WBU E-BULLETIN VOLUME 4, ISSUE 4 - July 2010
WBU E-BULLETIN
VOLUME 4, ISSUE 4
July 2010
TABLE OF CONTENTS
CONTRIBUTIONS TO THE E-BULLETIN 2
PRESIDENT’S MESSAGE 2
UPDATE ON WBU STRATEGIC PRIORITY #1 INITIATIVES 4
WIPO STANDING COMMITTEE ON COPYRIGHT AND RELATED RIGHTS (SCCR) UPDATE 7
WBU EMPLOYMENT INITIATIVE 10
INTEGRATING ISSUES OF DISABILITY INTO THE REGIONAL FRAMEWORK OF THE MANO RIVER UNION: OUR ONE WEEK VISIT TO FREETOWN, SIERRA LEONE 12
YOUTH SUCCESS STORIES 14
ANNOUNCEMENTS 15
ASOCIACIÓN NACIONAL DEL CIEGO (ANCI) 15
DISABILITY RIGHTS FUND RELEASES 2010 ROUND TWO
REQUEST FOR PROPOSALS 15
ONE MORE ACHIEVEMENT FOR BRAZIL 16
DIGIT-EYES AUDIO LABELING SYSTEM ADVANCES
INDEPENDENCE FOR PEOPLE WITH VISION LOSS 16
RESOURCES 17
INTERNATIONAL DISABILITY ALLIANCE 17
WEB SEMINAR ON WORK AND PERSONS WITH DISABILITIES 17
INTERNATIONAL ONLINE TRAINING ON PORTAGE EARLY INTERVENTION AND INCLUSION IN COMMUNITY BASED REHABILITATION (CBR) 18
FORCED MIGRATION REVIEW (FMR): FEATURE ON DISABILITY
AND DISPLACEMENT 18
WORLD BANK: NEW FINANCIAL ACCESS FRONTIER FOR
PERSONS WITH DISABILITIES 18
MILLENNIUM DEVELOPMENT GOAL REPORT 18
NEWS FROM THE REGIONS 19
AFRICA 19
ACCESS AFRICA – 5th IDP AFRICA FORUM 19
4TH CBR AFRICA CONFERENCE: OCTOBER 26 – 29, 2010 19
GROUNDBREAKING SERVICE FOR SPECTATORS AT THE
2010 FIFA WORLD CUP SOUTH AFRICA 20
WORLD CONGRESS ON REFRACTIVE ERROR, SEPTEMBER
20-22, 2010, DURBAN, SOUTH AFRICA 20
ASIA-PACIFIC 20
10th INTERNATIONAL CONFERENCE ON LOW VISION 20
CAPACITY BUILDING PROJECT RENEWED 21
ACCESS TOURISM CONFERENCE IN AUCKLAND, NEW ZEALAND 21
INTERNATIONAL O&M CONFERENCE 21
ASIA 22
ALL INDIA CONFEDERATION FOR THE BLIND (AICB) 22
A LIFE CHANGING INVENTION FROM THE WEST BANK 22
EUROPE 22
FIRST EUROPEAN CONGRESS ON VISUAL IMPAIRMENT 22
A BREAKTHROUGH BRAILLE LABELLING LAW IN PORTUGAL 22
LATIN AMERICA 23
BRAZILIAN NATIONAL DAY OF THE BRAILLE SYSTEM 23
ULAC CELEBRATES 25th ANNIVERSARY 23
TV AUDIO DESCRIPTION IN ARGENTINA 24
NORTH AMERICA AND THE CARIBBEAN 24
SEMINARS@HADLEY ATTRACT INTERNATIONAL ATTENTION 24
GPDD WORKING GROUP ON THE RECONSTRUCTION OF HAITI 24
WBU OFFICERS 25
REGIONAL PRESIDENTS 25
WBU STAFF 25
CONTRIBUTIONS TO THE E-BULLETIN
Contributions are welcome to the E-bulletin. We thank those of you who have been providing us with content for the E-bulletins and encourage contributions from all regions. Our next deadline for content submission will be Monday, September 6, 2010 for our September 2010 issue of the E-bulletin. We will accept submissions in English, French, and Spanish, preferably in electronic format. Please send your submissions to Sarah Smith at sarah.smith@wbuoffice.org
PRESIDENT’S MESSAGE
By Maryanne Diamond
Once again, it is pleasing to see the diversity of material contained in this bulletin which I trust is both interesting and informative to all.
There is an excellent summary of the work being undertaken by our “Representation” priority which I assure you will find most informative. I trust our priorities “Capacity Building” and “Information Sharing” will have reports in our next issue.
On behalf of members and friends of the WBU, I would like to thank Elly Macha, who has recently resigned as Executive Director of AFUB. Elly has been in this role for almost six years and we have seen a great deal of change and many projects successfully undertaken under her leadership. Elly will be missed by all who have worked with her. I wish her every success in her next stage of employment. I have no doubt we will continue to work with Elly, just in a different way.
Our work continues to open the world of accessible published works with some frustrations and set backs as you will read in the article from Chris Friend. This is one issue we have successfully got on the world stage and must work hard to keep there as it is an opportunity which will not present itself for a very long time if we let it drop.
I also draw your attention to the article on the work we are doing in the area of employment. I urge you to circulate our requests for stories and good practices which we are collecting and plan to share with members. Perhaps you have a story to share?
Plans are well underway for the Executive meeting to be held in Melbourne, Australia 11 – 13 November. Registration is now open and in order to assist in getting a Visa for those who require one, finalizing accommodation and plans, I urge you to register as soon as possible. For those who are not financial and members of the Executive, I remind you that you cannot vote if you are non financial and present at the meeting. If you are entitled to receive sponsorship from the WBU, you must be financial.
The Disability Rights Fund has another round of funding available so take the time to read the article and consider if your organization could take advantage of this opportunity. I understand that there have not been many organizations in our sector that have applied for these funds.
I hope you enjoy reading!
Maryanne
UPDATE ON WBU STRATEGIC PRIORITY #1 INITIATIVES
By Mr. A.K. Mittal
Our readers would recall that the WBU Workplan Priority #1 covers activities related to such important broad areas as: the Right to Read Campaign (R2R), Safe and Independent Mobility and Transport, Access and Use of Technology, Representation at U.N. and its Agencies, Advocacy for Human Rights for blind and partially sighted persons. We give below a brief report on action on some of these initiatives during the last couple of months or so:
1. Initiatives Concerning the Right to Read Campaign: This has been a very busy and hectic period of work for the Team looking after the WBU Campaign for promoting Right to Read for blind and partially sighted children and adults. Details of the related activities appear elsewhere in this e-Bulletin (please see article by Christopher Friend).
2. Electric Cars and Implications for the Visually Impaired: Electric vehicles will be on the market in U.S., Japan and several European countries quite soon. These are being promoted, because of their being in line with the policies of sustainable energy of the concerned governments and for considerable reduction in noise pollution.
There are two major issues in respect of these vehicles for the visually impaired: the need for a distinct audible sound or sounds and the need for some kind of standardization around sound(s). Manufacturers could be keen to have their own distinctive sounds for their brand which could result in a cacophony of sounds creating a lot of confusion for the visually impaired.
The European Blind Union (EBU) has been in touch with two leading car manufacturers-Nissan and Renault- to look at what those manufacturers, who agree on the need for an audible sound(s), are doing. Nissan gave a demonstration of sounds incorporated in their first generation electric cars to be launched in Europe, Japan and U.S., quite soon. Three sounds have been incorporated into the vehicle in consultation with NFB (U.S.), and the organizations of and for the blind and partially sighted persons in Japan: a start-up sound, a slow running sound as the vehicle starts up and accelerates or as it slows down or decelerates and when the vehicle is reversing. Renault, on the other hand, demonstrated a number of sound-combinations, though they have not yet decided on the exact sounds to be used. The EBU group is of the opinion that considerable work and trial still needs to be undertaken by both these manufacturers in this direction.
On the question of standards, a proposal has been drawn up in the U.S., by blindness organizations and alliances of automobile manufacturers. The proposal requires federal auto safety regulators to design a minimum sound rule in the next 18 months. The proposal calls for sound to occur automatically and to be standardized by automakers and dealers. Pressure for similar provision in Europe is also mounting.
The charging of electric vehicles is another key issue to be addressed here. Local authorities have to ensure that the design and location of public charging points takes account of blind and partially sighted people and that something is done around the running of cables across footways or sidewalks between homes and vehicles. The manufacturers can also help by including in their guidance to motorists, advice on having consideration for blind and partially sighted persons both in terms of charging and when approaching pedestrians in their electric vehicles. Exciting stuff, indeed!
3. Tactile Walking Surface Indicators (TWSI): WBU successfully nominated Susan Sharp, leader of its initiatives on Safe and Independent Mobility and Transport to represent the Association of Non-Government European Consumers (ANEC) on standardization at ISO Technical Committee 173 Working Group 8. The Group is charged with the responsibility of developing an International Standard for Tactile Walking Surface Indicators.
The Group has made excellent progress through two of its meetings, the second of which was held in Zurich in June. The standard on TWSI provides detailed content for luminance and colour-contrast as well as the tactile nature of TWSI. The draft standard will now go to ISO for voting by members, hopefully, in the late summer/early autumn, and at the present rate of progress, the standard should be agreed by 2012.
4. UNCRPD: Statistical Data as at June-end 2010: signed-145; optional protocol-89; ratified - 87; ratification of the protocol-54. Governments will be required to make reports on progress with implementing the CRPD every four years. Work is underway to develop a toolkit for members to facilitate lobbying and monitoring progress. Our members should contribute ‘shadow’ progress reports on implementation of the CRPD from their countries.
Now that the number of States ratifying the Convention has exceeded 80, six new members will be elected to the UN Committee on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities at the next Conference of the States Parties to be held in September this year.
The Committee on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities has had three meetings and the fourth meeting will take place in Geneva on 4th to 8th October, 2010.
5. World Disability Report: The process of developing a World Report on Disability has been lead by WHO and is currently under peer review. It is anticipated that the report will be officially released before the end of 2010.
6. Promotion of Best Practice in Community-Based Rehabilitation: The WHO/UNESCO/ILO/IDDC CBR Guidelines for community based inclusive development are to be launched at a CBR Africa Network (CAN) Congress to be held in Abuja, Nigeria on 26 to 29 October this year. Dr William Rowland of the WBU was a member of the core group advising on the development of these guidelines which are likely to give direction to CBR in developing communities across the world during the coming generation.
7. Modernization of the postal regime for “Literature for the Blind”: Colin Low and Dan Pescod attended the Universal Postal Union (UPU) Consultative Committee meeting in Bernon 12 April 2010, where they were able to add a question about mail between blind and partially sighted individuals and also to furnish some examples to support the case for modernization.
