GAAD Meetup recap: how we shape accessibility together
On 14 May 2025, over 100 professionals gathered in our office in Utrecht for the GAAD Meetup 2025. The event, organised by Abra together with Accessibility Foundation, AccessibleEU, CharissaCheckt, Polteq, Q42 and Swink, marked Global Accessibility Awareness Day with one goal: to share knowledge, inspire action, and prepare for the upcoming European Accessibility Act (EAA).
A shared mission
Tanya van Workum (Abra) kicked off the day by welcoming everyone and thanking all co-organisers. Different organisations, one shared mission: make the digital world more accessible for everyone.
Our host
The event was hosted by Darice de Cuba, a front-end developer, writer, photographer, and accessibility advocate who is deaf. Darice shared how she experiences inaccessibility in daily life and explained the arrangements made to ensure this event was fully accessible. Live captioning was provided remotely, and Dutch sign language interpreters were present to support deaf and hard-of-hearing participants.
Understanding the European Accessibility Act
Eric Velleman and Martijn Houtepen (Accessibility Foundation) explained how the EAA aims to reduce legal fragmentation across Europe and sets requirements for accessibility of products and services. They showed how companies must map their full customer journey and keep accessibility standards high at every stage.
When "because it's the right thing to do" just doesn't cut it
Johan Huijkman (Q42) gave an honest talk about his experience working with governments on accessibility. He explained how he initially believed that inspiring change through awareness and empathy would be enough, but learned over time that pressure and clear rules are often the only way to create real impact. Johan also pointed out that ticking all WCAG checkboxes does not guarantee that the product works well for users.
Mobile app accessibility: beyond a one-time fix
Tanya van Workum (Abra) returned with a very practical story on mobile app accessibility. She explained why accessibility should not be treated as a one-off audit, but as an ongoing process. Using the Abra App Accessibility Maturity Model, she showed how combining automated, manual, and user testing leads to better and more sustainable accessibility results.
Why accessibility makes business sense
Zack Yaagoub and Sharmila Baldoe (Swink) closed the presentations by highlighting five drivers for companies to improve accessibility: legal compliance, inclusion, cost savings, market advantage, and brand reputation. An audience poll showed inclusion and humanitarian values were the strongest motivators in the room.
A personal call to action
The final word came from Charissa Kalloe (CharissaCheckt), who shared her experience as a screen reader user and accessibility consultant. She showed how inaccessible digital products can block people from participating and encouraged companies to involve real users early in the development process.
Drinks and networking
The day ended with plenty of time for drinks, snacks, and networking. It was a great opportunity to meet so many accessibility champions in one place. Participants gathered around the organiser tables, where they could ask questions, share experiences, and get hands-on advice about accessibility.
A strong step forward
The GAAD Meetup 2025 showed what’s possible when experts, organisations, and advocates come together with a shared purpose. From knowledge sharing and honest discussions to practical demos and networking, the day was a powerful reminder that accessibility is not just a legal requirement, but a responsibility and opportunity to create better digital products for everyone. We left inspired, connected, and motivated to keep pushing forward – not only to meet the requirements of the European Accessibility Act, but to build a more inclusive digital world, every day.
Event photos
