules to Expand Online Censorship
H3 Gig Workers in France Need Protection as Regulations Take Shape
H3 How Human Rights Watch Mitigates Harm when Publishing Open-Source Analysis
H3 Economic Justice and Rights
H3 Gig Workers in France Need Protection as Regulations Take Shape
H3 Canada Should Speak Out on Uyghur Forced Labor in China
H3 SAVE Americas Act  Would Harm Women, Trans People
H3 Environment and Human Rights
H3 Iran: Israel’s Oil Depot Strikes Endanger Environment, Health
H3 Senegal: A Decade of Unresolved Climate Displacement
H3 African Court Should Protect People Displaced by Climate Change
H3 Women's Rights
H3 International Force in Haiti Allegedly Responsible for Sexual Violence
H3 Trump Administration Wields New Threat to Reproductive Rights
H3 SAVE Americas Act  Would Harm Women, Trans People
H3 Torture
H3 Bahrain: Sayed Mohamed Almosawi Dies in Custody
H3 UAE: Political Prisoner Dead After Alleged Ill-Treatment, Torture
H3 Iran: Detainees Ill-Treated and Disappeared After Israeli Evin Prison Attack
H3 Free Speech
H3 Remembering a Steadfast Hong Kong Democracy Activist
H3 Thailand: Journalists Sued for Reporting Minister’s Bribery Case
H3 Hungary Orders Investigation of Journalist on Espionage Accusation
H3 LGBT Rights
H3 Belarus Imports Russia’s 'Propaganda' Playbook
H3 A Sovereign Path Forward for Trans Rights in Mexico
H3 Kazakhstan: Feminist Activist Facing Criminal Charges
H3 Children's Rights
H3 Israeli Pressure Silences a Key Group Defending Palestinian Children
H3 273 Million Children Out of School
H3 Kids Should Not Be Fighters
H3 Arms
H3 Mine Ban Treaty Achieves Progress amid Challenges
H3 US Central Command Contradicts Cluster Munition Policy
H3 Iran: Unlawful Cluster Munition Strikes on Israel
H3 Refugees and Migrants
H3 Gulf Countries: Conflict, Hardships Leave Migrants in Limbo
H3 UN: Western Sahara Peoples’ Self-Determination at Risk
H3 Australia’s Cynical and Cruel Bill to Suspend Temporary Visas
H3 United Nations
H3 Landmark UN Resolution on the Slave Trade
H3 Belarus Rights Crisis Requires Sustained Scrutiny
H3 A Step Toward Justice for Abuses in Ukraine
H3 Disability Rights
H3 Mexico City: Flaws in Proposed Care System Law
H3 Reimagining Albinism Rights Advocacy
H3 Child in the US Deprived of Hearing Aids during Deportation
H3 International Justice
H3 Middle East Conflict: Rhetoric, Actions Flout Laws of War
H3 Israeli Officials Signal Stepped-Up Atrocities in Lebanon
H3 Hungary: Arrest Netanyahu if He Visits
H3 Health
H3 NHS England Blocks Access to Gender-Affirming Hormone Therapies
H3 UN Urges Ethiopia to Tackle Pollution at Gold Mine
H3 New Report Warns Trump EPA Undermining Health
H3 Terrorism / Counterterrorism
H3 Trinidadian Nationals Face Escalating Abuse in Syrian Camp
H3 Burkina Faso: Army Directs Ethnic Massacres
H3 Trinidad and Tobago Nationals Remain Stranded in Northeast Syria
H3 Rights of Older People
H3 Inadequate Pensions for Older People in Hungary
H3 Russian Strike Kills Dozens of Older People in Ukraine
H3 South Korea: Older Workers’ Low-Paid, Precarious Work
H2 Defend Rights. Secure Justice.
H2 Connect With Us
H2 Footer menu

Every page should have one H1 that describes the page content.

Why this matters

No H1 means screen-reader users can't identify the page's primary topic, and Google's content-extraction degrades.

Learn more ▾

The H1 is the document title for assistive tech and a strong signal to search engines about page topic. Pages without one force screen readers to fall back to the <title> attribute or page chrome. Add a single H1 that names the page's primary subject.

Source: WCAG 2.4.6 / Google Search Central

A+

Landmark Structure

20 landmarks

PASS

20 landmarks

<main> landmark present

3 <nav> landmark(s) found

All <nav> elements are properly labeled

Skip navigation link present

Page Structure — as a screen reader sees it

Alt Text Quality

All 68 images OK

PASS

All 68 images OK

20 image(s) with alt text over 125 characters

12 decorative image(s) correctly marked

36 image(s) with good alt text

68 images 36 good alt text 12 decorative

Issue	Count
too long	20 image(s)