8. Advocacy Matters:
In India, WBU President, was approached on all the three Indian affiliates being excluded from the Committee constituted by the Government to prepare a new law to replace the existing Disability Act. The President promptly wrote to the concerned Minister emphasizing the important roles of WBU affiliates in their respective countries. A representative of one of the three affiliates is now included in the said Committee.
WBU continues to act as the lead channelizing agency for providing relief and rehabilitation to visually impaired quake- victims in Haiti.
WBU R2R Campaign - Lobbying for the WBU Copyright Treaty and development of National Alliances for the Campaign constitute crucial components of this activity. The WBU Global R2R Campaign Team spearheaded by its indefatigable leader, Chris Friend, remained intensely preoccupied preparing for the consideration of the WBU Copyright Treaty which was to come up as an Agenda item at the WIPO Standing Committee on Copyright and Other Rights (20th meeting), scheduled in Geneva for June 20-24, 2010. For more details, please read Christopher Friend’s article below. He eloquently describes the deliberations and outcome of this much-awaited event. The WBU delegation to the meeting had a total of 18 observers, with our President, Maryanne Diamond, as the chef de mission and with representatives from all six regions.
WIPO STANDING COMMITTEE ON COPYRIGHT AND RELATED RIGHTS (SCCR) UPDATE
By Christopher Friend
WBU Strategic Objective Leader – Accessibility; Chair WBU Global “Right to Read” (R2R) Campaign; Programme Development Advisor - Sightsavers
First, a few notes on the two month run-up preparation to the SCCR meeting which was held on June 21-24:
Under the WBU Strategic Action Plan for this Strategic Objective, the Global R2R Campaign Team was awarded US $30,000 to establish 10 National R2R Alliances in countries critical to our WIPO campaign. It was agreed with our sponsors, Open Society Institute (OSI) who also sponsored the 2008 drafting workshop which brought the Treaty Proposal for Copyright and the Visually Impaired into being, that the R2R Global Team would work with up to three or four such new R2R National Alliances prior to each of the next three SCCR meetings in June and November 2010 and May 2011.
The Global Team visited and supported the OSI funded South African (SA) Stakeholders in May as they held a workshop to agree their response to the SA Government upcoming amendments to the current Copyright Act, and to agree an instruction to the SA Government Delegation attending SCCR to support the TVI Copyright Treaty proposed by WBU. Another similar visit to Kenya in June helped to form R2R Kenya with similar objectives domestically and internationally.
A third initiative by the Global Team in June was to support the Nigeria Association of the Blind to bring together a group of Stakeholders
to also determine domestic priorities to share with the Nigerian Copyright Office and to encourage the Nigerian Government Delegation to SCCR to use its influence amongst other African Delegates to back the TVI. The Kenya and Nigeria initiatives are funded by the Open Society Institute grant.
A parallel initiative by the Global R2R Campaign Team was to encourage more Regional and National members to apply for 'Ad Hoc Accreditation' to WIPO, at this latest meeting, joining the 16 who successfully applied last December. A total of 11 new members were accredited on 21 June. This led to a WBU Delegation of new and previous Ad Hoc Accredited Observers (2 WBU; 3 ULAC; 4 NAC; 4 EBU; 4 AFUB; 1 ABU; 1 WBU AP).
When NGOs were invited to speak on the Treaty for the VI and Print Disabled 16 of this delegation spoke totalling 48 minutes. And so our visibility was well recognised. Our Treaty Proposal now officially tabled by the Governments of Brazil, Ecuador, Paraguay and Mexico was also unanimously supported as a matter of extreme urgency by virtually all States.
So it was with a sense of betrayal that WBU had to witness nine hours of bargaining and trading of agreed positions mainly amongst the USA, the European Union and the African Group of States with the result that as the meeting deadline of midnight on 24th approached there was no consensus and therefore no agreement on the way forward on the TVI agenda item. This is seen by WBU as a total betrayal of the agreed principle that the Book Famine was a top priority for WIPO to solve.
Sadly, nine African Government Delegations, speaking for the whole of
Africa, insisted on a much wider agenda of work on Exceptions for the Print Disabled to be joined concurrently with Exceptions for Education, Libraries, Archives and Research even though their detailed preparation on these later causes is far from mature and this would result in a considerable delay on progress for the print disabled. In spite of several redrafts providing exact assurances for the wider African agenda later when ready, the African Group of 9 countries held out and refused to allow the Print Disabled Treaty to be progressed ahead of the others.
The result was that the meeting was timed out and just 9 African
Governments had prevented progress on access to books for the visually impaired and print disabled across the whole African continent, and indeed around the world.
The Global R2R Team will be working with AFUB to denounce those
African Governments concerned, using WBU National Members in those countries to complain to their Governments. The AFUB Campaign will also target the AU Disability Commission and the African Decade of the Disabled Secretariat, and will vigorously campaign through all African Press Agencies in the hope of bringing pressure on the WIPO African Nations at their General Assembly in September.
My Vice-Chair Dan Pescod, who is RNIB's European, International, and
Accessibility Campaigns Manager, wrote the following report on last week:
Dear colleagues,
Last week the WIPO Standing Committee on Copyright and Related Rights (SCCR) met in Geneva. Eighteen delegates attended the meeting for the World Blind Union (WBU).
As you know, WBU has been lobbying hard for over a year now for this committee to support the WBU proposed treaty which was formally tabled at the SCCR in May 2009 by the governments of Brazil, Ecuador and Paraguay.
I could write a very long account of last week's meeting, but I will spare you this!
Unusually, the SCCR meeting finished last Thursday without having agreed its formal "conclusions" and therefore with no formal way forward on our treaty or indeed the rest of the items on its agenda.
In short, there was more consensus than ever throughout the meeting that there should be an international "instrument"- treaty, "recommendation" or other - to put in place national copyright exceptions for print disabled people and to allow us to share accessible books internationally.
All groupings of countries voiced support for that consensus, including the EU, African and Asian groups and the USA. That was very significant progress, it appeared. Additionally, the Mexican ambassador to the UN hosted an ambassadorial meeting on the eve of the final day of the Committee, to try to get agreement on a way forward.
However, in the many hours of wrangling over the conclusions on the last evening/ night of the meeting, it became clear that the African group intended to hold out for other copyright exceptions to be worked on concurrently with our treaty. This was clearly never going to be accepted by the rest of the groups in the room, and the African group knew that. Their proposal amounted to blocking all progress on our treaty for the sake of making a political statement.
More than one workable compromise was suggested to break the deadlock and allow work on our issue to progress speedily whilst allowing also for work on exceptions for libraries and archives, education etc to progress at a later stage. But the African group rejected these compromises.
We finished the meeting at midnight with no agreement, and those of us from WBU who were still in the room felt, to put it politely, let down by the African group's position.
I will be back in touch in due course with suggestions for the way forward. We were really close to agreement. Closer than ever, in fact. Perhaps we will be able to use this debacle to exert greater pressure than ever towards achieving the treaty -we'll see. In any case, thanks so much to all those on this list involved indirectly or directly with this latest WIPO-related battle.
WBU EMPLOYMENT INITIATIVE
By Maryanne Diamond
A small group of us took the opportunity while attending the Francophone Union of the Blind General Assembly in Montreal May this year, to meet. The purpose was to assist us in making progress on this very complex but important issue. We mapped out a plan of work for six months and will meet again in Melbourne following the Executive meeting.
We identified four areas, in the first instance, of material to collect with the intention to share with our members and interested people via our webpage and possibly other means of communication. We are looking for:
1. Examples of successfully employed people who are blind or partially sighted.
Initially, we are looking for a one page statement from people from different regions, gender, age, and visual status, formal and informal economies. If people have a photo of themselves, it would good to send it along with the statement. It is helpful for their statement to mention the type of job the person is doing, the challenges faced in getting to where they now are with respect to employment, and how they overcame these challenges.
We plan to build a database of role models. We plan, in the first instance, to select 10-12 of these and do follow up interviews to develop the story and place on our website. We need you to assist us in finding people who are interested in sharing their stories. It would also be helpful if they could give their consent for their materials and photographs to be placed on our website and used in other promotional materials to advance our employment program.
2. We are looking for examples of mentoring or peer support programs in the area of employment which are successful. Again, across all regions, informal/formal economies, age, gender, vision status, etc. If you have manuals or tools already developed, we would be very interested n receiving an electronic copy of these.
3. If you have any examples of microcredit programs, mainstream or blindness specific, which are successful, we would love to hear about them.
4. We are looking for good practice employment programs for people who are blind or partially sighted from around the world. Programs which prepare people for work, which assist them in finding work and where necessary supporting them to stay in work. Again across all population groups of our membership.
It would be appreciated if you could provide to the WBU office any information you can gather together on these four areas at your earliest convenience. Collection of this information will assist us in: increasing the awareness of the abilities of people who are blind or partially sighted, to share good practices in peer support/mentoring, micro credit programs, and employment practices.
I look forward to receiving a great deal of very interesting and informative resources from you.
At the same time we are working to gather data on barriers to the employment of people who are blind or partially sighted gaining employment, find resources to undertake a research project of employed persons who are blind or partially sighted and employers who willingly employ us, get speaking places on international conferences dealing with employment and much more.
We recognize that this is a long term initiative which will not be completed this term. However, we want to put in place the foundations to carry this work forward while at the same time increase the awareness of what is possible and the confidence of those who are blind or partially sighted seeking work. Also, employers who continue to employ persons who are blind or partially sighted, gaining some understanding of why they see no barriers which cannot be overcome.
INTEGRATING ISSUES OF DISABILITY INTO THE REGIONAL FRAMEWORK OF THE MANO RIVER UNION: OUR ONE WEEK VISIT TO FREETOWN, SIERRA LEONE
Excerpt from an article by Beyan G. Kota
National President, National Union of Organizations of the Disabled (NUOD) Congo Town Back Road, Monrovia Liberia
A joint delegation of six from the Republic of Liberia representing Liberia’s State Commission on Disabilities and the National Union of Organizations of the Disabled (NUOD), a non-governmental umbrella union comprising of Disabled Peoples Organizations and those providing services to the Disabled, left Monrovia in May for a one week visit to Freetown. This trip to Sierra Leone was in exchange to the one earlier made to Liberia by our Sierra Leonean counterparts in November of 2009, at which time, a bilateral agreement was reached between the Sierra Leone Union on Disabilities Issues (SLUDI) and the National Union of Organizations of the Disabled (NUOD) in Liberia.
It can be recalled that in March of 1971, the Governments of Liberia and Sierra Leone entered an agreement, which brought into being the Mano River Union on the foundation to promote lasting friendship, freedom, economic growth and social progress between the two countries and amongst its people.
The objective of this regional body was to accelerate regional collaboration and mutual assistance for cultural growth, economic trade in the social, technical, and scientific fields.
Being cognizant of this, leaders of SLUDI in Sierra Leone and NUOD in Liberia thought it befitting to formulate an agreement for collaboration and peaceful co-existence. We pledged our commitment to foster peace and unity across the two nations to identify cultural beliefs and practices, which shall be used to strengthen the social and economic development of our two unions and other persons with disabilities within Sierra Leone and Liberia.
