Web Accessibility in the GCC: What the UAE, Saudi Arabia and Qatar Require From Your Website

The Gulf has no single web accessibility law. The UAE, Saudi Arabia, and Qatar each wrote their own rules, at different times, through different regulators. Underneath, all three reference the same technical standard, WCAG, though the version and level vary.

If your site sells to Gulf customers, or you build sites for Gulf clients, some of these rules may already apply to you. This guide covers what each country requires, who falls in scope, and what to fix first.

TL;DR

UAE: The National Digital Accessibility Policy (March 2024) specifies WCAG 2.1 AA for public-service sites. It expressly covers entities involved in government digital services, names sectors such as healthcare, education and e-commerce in its objectives, and asks other entities to make best efforts to comply. In Dubai, Law No. 9 of 2022 also requires digital services from government and non-government entities to be accessible to all customers, including persons with disabilities.

Saudi Arabia: The Digital Government Authority (DGA) sets WCAG-based rules for government digital services and the companies that build them, and its May 2024 guideline aligns digital content with WCAG 2.2 Level AA. Separately, the 2023 Rights of Persons with Disabilities Law places accessibility duties on private businesses too, and enforcement powers under it began to be exercised in August 2026.

Qatar: The e-Accessibility Policy dates to 2011 and is described by Mada as the first of its kind in MENA. The original policy references WCAG 2.0 AA, while Mada’s current government website monitoring uses WCAG 2.2 at Levels A and AA. Law No. 22 of 2025 also addresses digital accessibility.

A practical technical target: WCAG 2.2 AA. Check the version and level specified by your applicable policy or contract, alongside any additional legal duties.

Is there a GCC-wide web accessibility law?

No. The GCC has nothing comparable to the European Accessibility Act. Each country has its own disability rights law, its own digital policy, and its own regulator.

What they share is the standard underneath. All three point to the W3C’s Web Content Accessibility Guidelines (WCAG), so most of the technical work carries across markets. Who is covered and how the rules are enforced still differ by country.

Bahrain, Kuwait and Oman have separate frameworks and are outside this guide’s scope.

Why Gulf governments put accessibility on the agenda

Digital government is a policy priority across the Gulf, and accessibility sits inside that work. Saudi Arabia, for example, ranked fourth globally on the UN’s Online Services Index in 2024, part of the UN E-Government Survey that tracks how governments deliver services online.

Official figures give a sense of the audience. GASTAT’s 2023 Disability Statistics publication reports, from the 2022 census, a disability prevalence of 1.8% of the Kingdom’s total population. Prevalence figures depend heavily on how disability and difficulty are defined, so they shouldn’t be compared directly with older estimates that use different severity thresholds.

In the UAE, the official term for persons with disabilities is People of Determination (أصحاب الهمم). It runs through every federal policy on the subject. Saudi Arabia and Qatar use “persons with disabilities” (الأشخاص ذوي الإعاقة) in their laws. Match the term to the market when you write an accessibility statement or marketing copy.

Then there’s the money. IMARC estimates the broader GCC e-commerce market, including business-to-business, business-to-consumer, and other transactions, at $584.8 billion in 2025, with a forecast exceeding $2 trillion by 2034. Inaccessible product pages, forms, and checkout flows can prevent customers from completing a purchase.

UAE web accessibility requirements

Federal Law No. 29 of 2006

The UAE’s disability rights law, amended in 2009, guarantees People of Determination equal access to education, healthcare, employment, and services. It sets the principle. The technical rules for websites came later, through digital policy.

The National Digital Accessibility Policy (2024)

The Telecommunications and Digital Government Regulatory Authority (TDRA) issued the National Digital Accessibility Policy in March 2024. Annex 1 specifies WCAG 2.1 Level AA for public-service sites. Article 12 also refers to WCAG 2.1 as a minimum in its accessibility-statement requirements.

The policy asks entities to make priority services accessible first. Federal sector regulators also have a role in checking compliance among the entities they license.

Some federal bodies already aim higher. TDRA’s own accessibility statement targets WCAG 2.2 AA for its platforms.

