Accessibility can be described as the characteristic of an environment, equipment, product, object or service that gives it the possibility of ensuring to all its potential users an equal opportunity for use, in a friendly manner and with dignity and safety.

Covering a very wide range of realities ranging from support products (giving more autonomy to people with specific needs), physical accessibility (natural and built environment) and accessibility to transport, to accessibility to communication and information, it should be based on the principles of universal design and ensure access to digital means.

Ensuring accessibility is a fundamental condition for the quality of life of individuals and is essential for the full exercise of the rights and duties conferred on any member of a democratic society in the exercise of his or her citizenship.

It is, therefore, a universal right that contributes decisively to a greater strengthening of the social fabric, to a greater civic participation of all those who integrate it and, consequently, to a growing deepening of social inclusion and solidarity in the social state of law.

According to the Constitution of the Portuguese Republic, it is the responsibility of the State to adopt measures aimed at guaranteeing and guaranteeing the rights of persons with special needs – that is to say, persons facing environmental barriers that prevent active and full civic participation, resulting from permanent or temporary factors, intellectual, emotional, sensory, physical or communicational disabilities – thereby promoting the well-being and quality of life of the population and real and formal legal equality among all Portuguese (Articles 9(d) and 13), as well as the implementation of ‘a national policy of prevention and treatment, rehabilitation and integration of citizens with disabilities and support for their families’, the development of ‘a pedagogy that raises awareness among society of the duties of respect and solidarity towards them’ and ‘taking responsibility for the effective realisation of their rights, without prejudice to the rights and obligations of parents and guardians’ (Article 71(2)).