Accordingly, our two umbrella organizations have now resolved to organize themselves into the Mano River Federation of the Disabled (MARIFED) which aims to formulate a common agenda for the social and economic advancement of persons with disabilities within the region and to guarantee the inclusion of disability issues into the political framework of the sub-regional body of the Mano River Union.
It further aims to create a forum that would draw the attention of our respective governments to the extreme poverty condition of its citizens with disabilities and the need to prevail on authorities of the Mano River Union to develop the political and economic intervention mechanisms to address them.
The establishment of the Mano River Federation of the Disabled (MARIFED) is a demonstration of our belief in the principles of the four countries: Guinea, Sierra Leone, Ivory Coast, and Liberia. We shall seek to maintain peace and unity in pursuance of our objectives within the region. We shall remain committed to ignite spirit of good neighborliness as we promote cultural and economic development for the survival of all. At the conclusion of our visit to Sierra Leone, a Joint communiqué to this effect was signed by the presidents of the two unions.
Our stay in Sierra Leone also afforded the Liberian delegation the opportunity to visit the offices of the Sierra Leone Association of the Blind (SLAB). The visit to SLAB was crucial, as it helped to bring both the Liberia Christian Association of the Blind and the Sierra Leone Association of the Blind closer, considering the two associations’ membership with the African Union of the Blind (AFUB) and the World Blind Union (WBU).
It is my belief that our visit has not only strengthened our common collaboration with AFUB and WBU, but opened a new avenue for networking, for the consolidation of solidarity in our role in bringing innovation to West Africa Zone One of AFUB. We shall consult each other to identify common interest in promoting the ideologies of the newly established Mano River Federation of the Disabled (MARIFED).
YOUTH SUCCESS STORIES
African Union for the Blind (AFUB) Knowledge on Democracy and Development Project (KDDP) Participants Take Part in the International Institute for Social Entrepreneurs (IISE)
As they strive to make a difference in the lives of their fellow youth who are blind and/or partially sighted in Africa, here is yet another success story of three KDDP participants who have been selected to take part in the eleven month social entrepreneurship training at the International Institute for Social Entrepreneurs (IISE) in Kerala, South India. The selected candidates are: 2007 participant, Nure Hussein from Ethiopia; 2008 participant, Bahati Satir Omar from Rwanda; and, 2009 participant, Yankuba Faal Sonko from the Gambia.
The International Institute for Social Entrepreneurs (IISE) in Kerala, South India is an Institute that operates under the umbrella of Braille without Borders (BWB). The IISE focuses on leadership training in order to create social change. The participants, all over 22 years of age, are inspiring visionaries who mainly come from developing nations. All of them have overcome significant life challenges, ranging from vision impairment, poverty, war, discrimination and exploitation. They have a passion to make the world a better place and the strength to be forces of good rather than victims of circumstance.
Throughout IISE's eleven month program, participants develop all the necessary skills to succeed as social innovators/entrepreneurs. Workshops and hands-on practice in the areas of management, public speaking, communication, leadership, fundraising, budgeting, bookkeeping, project proposal writing, marketing, public relations, computing with open software technology, and others, give IISE's participants all the necessary tools to start their own social projects.
For further information on IISE, visit http://staging.bwb-iise.org
ANNOUNCEMENTS
ASOCIACIÓN NACIONAL DEL CIEGO (ANCI)
On behalf of the WBU family, we extend our heartfelt condolences to the Asociación Nacional del Ciego (ANCI) on the passing of their President, Mr. Amado González Landa, on May 25, 2010. Mr. Landa led this organization for 25 years and we commend his dedicated efforts to working on behalf of people who are blind and partially sighted across the globe. We welcome Dr. José Blanch Ferrer as the new President of ANCI and wish him a long and prosperous tenure.
DISABILITY RIGHTS FUND RELEASES 2010 ROUND TWO REQUEST FOR PROPOSALS
The Disability Rights Fund (DRF) - a grantmaking collaborative between donors and the global disability community which supports the human rights of persons with disabilities - today announced its second 2010 “Moving Rights Forward” grants round. Grantmaking in this round will be targeted to disabled persons’ organizations (DPOs) in four regions and twenty countries: Africa--Ghana and Uganda; Asia--Bangladesh; Latin America--Ecuador, Nicaragua and Peru; Pacific--Cook Islands, Federated States of Micronesia, Fiji, Kiribati, Nauru, Niue, Palau, Papua New Guinea, Republic of the Marshall Islands, Samoa, Solomon Islands, Tonga, Tuvalu, and Vanuatu.
The broad objective of the Fund - which was officially launched in March 2008 and is a Project of Tides - is to empower DPOs in the developing world and Eastern Europe/former Soviet Union to participate in ratification, implementation and monitoring of the United Nations Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities (CPRD).
In the second round of 2010 grantmaking, applicant organizations from eligible countries may apply as: a) single organizations or partnerships for 12-month Small Grants and/or b) national DPO-led coalitions for 24-month National Coalition Grants. Grants to single organizations will range from USD 5,000 to 20,000 and will support efforts to build CRPD skills and to develop rights-based advocacy and monitoring on the CRPD. Grants to national DPO-led coalitions will range from USD 30,000 to 50,000 per year (60,000 – 100,000 over 24 months) and will support advocacy toward ratification of the CRPD, passage of specific legislation to accord with the CRPD, or the production of alternative/parallel reports to UN monitoring mechanisms.
Interested organizations are urged to review the full eligibility criteria and application details posted at the Fund’s website, http://www.disabilityrightsfund.org/grant.html. Any questions on the proposal process should be directed to info@disabilityrightsfund.org. The deadline for applications is August 19, 2010.
ONE MORE ACHIEVEMENT FOR BRAZIL
Congratulations to Mr. Carlos Eduardo Ferrari who was elected as President of the National Council of Social Assistance for the Government of Brazil. He is also a consultant for Organização Nacional dos Cegos do Brasil (ONCB). Mr. Ferrari is blind from birth. This great accomplishment sets a precedent to encourage other world leaders.
DIGIT-EYES AUDIO LABELING SYSTEM ADVANCES INDEPENDENCE FOR PEOPLE WITH VISION LOSS
Digital Miracles, LLC, is pleased to announce a major advancement in assistive technology for people who are blind and partially sighted. The Digit-Eyes Audio Labeling System has been approved for sale on the Apple Apps Store. As of June 23rd, the millions of people worldwide with substantial vision loss can begin downloading the iPhone application to recognize and label the important items in their lives.
The Digit-Eyes system gives users a simple way to make custom labels for everyday items and it identifies packaged goods-joining advanced software with the iPhone, the Internet, home computers, printers, and inexpensive off-the-shelf labels. People of almost any visual ability can now put groceries away and grab the right prescription bottle independently.
With Digit-Eyes, users can print custom text labels or record audio labels that they make by scanning specially coded labels and speaking into their phones. They attach the labels to household items, and the messages are played back whenever the codes are rescanned with their iPhones. This Digit-Eyes app can also scan manufacturer codes (UPC, EAN, ISBN) and say what’s inside the package after checking the vast Digit-Eyes product database. Each iPhone stores over five hundred hours of information and can be used just about anywhere. For more details about cost and application, go to www.DIGIT-EYES.com
UNCRPD General Day of Discussion
The UN Committee on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities will hold a General Day of Discussion on October 7, 2010 on the theme: “Right to Accessibility”
For more information, please go to:
http://www.ohchr.org/EN/HRBodies/CRPD/Pages/DGD7102010.aspx
RESOURCES
INTERNATIONAL DISABILITY ALLIANCE
Find out more about the participation of civil society in the work on the
implementation of the CRPD, as well as the work of the Human Rights Council and the Committee on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities. Download the latest issue at: http://www.internationaldisabilityalliance.org/advocacy-work/disability-rights-bulletin
WEB SEMINAR ON WORK AND PERSONS WITH DISABILITIES
On 22 June, representatives from the corporate sector shared best practices in processes and programmes related to recruiting and retaining persons with disabilities. At this web seminar entitled “The Workforce and Long-Term Implications–Innovative Strategies for People with Disabilities”, presenters addressed topics of corporate assessment, the Americans with Disabilities Act, and recent legislative changes. For more information go to: http://www.diversitybestpractices.com/events/651
INTERNATIONAL ONLINE TRAINING ON PORTAGE EARLY INTERVENTION AND INCLUSION IN COMMUNITY BASED REHABILITATION (CBR)
The CBR Network held online training in order to facilitate holistic early childhood development. Portage strategy and accompanying material have been modified to reflect local concerns and are being used in about 145 countries. Portage is scientifically precise and facilitates the holistic development of all children. For more information go to:
www.cbrnetworksouthasia.org
FORCED MIGRATION REVIEW (FMR): FEATURE ON DISABILITY AND DISPLACEMENT
The latest issue of FMR, a widely read and consulted publication on refugee and internal displacement issues, includes 27 articles focusing on disability and displacement, including an introduction by Shuaib Chalklen, Special Rapporteur for Disability. This issue shows why persons with disabilities who are displaced need particular consideration. The review highlights initiatives taken (locally and at the global level) to change thinking and practices, so that their vulnerability is recognized, their voices heard – and responses made inclusive. For the full review go to:
http://www.fmreview.org/disability
WORLD BANK: NEW FINANCIAL ACCESS FRONTIER FOR PERSONS WITH DISABILITIES
On 18 June, a roundtable discussion was held at the World Bank Headquarters, convened by the Center for Financial Inclusion, in partnership with the Disability and Development Team of the World Bank. The discussion entitled “New Financial Access Frontier: Including People with Disabilities” included representatives from microfinance institutions and disability organizations who deliberated on how they could best contribute to increasing access to financial services for persons with disabilities living in poverty, worldwide. For more information go to http://go.worldbank.org/K39C68QSG0
MILLENNIUM DEVELOPMENT GOAL REPORT
The 2010 MDGs Global Report, which has recently been issued, includes several references to disability and persons with disabilities, especially under MDG2 - achieving universal primary education. This Report comes five years before the target date for the Millennium Development Goals, and leaders from around the world will be gathering at the United Nations this September to undertake a comprehensive review of progress and together chart a course for accelerated action on the MDGs between now and 2015. The inclusion of disability perspectives and persons with disabilities in realizing the achievement of the MDGs has been reiterated by the General Assembly in its resolutions 63/150 and 64/131. See the full Report at: http://www.un.org/en/mdg/summit2010/pdf/MDG%20Report%202010%20En%20r15%20-low%20res%2020100615%20-.pdf
NEWS FROM THE REGIONS
AFRICA
ACCESS AFRICA – 5th IDP AFRICA FORUM
The 5th IDP Africa Forum and the launch of Techshare Africa, is to be held in Accra, Ghana, from July 3-11, 2011. The Forum will focus on how the power of technology can advance equality and rights of persons who are blind and partially sighted. Participants will include parents, persons who are blind and partially sighted, representatives from organizations of and for the blind, universities and Government ministries, international organizations, vendors, and sponsors of assistive technology. The Forum will be bi-lingual in English and French. Registration and Call for Papers will be released soon. Please link to www.wbu-idp.org for more information.