Who has to comply in the UAE

The policy’s coverage works at three levels, and it helps to keep them apart:

• Expressly in scope: federal ministries, authorities and institutions, along with the entities, partners, contractors and outsourced teams involved in digital transactions with government entities or in building their websites, apps and systems. Telecom operators are also addressed directly.
• Sectors named in the objectives: the policy identifies public services such as healthcare, education and e-commerce, and federal sector regulators have a role concerning the entities they license.
• Best-efforts provision: local government, semi-government and private-sector entities more broadly should take the policy into account and exert best efforts to comply.

A Dubai agency building a portal for a federal ministry is clearly in scope. The policy expressly identifies e-commerce among the public-service sectors it addresses. For a private retailer, assess the policy’s scope provisions, the requirements of its sector regulator and any government-related contracts before determining the obligations that apply.

Dubai: Law No. 9 of 2022 on digital services

Dubai adds its own layer. Law No. 9 of 2022 Regulating the Provision of Digital Services applies to government entities, judicial authorities, and non-government entities across the emirate. Article 6(a)(20) requires digital services to be conveniently accessible to all segments of customers, including persons with disabilities and people unable to use digital channels, without any additional fees.

The Dubai Digital Authority (DDA) recommends the law’s implementation phases and approves the digital service plans entities prepare under it. Under Article 12, each provider has up to one year from the start of its applicable phase to comply. The law’s scope includes non-government digital-service providers in Dubai, not just government contractors. Check the implementation phase, applicable resolutions, and any exemptions relevant to your entity.

Dubai’s Universal Design Code covers buildings

Some web accessibility articles cite the Dubai Universal Design Code. It governs the built environment, things like building permits, public spaces, and hotel rooms. It doesn’t say anything about websites. For digital work in Dubai, Law No. 9 of 2022 is the one to read.

Saudi Arabia web accessibility requirements

Saudi Arabia has two layers, and they reach different audiences. The DGA guidelines set technical rules for government digital services. The disability rights law sets accessibility duties for everyone, private businesses included.

Rights of Persons with Disabilities Law (2023)

The Rights of Persons with Disabilities Law was issued by Royal Decree No. M/27 in August 2023 (1445 AH), replacing the Disability Welfare Law of 2000. It binds governmental and non-governmental entities alike.

Its definition of accessibility includes access to information and communications, technology, and information systems among them. Article 2 lists accessibility requirements, reasonable accommodation, and alternative methods of communication among the law’s principles, and Article 14 gives persons with disabilities the right to access and benefit from written, visual, and audio content.

In August 2026, the Authority for the Care of Persons with Disabilities began inspections of non-governmental organizations, private businesses included. Penalties can reach SAR 500,000 for serious disability-discrimination violations and may double for repeat violations; there is not yet a website-specific WCAG fine or conformance deadline.

DGA Web Accessibility Guideline (2022)

The Digital Government Authority (DGA) published its Guideline for Web Accessibility of Government Websites in 2022. It follows WCAG and uses the same conformance levels: A, AA, and AAA. Industry guidance on the guideline, Deque’s included, treats WCAG 2.1 AA as the working target.

The guideline governs government digital assets. Its stated audience is government entities, plus private sector organizations and individuals that develop or operate digital government services. A privately owned agency building a ministry’s portal falls under it.

A private online store with no government work falls outside the DGA guideline. It can still face obligations under the 2023 law if its policies or services discriminate against disabled customers. The enforcement material doesn’t name a website-specific WCAG level. WCAG 2.2 AA is a practical technical target, while the applicable legal and contractual obligations should be checked separately.

DGA digital-channels guideline covering WCAG 2.2 (2024)

The DGA’s May 2024 Guideline for Web Accessibility of Digital Channels Content to Serve People with Disabilities and the Elderly, version 2.0 (document DGA-1-2-4-203), covers WCAG 2.2 and describes a framework for aligning digital content with WCAG 2.2 Level AA. Its audience includes government entities and private-sector teams developing or operating digital-government activities.

About the Saudi penalty figures you’ll find online

Some compliance articles link Saudi accessibility obligations to penalties under other legislation. Article 18 of the E-Commerce Law does provide for fines of up to SAR 1 million, but that does not make it a website-accessibility or WCAG-specific penalty. Do not assume that a general e-commerce or telecom penalty applies to an accessibility failure without identifying the relevant legal provision. Check any claimed accessibility deadline against an official regulatory publication.

