Accessibility Statement

General Information about the Website

Violence Prevention Network is one of Europe’s leading practitioner hubs working nationally and internationally with over 120 experts. Our common goal is to support first-line practitioners, policy makers and researchers to bring about positive change in local efforts to prevent and counter violent extremism worldwide.

By building on our first-hand insights and experiences from daily casework with radicalised offenders and at-risk individuals, we work to empower whole-of-society partnerships, bridge capacity gaps of key actors and provide practitioner input for sustainable policies and practical solutions.

Use of Our Online Services

The website provides:

  • Information about Violence Prevention Network and its work in preventing and countering violent extremism
  • Content designed for professionals, policymakers, researchers, cooperation partners, and interested members of the public
  • Descriptions of projects, programmes, publications, and events
  • Access to materials, resources, and background information
  • Contact options for enquiries and further information

Navigation is provided via the main menu and the footer area. Key content is generally accessible within a maximum of three clicks.

Scope of This Statement

This accessibility statement applies to the website published under the domain www.violence-prevention-network.com and all associated subpages and subdomains (e.g., blog.domain.de, app.domain.de), provided they are attributable to the same provider. Attribution is generally established via a shared legal notice or contractual and technical responsibility of the same organisation.

Responsible entity:

Violence Prevention Network gGmbH
Alt-Reinickendorf 25
13407 Berlin
post@violence-prevention-network.de
+49 30 917 05 464

Our Commitment

Accessibility today is an integral part of modern websites – it is a quality feature, enhances user experience, and ensures legal compliance. Enabling full access for all user groups reflects our understanding of digital responsibility and social inclusion.

Our Approach

For us, this specifically means:

  • Semantically correct front end: clean HTML structures, meaningful ARIA roles, consistent component logic
  • Conceptual accessibility: focus guidance, logical tab order, keyboard operability, understandable interactions
  • Editorial clarity: clear language, legible typography, descriptive links, alternative texts
  • Accessible media: videos with transcripts and subtitles, high-contrast thumbnails, visual descriptions where applicable
  • Technical compatibility with assistive technologies: support for prefers-reduced-motion and other system-based user preferences
  • Sustainable development: regular audits, action plans, and continuous maintenance of digital accessibility

Applicable Standards

We strive to make our website accessible in accordance with the following legal and normative frameworks:

  • German Ordinance on Accessible Information Technology (BITV 2.0)
  • German Equal Opportunities for Persons with Disabilities Act (BGG)
  • Directive (EU) 2016/2102
  • WCAG 2.1 – aiming for conformance level AA+

Audit Currently in Progress

Status: This website is currently undergoing a comprehensive accessibility audit.

Target: WCAG 2.1 conformance level AA

Planned completion: August 2025

All content and functions are being evaluated based on the four principles of WCAG 2.1:

  • Perceivable
  • Operable
  • Understandable
  • Robust

After completion, we will:

  • Document the actual level of conformance
  • List any existing barriers
  • Publish a binding action plan with a timeline

Regardless of the audit, it remains our goal to progressively reduce existing barriers and to adapt protected content to WCAG 2.1 AA requirements wherever technically and economically feasible.

Optimisation Strategy

Our optimisation strategy is based on WCAG 2.1 conformance level AA and, where technically and editorially appropriate, additionally aims to implement selected criteria from level AAA (AA+).

The goal is to continuously improve accessibility without compromising system stability or user experience. Specifically:

  • New content and features shall be designed to be accessible
  • Existing components shall be revised for accessibility whenever technically, functionally, or visually updated
  • Editorial maintenance and updates shall be carried out with an awareness of accessibility requirements
  • Voluntary enhancements in line with selected WCAG 2.1 AAA criteria shall be implemented where technically, visually, and economically feasible

This component-based and continuous improvement process serves to sustainably enhance digital accessibility in line with the legal and normative frameworks of BITV 2.0, BGG, Directive (EU) 2016/2102, and WCAG 2.1 – without impairing system stability or user experience.

An overview of identified optimisation potentials and planned measures with timelines will be published in this statement after completion of the audit.

Testing Procedure & Methodology

The audit followed this process:

  1. Manual Testing
    • Keyboard operability
    • Screen reader tests (VoiceOver, NVDA, JAWS)
    • Focus guidance and visual orientation
  2. Automated Tools
    • Axe
    • Lighthouse
    • WAVE
  3. Conceptual Analysis
    • Structure, navigation, semantic markup logic
    • Assistive technology compatibility
  4. Editorial Review
    • Language, alternative texts, ARIA attributes, clarity

More information about the testing procedure is available upon request.

Objective: AA+ as Standard

Our objective is to reliably meet the legal requirements of WCAG 2.1 level AA and additionally implement selected elements of enhanced digital accessibility (partially WCAG 2.1 AAA) where appropriate and technically feasible.

Implementation will occur through re-audits, module-specific updates, and project-related maintenance processes. All relevant measures, deadlines, and responsibilities will be documented transparently.

Technical Requirements

This website is optimised for current browser generations (e.g., Chrome, Firefox, Safari, Edge) and supports adaptive technologies such as screen readers and zoom functions. System-level settings (e.g., reduced motion) are considered wherever technically possible.

Reporting Barriers

This website is undergoing an ongoing accessibility audit. Identified optimisation potentials and planned measures will be published after completion of the audit.

If you encounter any accessibility issues not listed here or have suggestions for improvement, please let us know. To help us process your feedback, please indicate the page or function concerned.

Contact:

Notice on the Mediation Procedure (§ 16 BGG)

If no satisfactory solution is achieved after contacting us, you can initiate a mediation procedure under § 16 of the German Equal Opportunities for Persons with Disabilities Act (BGG). The BGG Mediation Service mediates conflicts on digital accessibility between affected individuals and the responsible entity.

Contact for Mediation Service BGG:

The procedure is free of charge. Legal representation is not required.

Notice Regarding This Accessibility Statement

This accessibility statement is based on a template provided by ALEKS & SHANTU GmbH, which also conducts the accessibility audit of this website.