A+

Form Accessibility

All 14 controls labeled

PASS

All 14 controls labeled

14 control(s) properly labeled

14 controls

14 labeled

0 placeholder only

0 unlabeled

Control	Type	Label	Method
#apachesolr_panels_search_form_1178100202	text	Search	for/id
#mobile_menu__search	search	Search	for/id
#mobile_header__search	search	Search	for/id
#follow__email-input	email	Your email address	for/id
#supporterFirstNameFollow	text	Leave blank	for/id
#supporterLastNameFollow	text	Leave blank	for/id
#supporterCountryFollow	text	Leave blank	for/id
#signup-email-address	email	Get Updates On Rights Issues Worldwide	for/id
#supporterFirstName	text	Leave blank	for/id
#supporterLastName	text	Leave blank	for/id
#supporterCountry	text	Leave blank	for/id
#hrw-cookie-dialog__necessary	checkbox	Necessary Cookies	for/id
#hrw-cookie-dialog__analytics	checkbox	Analytics Cookies	for/id
#hrw-cookie-dialog__ad	checkbox	Marketing Cookies	for/id

404 Error Page

HTTP 404, custom page

PASS

HTTP 404, custom page

Correct 404 status code returned

Got: HTTP 404

Custom styled 404 page

Navigation links present on 404 page

Homepage link present on 404 page

Search form present on 404 page

404 Page Quality ✓ Custom 404 Page

Status Code HTTP 404 ✓Page Title Human Rights Watch ✓Custom Styling ✓Navigation ✓Homepage Link ✓Search Form ✓

A+

Print Stylesheet

Print styles detected

PASS

Print styles detected

External print stylesheet detected

Got: //fast.fonts.net/t/1.css?apiType=css&projectid=b0af8052-798a-4f60-9b66-62993aa79ad2

Print Stylesheet ✓ Print Optimized

Print stylesheet //fast.fonts.net/t/1.css?apiType=css&projectid=b0af8052-798a-4f60-9b66-62993aa79ad2 ✓Inline @media print Not detected ✗

A+

Color Contrast (Screenshot)

20 text elements analyzed, 0 fail WCAG AA

PASS

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

20 pass

Show all checked elements (20)

Element	Ratio	Required	FG	BG	Result
h2 Primary navigation	21.00:1	3.0:1	#000000	#FFFFFF	Pass
h2 Latest News	21.00:1	3.0:1	#000000	#FFFFFF	Pass
h2 How We Work	21.00:1	3.0:1	#000000	#FFFFFF	Pass
h2 Spotlight	21.00:1	3.0:1	#000000	#FFFFFF	Pass
h2 Reports	21.00:1	3.0:1	#000000	#FFFFFF	Pass
h2 Videos	21.00:1	3.0:1	#000000	#FFFFFF	Pass
h2 Quick Takes	21.00:1	3.0:1	#000000	#FFFFFF	Pass
h2 Stay informed	21.00:1	3.0:1	#000000	#FFFFFF	Pass
h2 Nearly 5 Decades of …	21.00:1	3.0:1	#000000	#FFFFFF	Pass
h2 Regions	21.00:1	3.0:1	#000000	#FFFFFF	Pass
h2 Topics	21.00:1	3.0:1	#000000	#FFFFFF	Pass
h2 Defend Rights. Secur…	21.00:1	3.0:1	#000000	#FFFFFF	Pass
h2 Connect With Us	21.00:1	3.0:1	#000000	#FFFFFF	Pass
h2 Footer menu	21.00:1	3.0:1	#000000	#FFFFFF	Pass
h3 Was the Attack on an…	21.00:1	3.0:1	#000000	#FFFFFF	Pass
h3 Lebanon: Israeli Bri…	21.00:1	3.0:1	#000000	#FFFFFF	Pass
h3 Repression of Uyghur…	21.00:1	3.0:1	#000000	#FFFFFF	Pass
h3 China: Pressure on C…	21.00:1	3.0:1	#000000	#FFFFFF	Pass
h3 Iran: Israel’s Oil…	21.00:1	3.0:1	#000000	#FFFFFF	Pass
h3 Peaceful Protesters …	21.00:1	3.0:1	#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.

A+

Lighthouse Accessibility Audits

Score 97/100 — 1 failing, 32 passed

PASS

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.

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
DONATE NOW `div.region--header > div#hrw_components__mobile_header > div.mobile_header__wrapper > a.link-button`
See more `section.reports > header.section-header > div.section-header__link > a.link-emphasis`
GIVE MONTHLY `section.hero-overlay > div.hero-overlay__content > div.hero-overlay__links > a.link-button`

These are opportunities to improve the legibility of your content.

○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

●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

●`[role]` values are valid

●`[aria-*]` attributes have valid values

●`[aria-*]` attributes are valid and not misspelled

●Buttons have an accessible name

●Image elements have `[alt]` attributes

●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

●Elements with `role="dialog"` or `role="alertdialog"` have accessible names.

●`[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

●Links are distinguishable without relying on color.

●Links have a discernible name

●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.

●`[lang]` attributes have a valid value

●Heading elements appear in a sequentially-descending order

●Document has a main landmark.

●Deprecated ARIA roles were not used

●Uses ARIA roles only on compatible elements

●Identical links have the same purpose.

●Elements with visible text labels have matching accessible names.

○`[accesskey]` values are unique

○`button`, `link`, and `menuitem` elements have accessible names

○ARIA input fields have accessible names

○ARIA `meter` elements have accessible names

○ARIA `progressbar` elements have accessible names

○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.

○`<video>` elements contain a `<track>` element with `[kind="captions"]`

○Tables have different content in the summary attribute and `<caption>`.

○All heading elements contain content.

○Image elements do not have `[alt]` attributes that are redundant text.

○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.