Qatar web accessibility requirements

Qatar combines a longstanding ICT accessibility policy with a broader disability-rights law. The policy gives specific direction on public-sector websites, while Law No. 22 of 2025 addresses digital access, reasonable accommodation and non-discrimination across several areas, including employment and banking.

The e-Accessibility Policy (2011)

Qatar moved first. Its e-Accessibility Policy was published in 2011 by ictQATAR, the Supreme Council of Information and Communication Technology, with Mada, the Qatar Assistive Technology Center, playing a central role in implementation. Mada describes it as the first policy of its kind in the MENA region.

It covers websites, mobile apps, digital kiosks and telecom terminals, along with captioning and audio description for media. It also builds accessibility into ICT procurement, so government entities are expected to buy accessible software and hardware from the start. The original policy references WCAG 2.0 Level AA for websites. Mada’s current government website monitoring assesses accessibility against WCAG 2.2 at Levels A and AA.

Mada also certifies accessible websites and keeps the policy portal current. The effort shows in the rankings. Qatar placed first out of 137 countries on the Digital Accessibility Rights Evaluation (DARE) Index 2020.

For ordinary private-sector websites, section 5.3.4.3 strongly encourages conformance rather than imposing the same website requirements placed on public-sector organizations. Other obligations may still arise under the 2025 disability law or sector-specific rules.

Law No. 22 of 2025 on Persons with Disabilities

Qatar issued Law No. 22 of 2025 in October 2025, replacing Law No. 2 of 2004. One of its stated aims is securing digital accessibility and access to information technology for persons with disabilities. The Council of Ministers is responsible for issuing decisions needed to implement the law. Check current implementing decisions and sector-specific requirements when assessing your obligations.

Employers should review the accessibility of workplace digital systems and communication methods, including online portals and HR tools. The law also addresses digital accessibility more broadly. Its penalties relate to specific offences and should not be presented as general fines for inaccessible websites.

UAE vs Saudi Arabia vs Qatar: accessibility rules compared

Requirement	UAE	Saudi Arabia	Qatar
Disability rights law	Federal Law No. 29 of 2006 (amended 2009)	Rights of Persons with Disabilities Law (Royal Decree M/27, 2023)	Law No. 22 of 2025
Digital accessibility rules	National Digital Accessibility Policy (March 2024); Dubai Law No. 9 of 2022	DGA Web Accessibility Guideline (2022); DGA digital-channels guideline covering WCAG 2.2 (2024)	e-Accessibility Policy (2011)
WCAG standard	WCAG 2.1 AA	2022 guideline: WCAG levels A, AA, AAA; 2024 guideline: WCAG 2.2 Level AA framework	Original policy: WCAG 2.0 AA; current Mada government website monitoring: WCAG 2.2 A and AA
Private sector reach	Entities and contractors in government-related digital work; sectors named in the objectives, incl. e-commerce, healthcare, education; best-efforts provision for other entities; non-government digital-service providers in Dubai	Government contractors under the DGA guidelines; non-governmental entities under the 2023 law	Public-sector websites required and other organizations strongly encouraged under the 2011 policy; accommodation, banking and employment duties under the 2025 law
Enforcement	Federal sector regulators for licensed entities; Dubai Digital Authority in Dubai	Authority for the Care of Persons with Disabilities, fines up to SAR 500,000	Ministry of Social Development and Family coordinates implementation of the 2025 law; Mada supports digital accessibility assessment and implementation

Which WCAG level should you build to?

No single WCAG version applies across the three countries. The UAE policy specifies WCAG 2.1 AA for public-service sites. Saudi Arabia’s 2024 DGA guideline describes a framework for aligning content with WCAG 2.2 Level AA. Qatar’s original policy references WCAG 2.0 AA, while Mada now monitors government websites against WCAG 2.2 A and AA.

WCAG 2.2 AA is a practical technical target. Check the version and level your policy or contract specifies, and keep in mind that reaching a WCAG level won’t settle every legal duty on its own. Saudi Arabia’s non-discrimination rules and Dubai’s no-extra-fee requirement, for example, sit outside any WCAG checklist, so review each country’s obligations alongside the technical work.