4TH CBR AFRICA CONFERENCE: OCTOBER 26 – 29, 2010
The theme of this Community-based Rehabilitation (CBR) Conference is “Linking CBR with Disability and Rehabilitation” and will be held in Abuja, Nigeria. The conference aims to promote better CBR practices in Africa and provides an opportunity for people to share information, knowledge, and experience on how disability concepts and CBR programmes can link together to help improve the quality of life for persons with disabilities and their families. For more information, please contact Joan Okune joan@afri-can.org or Sally Hartley sally@afri-can.org
GROUNDBREAKING SERVICE FOR SPECTATORS AT THE 2010 FIFA WORLD CUP SOUTH AFRICA
Exciting news in the build up to the 2010 FIFA World Cup™! FIFA, the Swiss National Association for the Blind (SNAB) and the South African National Council for the Blind (SANCB) teamed up to provide an Audio Description Project at 44 matches in six of the 2010 FIFA World Cup stadiums. The project which was initiated by the Swiss NAB is funded by FIFA and operated by the SANCB.
The Audio Description Project offered special tickets to soccer spectators who are blind and/or partially sighted for 44 matches at six 2010 FIFA World Cup stadiums. This is a first for South African sport stadiums and hope that the project will leave a legacy after the FIFA World Cup for other tournaments to offer a similar service to the estimated 500,000 South Africans who are blind and/or partially sighted.
At each of the selected six stadiums there were 15 seats available for spectators with vision loss as well as 15 seats for their sighted guides who accompanied them. Persons filling these seats can listen to an audio description of the match on a small receiver with earphones, given by trained journalists. For more information about the project, contact the South African National Council for the Blind on 012 452-3811 / worldcup2010@sancb.org.za or download the documents from www.sancb.org.za/worldcup2010
WORLD CONGRESS ON REFRACTIVE ERROR, SEPTEMBER 20-22, 2010, DURBAN, SOUTH AFRICA
The World Congress on Refractive Error and Service Development promises to bring together world leaders in eye care and development fields to define global eye care priorities and build strategies to achieve sustainable, integrated solutions that transcend the boundaries of eye care and encompass social, political and economic solutions.
ASIA-PACIFIC
10th INTERNATIONAL CONFERENCE ON LOW VISION
“Vision Rehabilitation – Towards Better Living”
An exciting and intensive conference is planned for February 20-24, 2011 at the Kuala Lumpur Convention Centre in Malaysia. The conference will feature the following: low vision workshops and plenary sessions addressing various themes such as “New Developments in Research & Rehabilitation”; “Rehabilitation & New Advances”; “Multidisciplinary Intervention”; and, “Epidemiology in Developing Countries”. Renowned speakers from countries across the world such as Aries Arditi, Hasan Minto, and George Woo have confirmed participation. For more details, please visit www.klvision2011.org.my
CAPACITY BUILDING PROJECT RENEWED
DANIDA Capacity Building Project, implemented by the Danish Association of the Blind, received its approval for renewal of 3 years starting 2011. The renewed phase will continue to focus on the strengthening of organizations and advocacy in Mongolia and Lao PDR, as well as enhancement of WBUAP regional structure. The upcoming WBUAP Mid-Term Assembly will have a session on development that will largely feature updates from this project.
ACCESS TOURISM CONFERENCE IN AUCKLAND, NEW ZEALAND
October 4, 2010 has been set as the date for the first conference in New Zealand on Access Tourism. Access Tourism is tourism, travel, and hospitality for people with disabilities, seniors, and Baby Boomers who will experience increasing disability as they age. The conference will look at various aspects of Access Tourism, including some of the following: the current situation in NZ and worldwide, website access and information best practice, government strategy, policy, and obligations, best practice in transport, accommodation, and attractions access, and training for access in the tourism and hospitality sector. The conference is being run by the New Zealand Tourism Research Institute at Auckland University of Technology. For more information, contact sandrarhodda@hotmail.com
INTERNATIONAL O&M CONFERENCE
The 4th Australasian Orientation and Mobility Conference (AMC2010) will take place between November 24-26 2010, and will be hosted by Guide Dogs NSW/ACT at The Women's College within the University of Sydney, Australia. This is a conference for the professional development of Orientation and Mobility specialists, including Guide Dog specialists and those with a professional interest in visual impairment. Full details on the conference are available at www.guidedogs.com.au/amc2010
ASIA
ALL INDIA CONFEDERATION FOR THE BLIND (AICB)
AICB continues sending Braille print outs of the WBU e-Bulletin to organizations and individuals who request it. For more information, please contact: aicbdelhi@yahoo.com
A LIFE CHANGING INVENTION FROM THE WEST BANK
Three schoolgirls in the West Bank have developed a life-changing device for individuals who are blind. It's an advanced cane called "Stick-tech", and they're taking it all the way to the U.S. They've been chosen from over six million applicants worldwide to take part in the International Science Fair. For more information, log onto:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bUO0OGOQ6Zk&feature=player_ embedded
EUROPE
FIRST EUROPEAN CONGRESS ON VISUAL IMPAIRMENT
“Rehabilitation and Attention of People with Visual Impairment”
The first European Congress on Visual Disability will be held in Valladolid, Spain, between October 22-24, 2010. To get more information, download the program, or know more about the lecturers, you can check the congress website: http://www.eurovisionrehab.com
A BREAKTHROUGH BRAILLE LABELLING LAW IN PORTUGAL
Law Number 33/2008 was published in the Portuguese Official Journal of the 22nd July 2008. It establishes compulsory braille labelling on products acquired by visually impaired consumers in supermarkets or hypermarkets. This law, resulting from an initiative of the Portuguese national parliament, makes it easier for visually impaired consumers to go shopping and identify goods.
After the approval of Law 33/2008, from the 22nd January 2010 it became compulsory for supermarket and hypermarket chains with more than 5 stores, each of more than 300 square meters, to provide visually impaired persons with personal assistance and braille labelling printing services.
Consequently, every visually impaired person may, from now on, when they go shopping in supermarkets or hypermarkets, ask for personal assistance from staff. They will orientate them inside the store, helping them to find the required products and reading the information available on the products. They may also have the acquired products braille labelled, which in practice will mean a label identifying the type and brand of the product, expiry date and other characteristics such as specific information or eventual dangers, and the visually impaired consumer has the choice to ask for the inclusion of any additional information needed.
To those who prefer on-line shopping, the braille labelling service is also compulsory, and those interested only have to ask for it when they order. For more information, please refer to ACAPO’s website www.acapo.pt or phone +351 21 324 4500.
LATIN AMERICA
BRAZILIAN NATIONAL DAY OF THE BRAILLE SYSTEM
The Government of Brazil has instituted April 8th as National Day of the Braille System. This decree was approved on June 21st and is one more accomplishment for Brazil in relation to the Braille System! April 8th will mark an awareness day throughout the country; events will take place through private and public entities where the right to education, employment, prevention of blindness, social inclusion for the blind and others will be promoted.
ULAC CELEBRATES 25th ANNIVERSARY
On November 15th, the Latin American Union of the Blind (ULAC) will be celebrating its 25th year anniversary of creation and work within the region. To honour this occasion, a special seminar will be held where ULAC’s course will be portrayed as well as other themes related to visual disability in general. Registration will begin on July 15th. For more information, please go to www.ulacdigital.org.
TV AUDIO DESCRIPTION IN ARGENTINA
The Argentinean Federation of the Blind (FAICA) in conjunction with a local production company have successfully achieved incorporation of audio description in the regular weekday programming of the TV channel “Encuentro”. This channel is part of the Argentinean Ministry of Education programming that assists people with visual loss to access the visual contents of programs.
NORTH AMERICA AND THE CARIBBEAN
SEMINARS@HADLEY ATTRACT INTERNATIONAL ATTENTION
Seminars@Hadley are popular “just in time” webinars that address a variety of relevant topics for people who are blind or visually impaired, their families and support networks. On a recent seminar, Hadley had participants from as far away as China, England and Pakistan discussing topics ranging from braille to travel and self employment.
These seminars are free and conveniently take place online, typically lasting 60 to 90 minutes. All seminars are archived on the Hadley Web site at www.hadley.edu so that anyone can download them 24/7, at no charge. To date, there have been nearly 60,000 downloads from people all over the world! To learn more about Seminars@Hadley and the school’s distance education programs, visit the Hadley website at www.hadley.edu.
