On 21 June 2025, Official Gazette no. 32933 published Presidential Circular 2025/10 on the accessibility of websites and mobile applications. The technical backbone is WCAG 2.2 and the Ministry of Family and Social Services Accessibility Checklist – Level A.
This article summarises what the circular means, who it covers, and how Arla Medya builds and maintains systems with this framework in mind.
What is WCAG 2.2?
WCAG 2.2 is the W3C international standard for web content accessibility. It aims for equal access for people with disabilities, older users and anyone using varied devices or contexts. The principles group roughly as:
- Perceivable — information can be presented to the senses (text alternatives, structure, contrast, etc.).
- Operable — interfaces work with keyboard and assistive tech; focus must not get trapped.
- Understandable — text, forms and errors are clear; behaviour is predictable.
- Robust — markup works reliably with browsers and screen readers.
In Turkey’s circular and checklist practice, the first target is usually Level A — the minimum accessibility spine. Many teams then push toward AA (contrast and interaction details).
What does Circular 2025/10 require?
In short: covered public and private digital services must bring websites and mobile apps in line with the published Level A checklist and WCAG 2.2. Monitoring structures and incentives such as an accessibility logo for verified bodies are also part of the policy conversation.
The checklist is not “install a plugin.” It spans page structure, heading order, keyboard use, form labels, alternative text, visible focus, motion, and careful ARIA — i.e. semantics, interaction and content discipline together.
Who is in scope?
Coverage is broader than a single ministry site. Groups frequently cited include:
- Public bodies, municipalities, universities, SOEs and related entities
- Professional organisations with public-body status
- Banks, private hospitals, certain private education institutions
- Passenger transport operators under the relevant laws
- Certain tourism agencies and large electronic communications operators
- E-commerce service providers (often with a longer compliance window)
Timelines are often described as about one year for many institutions and two years for e-commerce providers. Always confirm your exact category and the latest checklist against the Official Gazette text and Ministry publications — secondary summaries are not legal advice.
Why it matters beyond formal duty
Even outside the mandatory list, accessibility means a wider audience, fewer support tickets, better mobile UX and cleaner engineering. Keyboard-friendly forms and clear headings help users and help search engines understand the page. Accessibility and solid product quality usually move together.
What Arla Medya does
We follow current regulations, ministry notices and WCAG updates. For websites, panels and mobile-facing UIs we deliver or modernise, accessibility is part of the project backbone, not a bolt-on. In practice:
- Structure: single H1, sensible H2–H3 order, header / nav / main / footer landmarks
- Keyboard: menus, forms and dialogs usable with Tab / Shift+Tab / Escape; focus traps and visible focus
- Media: meaningful alt text, empty alt for decorative images, accessible names for icon-only controls
- Forms: visible labels, text errors/success, clickable legal/consent labels
- Motion: pause or respect reduced-motion preferences
- Target level: WCAG 2.2 Level A spine, with AA improvements where practical
We apply the same checklist on our own site and carry the discipline into client deliveries.
A practical starter list
- Inventory domains and apps and who owns them.
- Run priority pages (home, services, forms, login) against the Level A checklist.
- Keyboard-test critical flows.
- Smoke-test with a screen reader (NVDA or VoiceOver) on home + contact.
- Do not postpone Level A fixes “for design reasons” — most can be done without killing the brand.
Closing
Circular 2025/10 made digital accessibility a clearer, more measurable agenda in Turkey. WCAG 2.2 Level A is a minimum equality floor for users and a concrete target for organisations.
Arla Medya tracks the law, the circular and the standard, and designs delivered web and software systems accordingly. If you want a Level A review of your site or panel, contact us or explore our web & software and digital marketing / SEO services.
This article is for information only and is not legal advice. For obligations and deadlines, rely on the Official Gazette circular and the Ministry’s current publications.