WCAG 2.2, published by the W3C in October 2023, adds new success criteria at Level AA. Several of them affect mobile use:

• Target Size (Minimum) generally requires pointer targets of at least 24 × 24 CSS pixels, subject to spacing and other exceptions.
• Focus Not Obscured (Minimum) requires a focused component not to be entirely hidden by author-created content, such as sticky headers or chat panels.
• Dragging Movements requires a single-pointer alternative that does not require dragging, subject to the criterion’s exceptions.
• Accessible Authentication (Minimum) means login shouldn’t depend on a cognitive function test, such as remembering a password or solving a puzzle, unless an alternative or assistance mechanism is available.

That matters in markets where most browsing happens on phones. Mobile devices accounted for roughly 68% of web traffic in Saudi Arabia in September 2026, according to StatCounter data at the time of writing.

WCAG 2.2 AA is backward-compatible with WCAG 2.1 AA for practical purposes. The one exception is 4.1.1 Parsing, an obsolete criterion the W3C removed in 2.2. Targeting WCAG 2.2 AA now can reduce the need for a later upgrade, although the additional remediation effort depends on your site. Saudi Arabia’s newest DGA guidance and Mada’s monitoring already use WCAG 2.2.

Arabic and RTL accessibility: where bilingual sites break

An English-language audit alone will not establish whether the Arabic version is accessible. Test Arabic pages separately for language, directionality and mixed-direction content.

Check these on every Arabic page:

• Direction set at the document level. Put lang=”ar” and dir=”rtl” on the <html> element of Arabic pages and let the layout mirror from there. Use CSS logical properties such as margin-inline-start instead of hard-coded left and right values.
• Reading and focus order. Check whether CSS reordering creates a mismatch between the visual presentation, reading order and keyboard focus order. Properties such as order, row-reverse and grid placement can create confusing sequences. These can fail WCAG 1.3.2 or 2.4.3 when they disrupt meaning or operability. Use a logical source order, apply dir=”rtl” appropriately and test the result.
• Language of parts. Mark English phrases and passages inside Arabic text with lang=”en”, for example <span lang=”en”>, so screen readers switch to English pronunciation. WCAG 3.1.2 (Language of Parts) exempts proper names, technical terms, and words that have become part of the surrounding language, so brand and product names don’t need a tag to conform. Add one anyway if testing shows a screen reader mispronounces a particular name.
• Mixed-direction values. Phone numbers, prices, order IDs, and email addresses inside Arabic sentences can display in the wrong order. Isolate them with <bdi> or dir=”ltr” on the containing element, then listen to them with a screen reader.
• Directional icons. Review directional icons, carousels and progress indicators for RTL behavior; mirror them where their meaning depends on reading direction, rather than flipping every icon automatically.
• Form errors. Validation messages should appear in Arabic, sit beside the right field, and be announced to screen readers.
• Text resizing. Arabic script usually needs a larger font size and more line height than Latin text. At 200% zoom, diacritics shouldn’t clip, and layouts shouldn’t overlap.

A GCC website accessibility checklist

1. Confirm whether you’re in scope. Government work, public services, e-commerce, healthcare, education, and telecom are the clearest triggers. Non-government digital-service providers in Dubai and non-governmental entities in Saudi Arabia may have obligations too.
2. Run automated checks against your target standard, preferably WCAG 2.2 AA, alongside manual testing. Automated tools catch common failures fast: low contrast, missing alt text, unlabeled form fields, empty links.
3. Test manually. Use the site with a keyboard only, then with a screen reader such as NVDA, JAWS, or VoiceOver. Scanners miss a lot of what this finds.
4. Test Arabic pages separately, using the RTL checks above.
5. Fix issues in the source code. Templates, components, and content are where conformance is won or lost.
6. Add visitor controls while you fix. An accessibility widget lets people adjust text size, contrast, and reading aids today, while remediation is in progress.
7. Publish an accessibility statement in Arabic and English, with a way for visitors to report problems.
8. Re-test after major releases. Accessibility regresses quietly.

Give every visitor more ways to use your site

Code fixes take time. An audit can run for weeks, and remediating a large bilingual site can take months. Your visitors are on the site today.

An accessibility widget gives them control right away. Someone with low vision can enlarge the text and raise the contrast. A visitor can choose an alternative font or reading aid based on their preferences. Someone who finds long pages tiring can turn on a reading guide or have the page read aloud. Each person sets the page up the way that works for them.