GPDD WORKING GROUP ON THE RECONSTRUCTION OF HAITI
During the major reconstruction that follows most natural disasters, planners often miss opportunities to avoid recreating the exclusion of persons with disabilities by adapting the design of the built environment. It is far more cost-effective to modify the plans for a new building at the outset than to adapt an existing building to make it accessible. The Global Partnership for Disability and Development (GPDD) has initiated a Working Group on Haiti Reconstruction to ensure that reconstruction efforts after the Haiti earthquake involve persons with disabilities during all stages and that all rebuilt and newly built infrastructure is fully accessible to and usable by people with disabilities. To participate in this group, please contact Maria Veronica Reina at mvreina@law.syr.edu and Luca Valente at luvalent@law.syr.edu
WBU OFFICERS
Ms. Maryanne Diamond, President
maryanne.diamond@visionaustralia.org
Mr. Arnt Holte, 1st Vice President
arnt.holte@blindeforbundet.no
Ms. Frances Candiru, 2nd Vice President
aiykko@gmail.com
Mr. Enrique Pérez, Secretary General
umc@once.es
Mr. A. K. Mittal, Treasurer
akmittal@rediffmail.com
Dr. William Rowland, Immediate Past President
rowland@sancb.org.za
REGIONAL PRESIDENTS
AFRICA (AFUB)
Mr. Mohammed Ez-zaoui
med.ezzaoui@gmail.com
ASIA (ABU)
Mr. Ahmad Mohammed Mousa Allouzi
fabjo@index.com.jo
ASIA PACIFIC (WBU-AP)
Mr. Chuji Sashida
sashida.chuji@jeed.or.jp
EUROPE (EBU)
Lord Colin Low
Colin.Low@rnib.org.uk
LATIN AMERICA (ULAC)
Dr. Guillermo Moreno
dr_guillermo_moreno@hotmail.com
NORTH AMERICA/CARIBBEAN (WBU-NA/C)
Mr. Carl Augusto
caugusto@afb.net
WBU STAFF
Dr. Penny Hartin, Chief Executive Officer
penny.hartin@wbuoffice.org
Ms. Sarah Smith, Manager Fund Development & Communications
sarah.smith@wbuoffice.org
Ms. Ianina Rodriguez, Administrative Assistant ianina.rodriguez@wbuoffice.org
VOLUME 4, ISSUE 4
July 2010
TABLE OF CONTENTS
CONTRIBUTIONS TO THE E-BULLETIN 2
PRESIDENT’S MESSAGE 2
UPDATE ON WBU STRATEGIC PRIORITY #1 INITIATIVES 4
WIPO STANDING COMMITTEE ON COPYRIGHT AND RELATED RIGHTS (SCCR) UPDATE 7
WBU EMPLOYMENT INITIATIVE 10
INTEGRATING ISSUES OF DISABILITY INTO THE REGIONAL FRAMEWORK OF THE MANO RIVER UNION: OUR ONE WEEK VISIT TO FREETOWN, SIERRA LEONE 12
YOUTH SUCCESS STORIES 14
ANNOUNCEMENTS 15
ASOCIACIÓN NACIONAL DEL CIEGO (ANCI) 15
DISABILITY RIGHTS FUND RELEASES 2010 ROUND TWO
REQUEST FOR PROPOSALS 15
ONE MORE ACHIEVEMENT FOR BRAZIL 16
DIGIT-EYES AUDIO LABELING SYSTEM ADVANCES
INDEPENDENCE FOR PEOPLE WITH VISION LOSS 16
RESOURCES 17
INTERNATIONAL DISABILITY ALLIANCE 17
WEB SEMINAR ON WORK AND PERSONS WITH DISABILITIES 17
INTERNATIONAL ONLINE TRAINING ON PORTAGE EARLY INTERVENTION AND INCLUSION IN COMMUNITY BASED REHABILITATION (CBR) 18
FORCED MIGRATION REVIEW (FMR): FEATURE ON DISABILITY
AND DISPLACEMENT 18
WORLD BANK: NEW FINANCIAL ACCESS FRONTIER FOR
PERSONS WITH DISABILITIES 18
MILLENNIUM DEVELOPMENT GOAL REPORT 18
NEWS FROM THE REGIONS 19
AFRICA 19
ACCESS AFRICA – 5th IDP AFRICA FORUM 19
4TH CBR AFRICA CONFERENCE: OCTOBER 26 – 29, 2010 19
GROUNDBREAKING SERVICE FOR SPECTATORS AT THE
2010 FIFA WORLD CUP SOUTH AFRICA 20
WORLD CONGRESS ON REFRACTIVE ERROR, SEPTEMBER
20-22, 2010, DURBAN, SOUTH AFRICA 20
ASIA-PACIFIC 20
10th INTERNATIONAL CONFERENCE ON LOW VISION 20
CAPACITY BUILDING PROJECT RENEWED 21
ACCESS TOURISM CONFERENCE IN AUCKLAND, NEW ZEALAND 21
INTERNATIONAL O&M CONFERENCE 21
ASIA 22
ALL INDIA CONFEDERATION FOR THE BLIND (AICB) 22
A LIFE CHANGING INVENTION FROM THE WEST BANK 22
EUROPE 22
FIRST EUROPEAN CONGRESS ON VISUAL IMPAIRMENT 22
A BREAKTHROUGH BRAILLE LABELLING LAW IN PORTUGAL 22
LATIN AMERICA 23
BRAZILIAN NATIONAL DAY OF THE BRAILLE SYSTEM 23
ULAC CELEBRATES 25th ANNIVERSARY 23
TV AUDIO DESCRIPTION IN ARGENTINA 24
NORTH AMERICA AND THE CARIBBEAN 24
SEMINARS@HADLEY ATTRACT INTERNATIONAL ATTENTION 24
GPDD WORKING GROUP ON THE RECONSTRUCTION OF HAITI 24
WBU OFFICERS 25
REGIONAL PRESIDENTS 25
WBU STAFF 25
CONTRIBUTIONS TO THE E-BULLETIN
Contributions are welcome to the E-bulletin. We thank those of you who have been providing us with content for the E-bulletins and encourage contributions from all regions. Our next deadline for content submission will be Monday, September 6, 2010 for our September 2010 issue of the E-bulletin. We will accept submissions in English, French, and Spanish, preferably in electronic format. Please send your submissions to Sarah Smith at sarah.smith@wbuoffice.org
PRESIDENT’S MESSAGE
By Maryanne Diamond
Once again, it is pleasing to see the diversity of material contained in this bulletin which I trust is both interesting and informative to all.
There is an excellent summary of the work being undertaken by our “Representation” priority which I assure you will find most informative. I trust our priorities “Capacity Building” and “Information Sharing” will have reports in our next issue.
On behalf of members and friends of the WBU, I would like to thank Elly Macha, who has recently resigned as Executive Director of AFUB. Elly has been in this role for almost six years and we have seen a great deal of change and many projects successfully undertaken under her leadership. Elly will be missed by all who have worked with her. I wish her every success in her next stage of employment. I have no doubt we will continue to work with Elly, just in a different way.
Our work continues to open the world of accessible published works with some frustrations and set backs as you will read in the article from Chris Friend. This is one issue we have successfully got on the world stage and must work hard to keep there as it is an opportunity which will not present itself for a very long time if we let it drop.
I also draw your attention to the article on the work we are doing in the area of employment. I urge you to circulate our requests for stories and good practices which we are collecting and plan to share with members. Perhaps you have a story to share?
Plans are well underway for the Executive meeting to be held in Melbourne, Australia 11 – 13 November. Registration is now open and in order to assist in getting a Visa for those who require one, finalizing accommodation and plans, I urge you to register as soon as possible. For those who are not financial and members of the Executive, I remind you that you cannot vote if you are non financial and present at the meeting. If you are entitled to receive sponsorship from the WBU, you must be financial.
The Disability Rights Fund has another round of funding available so take the time to read the article and consider if your organization could take advantage of this opportunity. I understand that there have not been many organizations in our sector that have applied for these funds.
I hope you enjoy reading!
Maryanne
UPDATE ON WBU STRATEGIC PRIORITY #1 INITIATIVES
By Mr. A.K. Mittal
Our readers would recall that the WBU Workplan Priority #1 covers activities related to such important broad areas as: the Right to Read Campaign (R2R), Safe and Independent Mobility and Transport, Access and Use of Technology, Representation at U.N. and its Agencies, Advocacy for Human Rights for blind and partially sighted persons. We give below a brief report on action on some of these initiatives during the last couple of months or so:
1. Initiatives Concerning the Right to Read Campaign: This has been a very busy and hectic period of work for the Team looking after the WBU Campaign for promoting Right to Read for blind and partially sighted children and adults. Details of the related activities appear elsewhere in this e-Bulletin (please see article by Christopher Friend).
2. Electric Cars and Implications for the Visually Impaired: Electric vehicles will be on the market in U.S., Japan and several European countries quite soon. These are being promoted, because of their being in line with the policies of sustainable energy of the concerned governments and for considerable reduction in noise pollution.
There are two major issues in respect of these vehicles for the visually impaired: the need for a distinct audible sound or sounds and the need for some kind of standardization around sound(s). Manufacturers could be keen to have their own distinctive sounds for their brand which could result in a cacophony of sounds creating a lot of confusion for the visually impaired.
The European Blind Union (EBU) has been in touch with two leading car manufacturers-Nissan and Renault- to look at what those manufacturers, who agree on the need for an audible sound(s), are doing. Nissan gave a demonstration of sounds incorporated in their first generation electric cars to be launched in Europe, Japan and U.S., quite soon. Three sounds have been incorporated into the vehicle in consultation with NFB (U.S.), and the organizations of and for the blind and partially sighted persons in Japan: a start-up sound, a slow running sound as the vehicle starts up and accelerates or as it slows down or decelerates and when the vehicle is reversing. Renault, on the other hand, demonstrated a number of sound-combinations, though they have not yet decided on the exact sounds to be used. The EBU group is of the opinion that considerable work and trial still needs to be undertaken by both these manufacturers in this direction.
On the question of standards, a proposal has been drawn up in the U.S., by blindness organizations and alliances of automobile manufacturers. The proposal requires federal auto safety regulators to design a minimum sound rule in the next 18 months. The proposal calls for sound to occur automatically and to be standardized by automakers and dealers. Pressure for similar provision in Europe is also mounting.
The charging of electric vehicles is another key issue to be addressed here. Local authorities have to ensure that the design and location of public charging points takes account of blind and partially sighted people and that something is done around the running of cables across footways or sidewalks between homes and vehicles. The manufacturers can also help by including in their guidance to motorists, advice on having consideration for blind and partially sighted persons both in terms of charging and when approaching pedestrians in their electric vehicles. Exciting stuff, indeed!
3. Tactile Walking Surface Indicators (TWSI): WBU successfully nominated Susan Sharp, leader of its initiatives on Safe and Independent Mobility and Transport to represent the Association of Non-Government European Consumers (ANEC) on standardization at ISO Technical Committee 173 Working Group 8. The Group is charged with the responsibility of developing an International Standard for Tactile Walking Surface Indicators.
The Group has made excellent progress through two of its meetings, the second of which was held in Zurich in June. The standard on TWSI provides detailed content for luminance and colour-contrast as well as the tactile nature of TWSI. The draft standard will now go to ISO for voting by members, hopefully, in the late summer/early autumn, and at the present rate of progress, the standard should be agreed by 2012.
4. UNCRPD: Statistical Data as at June-end 2010: signed-145; optional protocol-89; ratified - 87; ratification of the protocol-54. Governments will be required to make reports on progress with implementing the CRPD every four years. Work is underway to develop a toolkit for members to facilitate lobbying and monitoring progress. Our members should contribute ‘shadow’ progress reports on implementation of the CRPD from their countries.
Now that the number of States ratifying the Convention has exceeded 80, six new members will be elected to the UN Committee on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities at the next Conference of the States Parties to be held in September this year.
The Committee on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities has had three meetings and the fourth meeting will take place in Geneva on 4th to 8th October, 2010.
5. World Disability Report: The process of developing a World Report on Disability has been lead by WHO and is currently under peer review. It is anticipated that the report will be officially released before the end of 2010.
6. Promotion of Best Practice in Community-Based Rehabilitation: The WHO/UNESCO/ILO/IDDC CBR Guidelines for community based inclusive development are to be launched at a CBR Africa Network (CAN) Congress to be held in Abuja, Nigeria on 26 to 29 October this year. Dr William Rowland of the WBU was a member of the core group advising on the development of these guidelines which are likely to give direction to CBR in developing communities across the world during the coming generation.
7. Modernization of the postal regime for “Literature for the Blind”: Colin Low and Dan Pescod attended the Universal Postal Union (UPU) Consultative Committee meeting in Bernon 12 April 2010, where they were able to add a question about mail between blind and partially sighted individuals and also to furnish some examples to support the case for modernization.
8. Advocacy Matters:
In India, WBU President, was approached on all the three Indian affiliates being excluded from the Committee constituted by the Government to prepare a new law to replace the existing Disability Act. The President promptly wrote to the concerned Minister emphasizing the important roles of WBU affiliates in their respective countries. A representative of one of the three affiliates is now included in the said Committee.
