Wheelchair

A mobility assistive device consisting of a chair mounted on wheels, used by people who have difficulty walking or cannot walk due to illness, injury, or disability. Wheelchairs range from basic manual models to powered chairs with advanced controls, and are recognized by the WHO as a human right essential for independent living. In low-resource settings, access to appropriate wheelchairs remains a major barrier — only 5-15% of people who need them have access — and many available chairs fail to meet WHO durability guidelines for the environments where they are used. Wheelchair accessibility requirements fundamentally shape built environment standards, web accessibility guidelines for motor impairments, and inclusive design practices.