One AccessiYes user described it better than we could:

“Easy to install, easy to use. It doesn’t change the text until you want it to, then just a couple of clicks to customize it so it is easy to read even for somebody like me 86 years old with one eye.”
– Ed Bernd Jr.

That’s what a widget is for. The controls sit with the person reading, ready when they need them and invisible when they don’t. For older visitors and people with low vision, it can make a real difference on every visit.

AccessiYes includes text resizing, dark and high-contrast modes, an alternative reading font, a reading guide, page read-aloud, and one-click profiles for needs like low vision and ADHD. The interface is available in 50+ languages, Arabic included, so visitors in the UAE, Saudi Arabia, and Qatar see the controls in their own language. It installs on WordPress with a plugin, and on Shopify, Wix, Webflow, or a custom-built site with a single line of code.

A widget works best as one part of your accessibility plan. It gives visitors additional controls while your team improves the website, and those options remain available after remediation. WCAG conformance depends on the website’s content and functionality, assessed through automated and manual evaluation, so continue the audit and remediation alongside it.

Add AccessiYes to your site for free

---

Frequently asked questions (FAQs):

Is there one accessibility law for the whole GCC?

No. Each country has its own laws and responsible bodies: TDRA in the UAE, with the Dubai Digital Authority in Dubai; the Digital Government Authority and the Authority for the Care of Persons with Disabilities in Saudi Arabia; and in Qatar, the Ministry of Social Development and Family, which coordinates implementation of the 2025 disability law, with Mada supporting digital accessibility assessment and implementation. All three countries reference WCAG, so the technical requirements overlap heavily.

Do private companies in the UAE, Saudi Arabia and Qatar have to make their websites accessible?

Many will have obligations, but the basis differs. The UAE policy expressly covers entities and contractors involved in government digital work, names sectors such as healthcare, education and e-commerce in its objectives, and asks other entities to make best efforts to comply. Dubai’s Law No. 9 of 2022 applies to non-government entities offering digital services in the emirate. In Saudi Arabia, the DGA guidelines cover companies building government digital services, while the 2023 Rights of Persons with Disabilities Law places non-discrimination and accessibility duties on all non-governmental entities. In Qatar, the 2011 policy requires accessibility for public-sector websites and strongly encourages other organizations to conform, and Law No. 22 of 2025 adds broader accommodation and non-discrimination duties.

Does Dubai have its own web accessibility law?

Yes. Dubai Law No. 9 of 2022 applies to government and non-government entities providing digital services in Dubai. It requires those services to be conveniently accessible to all customers, including persons with disabilities and people unable to use digital channels, without any additional fees.

Which WCAG version does the UAE require?

Annex 1 of the National Digital Accessibility Policy specifies WCAG 2.1 Level AA for public-service sites, and Article 12 refers to WCAG 2.1 as a minimum in its accessibility-statement requirements. TDRA’s own platforms target WCAG 2.2 AA.

What happens if my website isn’t accessible?

It depends on the country and the requirements that apply to your business. Saudi Arabia’s disability rights enforcement includes penalties for discriminatory policies, but these should not be treated as automatic fines for WCAG failures. The UAE’s framework includes oversight by federal sector regulators, while Dubai has additional digital-service requirements. Qatar’s disability law attaches penalties to specific offences rather than establishing a general website-accessibility fine. Agencies and vendors should also check their contractual obligations.

Does Arabic content need separate accessibility testing?

Yes. Right-to-left layouts introduce their own failures in reading order, focus order, mixed-direction text, and form errors. Test Arabic pages on their own, with a screen reader set to Arabic.

What does “People of Determination” mean?

It’s the UAE’s official term for persons with disabilities, adopted in 2017. You’ll find it across UAE federal law, policy, and government services. Saudi Arabia and Qatar use “persons with disabilities” in their legislation.

How does an accessibility widget fit into compliance?

A widget gives visitors controls for text size, contrast, fonts and reading aids. These adjustments can support their browsing preferences alongside improvements to the website. WCAG conformance depends on the website’s content and functionality, assessed through automated and manual evaluation. Installing a widget alone does not establish conformance or legal compliance.

What about Bahrain, Kuwait and Oman?

Bahrain, Kuwait and Oman have separate frameworks and are outside this guide’s scope.