WBU continues to act as the lead channelizing agency for providing relief and rehabilitation to visually impaired quake- victims in Haiti.
WBU R2R Campaign - Lobbying for the WBU Copyright Treaty and development of National Alliances for the Campaign constitute crucial components of this activity. The WBU Global R2R Campaign Team spearheaded by its indefatigable leader, Chris Friend, remained intensely preoccupied preparing for the consideration of the WBU Copyright Treaty which was to come up as an Agenda item at the WIPO Standing Committee on Copyright and Other Rights (20th meeting), scheduled in Geneva for June 20-24, 2010. For more details, please read Christopher Friend’s article below. He eloquently describes the deliberations and outcome of this much-awaited event. The WBU delegation to the meeting had a total of 18 observers, with our President, Maryanne Diamond, as the chef de mission and with representatives from all six regions.
WIPO STANDING COMMITTEE ON COPYRIGHT AND RELATED RIGHTS (SCCR) UPDATE
By Christopher Friend
WBU Strategic Objective Leader – Accessibility; Chair WBU Global “Right to Read” (R2R) Campaign; Programme Development Advisor - Sightsavers
First, a few notes on the two month run-up preparation to the SCCR meeting which was held on June 21-24:
Under the WBU Strategic Action Plan for this Strategic Objective, the Global R2R Campaign Team was awarded US $30,000 to establish 10 National R2R Alliances in countries critical to our WIPO campaign. It was agreed with our sponsors, Open Society Institute (OSI) who also sponsored the 2008 drafting workshop which brought the Treaty Proposal for Copyright and the Visually Impaired into being, that the R2R Global Team would work with up to three or four such new R2R National Alliances prior to each of the next three SCCR meetings in June and November 2010 and May 2011.
The Global Team visited and supported the OSI funded South African (SA) Stakeholders in May as they held a workshop to agree their response to the SA Government upcoming amendments to the current Copyright Act, and to agree an instruction to the SA Government Delegation attending SCCR to support the TVI Copyright Treaty proposed by WBU. Another similar visit to Kenya in June helped to form R2R Kenya with similar objectives domestically and internationally.
A third initiative by the Global Team in June was to support the Nigeria Association of the Blind to bring together a group of Stakeholders
to also determine domestic priorities to share with the Nigerian Copyright Office and to encourage the Nigerian Government Delegation to SCCR to use its influence amongst other African Delegates to back the TVI. The Kenya and Nigeria initiatives are funded by the Open Society Institute grant.
A parallel initiative by the Global R2R Campaign Team was to encourage more Regional and National members to apply for 'Ad Hoc Accreditation' to WIPO, at this latest meeting, joining the 16 who successfully applied last December. A total of 11 new members were accredited on 21 June. This led to a WBU Delegation of new and previous Ad Hoc Accredited Observers (2 WBU; 3 ULAC; 4 NAC; 4 EBU; 4 AFUB; 1 ABU; 1 WBU AP).
When NGOs were invited to speak on the Treaty for the VI and Print Disabled 16 of this delegation spoke totalling 48 minutes. And so our visibility was well recognised. Our Treaty Proposal now officially tabled by the Governments of Brazil, Ecuador, Paraguay and Mexico was also unanimously supported as a matter of extreme urgency by virtually all States.
So it was with a sense of betrayal that WBU had to witness nine hours of bargaining and trading of agreed positions mainly amongst the USA, the European Union and the African Group of States with the result that as the meeting deadline of midnight on 24th approached there was no consensus and therefore no agreement on the way forward on the TVI agenda item. This is seen by WBU as a total betrayal of the agreed principle that the Book Famine was a top priority for WIPO to solve.
Sadly, nine African Government Delegations, speaking for the whole of
Africa, insisted on a much wider agenda of work on Exceptions for the Print Disabled to be joined concurrently with Exceptions for Education, Libraries, Archives and Research even though their detailed preparation on these later causes is far from mature and this would result in a considerable delay on progress for the print disabled. In spite of several redrafts providing exact assurances for the wider African agenda later when ready, the African Group of 9 countries held out and refused to allow the Print Disabled Treaty to be progressed ahead of the others.
The result was that the meeting was timed out and just 9 African
Governments had prevented progress on access to books for the visually impaired and print disabled across the whole African continent, and indeed around the world.
The Global R2R Team will be working with AFUB to denounce those
African Governments concerned, using WBU National Members in those countries to complain to their Governments. The AFUB Campaign will also target the AU Disability Commission and the African Decade of the Disabled Secretariat, and will vigorously campaign through all African Press Agencies in the hope of bringing pressure on the WIPO African Nations at their General Assembly in September.
My Vice-Chair Dan Pescod, who is RNIB's European, International, and
Accessibility Campaigns Manager, wrote the following report on last week:
Dear colleagues,
Last week the WIPO Standing Committee on Copyright and Related Rights (SCCR) met in Geneva. Eighteen delegates attended the meeting for the World Blind Union (WBU).
As you know, WBU has been lobbying hard for over a year now for this committee to support the WBU proposed treaty which was formally tabled at the SCCR in May 2009 by the governments of Brazil, Ecuador and Paraguay.
I could write a very long account of last week's meeting, but I will spare you this!
Unusually, the SCCR meeting finished last Thursday without having agreed its formal "conclusions" and therefore with no formal way forward on our treaty or indeed the rest of the items on its agenda.
In short, there was more consensus than ever throughout the meeting that there should be an international "instrument"- treaty, "recommendation" or other - to put in place national copyright exceptions for print disabled people and to allow us to share accessible books internationally.
All groupings of countries voiced support for that consensus, including the EU, African and Asian groups and the USA. That was very significant progress, it appeared. Additionally, the Mexican ambassador to the UN hosted an ambassadorial meeting on the eve of the final day of the Committee, to try to get agreement on a way forward.
However, in the many hours of wrangling over the conclusions on the last evening/ night of the meeting, it became clear that the African group intended to hold out for other copyright exceptions to be worked on concurrently with our treaty. This was clearly never going to be accepted by the rest of the groups in the room, and the African group knew that. Their proposal amounted to blocking all progress on our treaty for the sake of making a political statement.
More than one workable compromise was suggested to break the deadlock and allow work on our issue to progress speedily whilst allowing also for work on exceptions for libraries and archives, education etc to progress at a later stage. But the African group rejected these compromises.
We finished the meeting at midnight with no agreement, and those of us from WBU who were still in the room felt, to put it politely, let down by the African group's position.
I will be back in touch in due course with suggestions for the way forward. We were really close to agreement. Closer than ever, in fact. Perhaps we will be able to use this debacle to exert greater pressure than ever towards achieving the treaty -we'll see. In any case, thanks so much to all those on this list involved indirectly or directly with this latest WIPO-related battle.
WBU EMPLOYMENT INITIATIVE
By Maryanne Diamond
A small group of us took the opportunity while attending the Francophone Union of the Blind General Assembly in Montreal May this year, to meet. The purpose was to assist us in making progress on this very complex but important issue. We mapped out a plan of work for six months and will meet again in Melbourne following the Executive meeting.
We identified four areas, in the first instance, of material to collect with the intention to share with our members and interested people via our webpage and possibly other means of communication. We are looking for:
1. Examples of successfully employed people who are blind or partially sighted.
Initially, we are looking for a one page statement from people from different regions, gender, age, and visual status, formal and informal economies. If people have a photo of themselves, it would good to send it along with the statement. It is helpful for their statement to mention the type of job the person is doing, the challenges faced in getting to where they now are with respect to employment, and how they overcame these challenges.
We plan to build a database of role models. We plan, in the first instance, to select 10-12 of these and do follow up interviews to develop the story and place on our website. We need you to assist us in finding people who are interested in sharing their stories. It would also be helpful if they could give their consent for their materials and photographs to be placed on our website and used in other promotional materials to advance our employment program.
2. We are looking for examples of mentoring or peer support programs in the area of employment which are successful. Again, across all regions, informal/formal economies, age, gender, vision status, etc. If you have manuals or tools already developed, we would be very interested n receiving an electronic copy of these.
3. If you have any examples of microcredit programs, mainstream or blindness specific, which are successful, we would love to hear about them.
4. We are looking for good practice employment programs for people who are blind or partially sighted from around the world. Programs which prepare people for work, which assist them in finding work and where necessary supporting them to stay in work. Again across all population groups of our membership.
It would be appreciated if you could provide to the WBU office any information you can gather together on these four areas at your earliest convenience. Collection of this information will assist us in: increasing the awareness of the abilities of people who are blind or partially sighted, to share good practices in peer support/mentoring, micro credit programs, and employment practices.
I look forward to receiving a great deal of very interesting and informative resources from you.
At the same time we are working to gather data on barriers to the employment of people who are blind or partially sighted gaining employment, find resources to undertake a research project of employed persons who are blind or partially sighted and employers who willingly employ us, get speaking places on international conferences dealing with employment and much more.
We recognize that this is a long term initiative which will not be completed this term. However, we want to put in place the foundations to carry this work forward while at the same time increase the awareness of what is possible and the confidence of those who are blind or partially sighted seeking work. Also, employers who continue to employ persons who are blind or partially sighted, gaining some understanding of why they see no barriers which cannot be overcome.
INTEGRATING ISSUES OF DISABILITY INTO THE REGIONAL FRAMEWORK OF THE MANO RIVER UNION: OUR ONE WEEK VISIT TO FREETOWN, SIERRA LEONE
Excerpt from an article by Beyan G. Kota
National President, National Union of Organizations of the Disabled (NUOD) Congo Town Back Road, Monrovia Liberia
A joint delegation of six from the Republic of Liberia representing Liberia’s State Commission on Disabilities and the National Union of Organizations of the Disabled (NUOD), a non-governmental umbrella union comprising of Disabled Peoples Organizations and those providing services to the Disabled, left Monrovia in May for a one week visit to Freetown. This trip to Sierra Leone was in exchange to the one earlier made to Liberia by our Sierra Leonean counterparts in November of 2009, at which time, a bilateral agreement was reached between the Sierra Leone Union on Disabilities Issues (SLUDI) and the National Union of Organizations of the Disabled (NUOD) in Liberia.
It can be recalled that in March of 1971, the Governments of Liberia and Sierra Leone entered an agreement, which brought into being the Mano River Union on the foundation to promote lasting friendship, freedom, economic growth and social progress between the two countries and amongst its people.
The objective of this regional body was to accelerate regional collaboration and mutual assistance for cultural growth, economic trade in the social, technical, and scientific fields.
Being cognizant of this, leaders of SLUDI in Sierra Leone and NUOD in Liberia thought it befitting to formulate an agreement for collaboration and peaceful co-existence. We pledged our commitment to foster peace and unity across the two nations to identify cultural beliefs and practices, which shall be used to strengthen the social and economic development of our two unions and other persons with disabilities within Sierra Leone and Liberia.
