Excellent work. On 8/7/15, Sruti disAbility Rights Centre <[email protected]> wrote: > Dear all, > > Please find the UNESCO blog written by our young friend Tony Kurien below. > > Regards > Shampa Sengupta > > http://mgiep.unesco.org/blog/a-first-step-in-the-right-direction-access-to-knowledge-for-the-visually-impaired-in-india/ > > It is a matter of great significance that India was the first country to > ratify the Facilitate Access to Published Works to Visually Impaired > Persons and Persons with Print Disabilities (Marrakesh Treaty), which was > adopted almost a year ago. By taking this step, the government has given a > new life to aspirations of the visually impaired and print disabled > populations of India. > > The treaty has the potential to end the well-known book famine. The > non-availability of books and other published works in accessible formats > acts as a barrier to the full and effective participation of visually > impaired persons in society. The treaty empowers countries to introduce a > set of limitations and exceptions to their copyright laws to permit the > reproduction, distribution and availability of published works in > accessible formats. The treaty permits both authorised organizations and > disabled individuals to convert published works into accessible formats. In > broad terms, accessible format means any format that will enable a visually > impaired person to access and use information. > > While the ratification of the treaty in itself is a big step, much still > needs to be done to translate the potential of this initiative into actual > benefits. Sadly, current practices and mechanisms in our universities for > the reproduction and distribution of books in accessible formats are not > enough. At present, the responsibility of creating accessible formats falls > upon the shoulders of students with visual impairments and few universities > have formal structures or coordinating mechanisms for this purpose. > > Relatively simple interventions could make a drastic difference. The first > step, in keeping with spirit of the treaty, is to appreciate the right of > persons with visual impairment to equal access to information. Every > institution of higher education should be mandated to undertake an > accessibility audit of its reading lists and to determine the number of > inaccessible titles. Efforts should be directed towards bridging the > deficit. The responsibility of creating accessible formats should be that > of universities and the conversion to accessible formats should happen at > the university level. > > Universities and organizations should establish a National Accessible Books > consortium. This consortium could be modelled after the recently launched > Accessible Books Consortium (ABC), a multi-stakeholder partnership which > includes WIPO, and should own and manage a national accessible repository. > Given that many visually impaired readers across different universities > read the same titles as a part of their course work, this repository could > avoid duplication by digitising books in accessible formats. > > The requirement for accessible books is not limited to academic works. It > should cover all published works. Unfortunately, a majority of our public > libraries do not cater to the needs of the visually impaired. Libraries > should be encouraged to make books in accessible formats available by using > the provisions of the treaty. Involving a large number of local libraries > and participants will ensure that more vernacular and local content is made > available in accessible formats. We should also ensure that children with > visual impairments no longer miss the pleasure of reading comic books, and > no person should have to forgo the thrill of reading a lifestyle magazine > due to their disability. > > The Marrakesh Treaty has the potential to transform the dreams of many into > reality. Our reliance on the market did not yield the expected result in > providing accessible books. Completely relying on voluntary organizations > and efforts of individuals can only yield partial results. The need of the > hour is backing from the government and the State. This will require more > effort beyond ratifying the treaty. If implemented, these measures will > make the benefits of the Marrakesh treaty a reality in the lives of persons > with visual impairment. Only then, can all the objectives laid in the > preamble of the treaty—including increasing opportunities for visually > impaired persons to participate in the cultural life of their community—be > fully realized. > Tony Kurian is an MPhil student at the Centre for Studies in Social > Sciences, Calcutta. He is interested in the issues of accessibility and > rights of persons with disability. > > > Register at the dedicated AccessIndia list for discussing accessibility of > mobile phones / Tabs on: > http://mail.accessindia.org.in/mailman/listinfo/mobile.accessindia_accessindia.org.in > > > Search for old postings at: > http://www.mail-archive.com/[email protected]/ > > To unsubscribe send a message to > [email protected] > with the subject unsubscribe. > > To change your subscription to digest mode or make any other changes, please > visit the list home page at > http://accessindia.org.in/mailman/listinfo/accessindia_accessindia.org.in > > > Disclaimer: > 1. Contents of the mails, factual, or otherwise, reflect the thinking of the > person sending the mail and AI in no way relates itself to its veracity; > > 2. AI cannot be held liable for any commission/omission based on the mails > sent through this mailing list.. >
-- Avinash Shahi Doctoral student at Centre for Law and Governance JNU Register at the dedicated AccessIndia list for discussing accessibility of mobile phones / Tabs on: http://mail.accessindia.org.in/mailman/listinfo/mobile.accessindia_accessindia.org.in Search for old postings at: http://www.mail-archive.com/[email protected]/ To unsubscribe send a message to [email protected] with the subject unsubscribe. To change your subscription to digest mode or make any other changes, please visit the list home page at http://accessindia.org.in/mailman/listinfo/accessindia_accessindia.org.in Disclaimer: 1. Contents of the mails, factual, or otherwise, reflect the thinking of the person sending the mail and AI in no way relates itself to its veracity; 2. AI cannot be held liable for any commission/omission based on the mails sent through this mailing list..