Accordingly, our two umbrella organizations have now resolved to organize themselves into the Mano River Federation of the Disabled (MARIFED) which aims to formulate a common agenda for the social and economic advancement of persons with disabilities within the region and to guarantee the inclusion of disability issues into the political framework of the sub-regional body of the Mano River Union.
It further aims to create a forum that would draw the attention of our respective governments to the extreme poverty condition of its citizens with disabilities and the need to prevail on authorities of the Mano River Union to develop the political and economic intervention mechanisms to address them.
The establishment of the Mano River Federation of the Disabled (MARIFED) is a demonstration of our belief in the principles of the four countries: Guinea, Sierra Leone, Ivory Coast, and Liberia. We shall seek to maintain peace and unity in pursuance of our objectives within the region. We shall remain committed to ignite spirit of good neighborliness as we promote cultural and economic development for the survival of all. At the conclusion of our visit to Sierra Leone, a Joint communiqué to this effect was signed by the presidents of the two unions.
Our stay in Sierra Leone also afforded the Liberian delegation the opportunity to visit the offices of the Sierra Leone Association of the Blind (SLAB). The visit to SLAB was crucial, as it helped to bring both the Liberia Christian Association of the Blind and the Sierra Leone Association of the Blind closer, considering the two associations’ membership with the African Union of the Blind (AFUB) and the World Blind Union (WBU).
It is my belief that our visit has not only strengthened our common collaboration with AFUB and WBU, but opened a new avenue for networking, for the consolidation of solidarity in our role in bringing innovation to West Africa Zone One of AFUB. We shall consult each other to identify common interest in promoting the ideologies of the newly established Mano River Federation of the Disabled (MARIFED).
YOUTH SUCCESS STORIES
African Union for the Blind (AFUB) Knowledge on Democracy and Development Project (KDDP) Participants Take Part in the International Institute for Social Entrepreneurs (IISE)
As they strive to make a difference in the lives of their fellow youth who are blind and/or partially sighted in Africa, here is yet another success story of three KDDP participants who have been selected to take part in the eleven month social entrepreneurship training at the International Institute for Social Entrepreneurs (IISE) in Kerala, South India. The selected candidates are: 2007 participant, Nure Hussein from Ethiopia; 2008 participant, Bahati Satir Omar from Rwanda; and, 2009 participant, Yankuba Faal Sonko from the Gambia.
The International Institute for Social Entrepreneurs (IISE) in Kerala, South India is an Institute that operates under the umbrella of Braille without Borders (BWB). The IISE focuses on leadership training in order to create social change. The participants, all over 22 years of age, are inspiring visionaries who mainly come from developing nations. All of them have overcome significant life challenges, ranging from vision impairment, poverty, war, discrimination and exploitation. They have a passion to make the world a better place and the strength to be forces of good rather than victims of circumstance.
Throughout IISE's eleven month program, participants develop all the necessary skills to succeed as social innovators/entrepreneurs. Workshops and hands-on practice in the areas of management, public speaking, communication, leadership, fundraising, budgeting, bookkeeping, project proposal writing, marketing, public relations, computing with open software technology, and others, give IISE's participants all the necessary tools to start their own social projects.
For further information on IISE, visit http://staging.bwb-iise.org
ANNOUNCEMENTS
ASOCIACIÓN NACIONAL DEL CIEGO (ANCI)
On behalf of the WBU family, we extend our heartfelt condolences to the Asociación Nacional del Ciego (ANCI) on the passing of their President, Mr. Amado González Landa, on May 25, 2010. Mr. Landa led this organization for 25 years and we commend his dedicated efforts to working on behalf of people who are blind and partially sighted across the globe. We welcome Dr. José Blanch Ferrer as the new President of ANCI and wish him a long and prosperous tenure.
DISABILITY RIGHTS FUND RELEASES 2010 ROUND TWO REQUEST FOR PROPOSALS
The Disability Rights Fund (DRF) - a grantmaking collaborative between donors and the global disability community which supports the human rights of persons with disabilities - today announced its second 2010 “Moving Rights Forward” grants round. Grantmaking in this round will be targeted to disabled persons’ organizations (DPOs) in four regions and twenty countries: Africa--Ghana and Uganda; Asia--Bangladesh; Latin America--Ecuador, Nicaragua and Peru; Pacific--Cook Islands, Federated States of Micronesia, Fiji, Kiribati, Nauru, Niue, Palau, Papua New Guinea, Republic of the Marshall Islands, Samoa, Solomon Islands, Tonga, Tuvalu, and Vanuatu.
The broad objective of the Fund - which was officially launched in March 2008 and is a Project of Tides - is to empower DPOs in the developing world and Eastern Europe/former Soviet Union to participate in ratification, implementation and monitoring of the United Nations Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities (CPRD).
In the second round of 2010 grantmaking, applicant organizations from eligible countries may apply as: a) single organizations or partnerships for 12-month Small Grants and/or b) national DPO-led coalitions for 24-month National Coalition Grants. Grants to single organizations will range from USD 5,000 to 20,000 and will support efforts to build CRPD skills and to develop rights-based advocacy and monitoring on the CRPD. Grants to national DPO-led coalitions will range from USD 30,000 to 50,000 per year (60,000 – 100,000 over 24 months) and will support advocacy toward ratification of the CRPD, passage of specific legislation to accord with the CRPD, or the production of alternative/parallel reports to UN monitoring mechanisms.
Interested organizations are urged to review the full eligibility criteria and application details posted at the Fund’s website, http://www.disabilityrightsfund.org/grant.html. Any questions on the proposal process should be directed to info@disabilityrightsfund.org. The deadline for applications is August 19, 2010.
ONE MORE ACHIEVEMENT FOR BRAZIL
Congratulations to Mr. Carlos Eduardo Ferrari who was elected as President of the National Council of Social Assistance for the Government of Brazil. He is also a consultant for Organização Nacional dos Cegos do Brasil (ONCB). Mr. Ferrari is blind from birth. This great accomplishment sets a precedent to encourage other world leaders.
DIGIT-EYES AUDIO LABELING SYSTEM ADVANCES INDEPENDENCE FOR PEOPLE WITH VISION LOSS
Digital Miracles, LLC, is pleased to announce a major advancement in assistive technology for people who are blind and partially sighted. The Digit-Eyes Audio Labeling System has been approved for sale on the Apple Apps Store. As of June 23rd, the millions of people worldwide with substantial vision loss can begin downloading the iPhone application to recognize and label the important items in their lives.
The Digit-Eyes system gives users a simple way to make custom labels for everyday items and it identifies packaged goods-joining advanced software with the iPhone, the Internet, home computers, printers, and inexpensive off-the-shelf labels. People of almost any visual ability can now put groceries away and grab the right prescription bottle independently.
With Digit-Eyes, users can print custom text labels or record audio labels that they make by scanning specially coded labels and speaking into their phones. They attach the labels to household items, and the messages are played back whenever the codes are rescanned with their iPhones. This Digit-Eyes app can also scan manufacturer codes (UPC, EAN, ISBN) and say what’s inside the package after checking the vast Digit-Eyes product database. Each iPhone stores over five hundred hours of information and can be used just about anywhere. For more details about cost and application, go to www.DIGIT-EYES.com
UNCRPD General Day of Discussion
The UN Committee on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities will hold a General Day of Discussion on October 7, 2010 on the theme: “Right to Accessibility”
For more information, please go to:
http://www.ohchr.org/EN/HRBodies/CRPD/Pages/DGD7102010.aspx
RESOURCES
INTERNATIONAL DISABILITY ALLIANCE
Find out more about the participation of civil society in the work on the
implementation of the CRPD, as well as the work of the Human Rights Council and the Committee on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities. Download the latest issue at: http://www.internationaldisabilityalliance.org/advocacy-work/disability-rights-bulletin
WEB SEMINAR ON WORK AND PERSONS WITH DISABILITIES
On 22 June, representatives from the corporate sector shared best practices in processes and programmes related to recruiting and retaining persons with disabilities. At this web seminar entitled “The Workforce and Long-Term Implications–Innovative Strategies for People with Disabilities”, presenters addressed topics of corporate assessment, the Americans with Disabilities Act, and recent legislative changes. For more information go to: http://www.diversitybestpractices.com/events/651
INTERNATIONAL ONLINE TRAINING ON PORTAGE EARLY INTERVENTION AND INCLUSION IN COMMUNITY BASED REHABILITATION (CBR)
The CBR Network held online training in order to facilitate holistic early childhood development. Portage strategy and accompanying material have been modified to reflect local concerns and are being used in about 145 countries. Portage is scientifically precise and facilitates the holistic development of all children. For more information go to:
www.cbrnetworksouthasia.org
FORCED MIGRATION REVIEW (FMR): FEATURE ON DISABILITY AND DISPLACEMENT
The latest issue of FMR, a widely read and consulted publication on refugee and internal displacement issues, includes 27 articles focusing on disability and displacement, including an introduction by Shuaib Chalklen, Special Rapporteur for Disability. This issue shows why persons with disabilities who are displaced need particular consideration. The review highlights initiatives taken (locally and at the global level) to change thinking and practices, so that their vulnerability is recognized, their voices heard – and responses made inclusive. For the full review go to:
http://www.fmreview.org/disability
WORLD BANK: NEW FINANCIAL ACCESS FRONTIER FOR PERSONS WITH DISABILITIES
On 18 June, a roundtable discussion was held at the World Bank Headquarters, convened by the Center for Financial Inclusion, in partnership with the Disability and Development Team of the World Bank. The discussion entitled “New Financial Access Frontier: Including People with Disabilities” included representatives from microfinance institutions and disability organizations who deliberated on how they could best contribute to increasing access to financial services for persons with disabilities living in poverty, worldwide. For more information go to http://go.worldbank.org/K39C68QSG0
MILLENNIUM DEVELOPMENT GOAL REPORT
The 2010 MDGs Global Report, which has recently been issued, includes several references to disability and persons with disabilities, especially under MDG2 - achieving universal primary education. This Report comes five years before the target date for the Millennium Development Goals, and leaders from around the world will be gathering at the United Nations this September to undertake a comprehensive review of progress and together chart a course for accelerated action on the MDGs between now and 2015. The inclusion of disability perspectives and persons with disabilities in realizing the achievement of the MDGs has been reiterated by the General Assembly in its resolutions 63/150 and 64/131. See the full Report at: http://www.un.org/en/mdg/summit2010/pdf/MDG%20Report%202010%20En%20r15%20-low%20res%2020100615%20-.pdf
NEWS FROM THE REGIONS
AFRICA
ACCESS AFRICA – 5th IDP AFRICA FORUM
The 5th IDP Africa Forum and the launch of Techshare Africa, is to be held in Accra, Ghana, from July 3-11, 2011. The Forum will focus on how the power of technology can advance equality and rights of persons who are blind and partially sighted. Participants will include parents, persons who are blind and partially sighted, representatives from organizations of and for the blind, universities and Government ministries, international organizations, vendors, and sponsors of assistive technology. The Forum will be bi-lingual in English and French. Registration and Call for Papers will be released soon. Please link to www.wbu-idp.org for more information.
4TH CBR AFRICA CONFERENCE: OCTOBER 26 – 29, 2010
The theme of this Community-based Rehabilitation (CBR) Conference is “Linking CBR with Disability and Rehabilitation” and will be held in Abuja, Nigeria. The conference aims to promote better CBR practices in Africa and provides an opportunity for people to share information, knowledge, and experience on how disability concepts and CBR programmes can link together to help improve the quality of life for persons with disabilities and their families. For more information, please contact Joan Okune joan@afri-can.org or Sally Hartley sally@afri-can.org
GROUNDBREAKING SERVICE FOR SPECTATORS AT THE 2010 FIFA WORLD CUP SOUTH AFRICA
Exciting news in the build up to the 2010 FIFA World Cup™! FIFA, the Swiss National Association for the Blind (SNAB) and the South African National Council for the Blind (SANCB) teamed up to provide an Audio Description Project at 44 matches in six of the 2010 FIFA World Cup stadiums. The project which was initiated by the Swiss NAB is funded by FIFA and operated by the SANCB.
The Audio Description Project offered special tickets to soccer spectators who are blind and/or partially sighted for 44 matches at six 2010 FIFA World Cup stadiums. This is a first for South African sport stadiums and hope that the project will leave a legacy after the FIFA World Cup for other tournaments to offer a similar service to the estimated 500,000 South Africans who are blind and/or partially sighted.
At each of the selected six stadiums there were 15 seats available for spectators with vision loss as well as 15 seats for their sighted guides who accompanied them. Persons filling these seats can listen to an audio description of the match on a small receiver with earphones, given by trained journalists. For more information about the project, contact the South African National Council for the Blind on 012 452-3811 / worldcup2010@sancb.org.za or download the documents from www.sancb.org.za/worldcup2010
WORLD CONGRESS ON REFRACTIVE ERROR, SEPTEMBER 20-22, 2010, DURBAN, SOUTH AFRICA
The World Congress on Refractive Error and Service Development promises to bring together world leaders in eye care and development fields to define global eye care priorities and build strategies to achieve sustainable, integrated solutions that transcend the boundaries of eye care and encompass social, political and economic solutions.
ASIA-PACIFIC
10th INTERNATIONAL CONFERENCE ON LOW VISION
“Vision Rehabilitation – Towards Better Living”
An exciting and intensive conference is planned for February 20-24, 2011 at the Kuala Lumpur Convention Centre in Malaysia. The conference will feature the following: low vision workshops and plenary sessions addressing various themes such as “New Developments in Research & Rehabilitation”; “Rehabilitation & New Advances”; “Multidisciplinary Intervention”; and, “Epidemiology in Developing Countries”. Renowned speakers from countries across the world such as Aries Arditi, Hasan Minto, and George Woo have confirmed participation. For more details, please visit www.klvision2011.org.my
CAPACITY BUILDING PROJECT RENEWED
DANIDA Capacity Building Project, implemented by the Danish Association of the Blind, received its approval for renewal of 3 years starting 2011. The renewed phase will continue to focus on the strengthening of organizations and advocacy in Mongolia and Lao PDR, as well as enhancement of WBUAP regional structure. The upcoming WBUAP Mid-Term Assembly will have a session on development that will largely feature updates from this project.
ACCESS TOURISM CONFERENCE IN AUCKLAND, NEW ZEALAND
October 4, 2010 has been set as the date for the first conference in New Zealand on Access Tourism. Access Tourism is tourism, travel, and hospitality for people with disabilities, seniors, and Baby Boomers who will experience increasing disability as they age. The conference will look at various aspects of Access Tourism, including some of the following: the current situation in NZ and worldwide, website access and information best practice, government strategy, policy, and obligations, best practice in transport, accommodation, and attractions access, and training for access in the tourism and hospitality sector. The conference is being run by the New Zealand Tourism Research Institute at Auckland University of Technology. For more information, contact sandrarhodda@hotmail.com
INTERNATIONAL O&M CONFERENCE
The 4th Australasian Orientation and Mobility Conference (AMC2010) will take place between November 24-26 2010, and will be hosted by Guide Dogs NSW/ACT at The Women's College within the University of Sydney, Australia. This is a conference for the professional development of Orientation and Mobility specialists, including Guide Dog specialists and those with a professional interest in visual impairment. Full details on the conference are available at www.guidedogs.com.au/amc2010
ASIA
ALL INDIA CONFEDERATION FOR THE BLIND (AICB)
AICB continues sending Braille print outs of the WBU e-Bulletin to organizations and individuals who request it. For more information, please contact: aicbdelhi@yahoo.com
A LIFE CHANGING INVENTION FROM THE WEST BANK
Three schoolgirls in the West Bank have developed a life-changing device for individuals who are blind. It's an advanced cane called "Stick-tech", and they're taking it all the way to the U.S. They've been chosen from over six million applicants worldwide to take part in the International Science Fair. For more information, log onto:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bUO0OGOQ6Zk&feature=player_ embedded
EUROPE
FIRST EUROPEAN CONGRESS ON VISUAL IMPAIRMENT
“Rehabilitation and Attention of People with Visual Impairment”
The first European Congress on Visual Disability will be held in Valladolid, Spain, between October 22-24, 2010. To get more information, download the program, or know more about the lecturers, you can check the congress website: http://www.eurovisionrehab.com
A BREAKTHROUGH BRAILLE LABELLING LAW IN PORTUGAL
Law Number 33/2008 was published in the Portuguese Official Journal of the 22nd July 2008. It establishes compulsory braille labelling on products acquired by visually impaired consumers in supermarkets or hypermarkets. This law, resulting from an initiative of the Portuguese national parliament, makes it easier for visually impaired consumers to go shopping and identify goods.
After the approval of Law 33/2008, from the 22nd January 2010 it became compulsory for supermarket and hypermarket chains with more than 5 stores, each of more than 300 square meters, to provide visually impaired persons with personal assistance and braille labelling printing services.
Consequently, every visually impaired person may, from now on, when they go shopping in supermarkets or hypermarkets, ask for personal assistance from staff. They will orientate them inside the store, helping them to find the required products and reading the information available on the products. They may also have the acquired products braille labelled, which in practice will mean a label identifying the type and brand of the product, expiry date and other characteristics such as specific information or eventual dangers, and the visually impaired consumer has the choice to ask for the inclusion of any additional information needed.
To those who prefer on-line shopping, the braille labelling service is also compulsory, and those interested only have to ask for it when they order. For more information, please refer to ACAPO’s website www.acapo.pt or phone +351 21 324 4500.
LATIN AMERICA
BRAZILIAN NATIONAL DAY OF THE BRAILLE SYSTEM
The Government of Brazil has instituted April 8th as National Day of the Braille System. This decree was approved on June 21st and is one more accomplishment for Brazil in relation to the Braille System! April 8th will mark an awareness day throughout the country; events will take place through private and public entities where the right to education, employment, prevention of blindness, social inclusion for the blind and others will be promoted.
ULAC CELEBRATES 25th ANNIVERSARY
On November 15th, the Latin American Union of the Blind (ULAC) will be celebrating its 25th year anniversary of creation and work within the region. To honour this occasion, a special seminar will be held where ULAC’s course will be portrayed as well as other themes related to visual disability in general. Registration will begin on July 15th. For more information, please go to www.ulacdigital.org.
TV AUDIO DESCRIPTION IN ARGENTINA
The Argentinean Federation of the Blind (FAICA) in conjunction with a local production company have successfully achieved incorporation of audio description in the regular weekday programming of the TV channel “Encuentro”. This channel is part of the Argentinean Ministry of Education programming that assists people with visual loss to access the visual contents of programs.
NORTH AMERICA AND THE CARIBBEAN
SEMINARS@HADLEY ATTRACT INTERNATIONAL ATTENTION
Seminars@Hadley are popular “just in time” webinars that address a variety of relevant topics for people who are blind or visually impaired, their families and support networks. On a recent seminar, Hadley had participants from as far away as China, England and Pakistan discussing topics ranging from braille to travel and self employment.
These seminars are free and conveniently take place online, typically lasting 60 to 90 minutes. All seminars are archived on the Hadley Web site at www.hadley.edu so that anyone can download them 24/7, at no charge. To date, there have been nearly 60,000 downloads from people all over the world! To learn more about Seminars@Hadley and the school’s distance education programs, visit the Hadley website at www.hadley.edu.
GPDD WORKING GROUP ON THE RECONSTRUCTION OF HAITI
During the major reconstruction that follows most natural disasters, planners often miss opportunities to avoid recreating the exclusion of persons with disabilities by adapting the design of the built environment. It is far more cost-effective to modify the plans for a new building at the outset than to adapt an existing building to make it accessible. The Global Partnership for Disability and Development (GPDD) has initiated a Working Group on Haiti Reconstruction to ensure that reconstruction efforts after the Haiti earthquake involve persons with disabilities during all stages and that all rebuilt and newly built infrastructure is fully accessible to and usable by people with disabilities. To participate in this group, please contact Maria Veronica Reina at mvreina@law.syr.edu and Luca Valente at luvalent@law.syr.edu
WBU OFFICERS
Ms. Maryanne Diamond, President
maryanne.diamond@visionaustralia.org
Mr. Arnt Holte, 1st Vice President
arnt.holte@blindeforbundet.no
Ms. Frances Candiru, 2nd Vice President
aiykko@gmail.com
Mr. Enrique Pérez, Secretary General
umc@once.es
Mr. A. K. Mittal, Treasurer
akmittal@rediffmail.com
Dr. William Rowland, Immediate Past President
rowland@sancb.org.za
REGIONAL PRESIDENTS
AFRICA (AFUB)
Mr. Mohammed Ez-zaoui
med.ezzaoui@gmail.com
ASIA (ABU)
Mr. Ahmad Mohammed Mousa Allouzi
fabjo@index.com.jo
ASIA PACIFIC (WBU-AP)
Mr. Chuji Sashida
sashida.chuji@jeed.or.jp
EUROPE (EBU)
Lord Colin Low
Colin.Low@rnib.org.uk
LATIN AMERICA (ULAC)
Dr. Guillermo Moreno
dr_guillermo_moreno@hotmail.com
NORTH AMERICA/CARIBBEAN (WBU-NA/C)
Mr. Carl Augusto
caugusto@afb.net
WBU STAFF
Dr. Penny Hartin, Chief Executive Officer
penny.hartin@wbuoffice.org
Ms. Sarah Smith, Manager Fund Development & Communications
sarah.smith@wbuoffice.org
Ms. Ianina Rodriguez, Administrative Assistant ianina.rodriguez@wbuoffice.org
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