WBU E-BULLETIN VOLUME 4, ISSUE 6 - November 2010
WBU E-BULLETIN
VOLUME 4, ISSUE 6
November 2010
TABLE OF CONTENTS
CONTRIBUTIONS TO THE E-BULLETIN 3
PRESIDENT’S MESSAGE 3
WBU EXECUTIVE MEETS IN MELBOURNE AUSTRALIA 4
8TH GENERAL ASSEMBLY AWARDED 5
NEW WBU MEMBERS APPROVED 6
REVIEW OF STRATEGIC PLAN PROGRESS 6
REVIEW OF REPORTS AND POLICIES 6
THE MELBOURNE DECLARATION ISSUED BY THE WORLD BLIND UNION AND THE DAISY CONSORTIUM ON NOVEMBER 13, 2010 7
MELBOURNE RESOLUTION ON JOINT ICEVI-WBU ADVOCACY
FOR EFA-VI 8
WBU DIVERSITY COMMITTEE UPDATE REPORT 9
“BRAILLE WITHOUT BORDERS” GRADUATES REALIZE
THEIR DREAMS 10
LOUD, PROUD, AND PASSIONATE 11
STEVIE WONDER ENDORSES WBU’S PROPOSED WIPO TREATY 13
ANNOUNCEMENTS 13
DIRECTOR OF PERKINS INTERNATIONAL APPOINTMENT 13
FIRST CALL FOR ABSTRACTS: TRANSED 2012 AT DELHI, INDIA 14
LIONS CLUB INTERNATIONAL ESSAY CONTEST 15
FESTIVAL OF INTERNATIONAL CONFERENCES ON CAREGIVING, DISABILITY, AGING, AND TECHNOLOGY (FICCDAT) 15
INTERNATIONAL MOBILITY CONFERENCE 16
RESOURCES 16
BRAILLE21: “BRAILLE POST” MAGAZINE IS NOW
DIGITALLY AVAILABLE 16
WHO RELEASES GUIDELINES ON COMMUNITY-BASED REHABILITATION FOR PEOPLE WITH DISABILITIES 16
WHO WELCOMES APPLICANTS WITH DISABILITIES 17
DISABLED PEOPLE’S INTERNATIONAL (DPI) LAUNCHES
NEW WEBSITE 18
UNESCO REPORT ON DISABILITY AND TECHNOLOGY 18
CRPD UPDATE 18
2010 HUMAN DEVELOPMENT REPORT:
40-YEAR TRENDS ANALYSIS SHOWS POOR COUNTRIES
MAKING FASTER DEVELOPMENT GAINS 18
NEWS FROM THE REGIONS 19
AFRICA 19
NEW REHABILITATION CENTRE, NEW HOPE IN
TARABA STATE, NIGERIA 19
AFRICAN UNION FOR THE BLIND UPDATE:
HIV & AIDS AWARENESS AND TRAINING PROGRAM 19
CLUB OF THE YOUNG & REHABILITATED BLIND
OF CAMEROON (CJARC) 20
ASIA-PACIFIC 20
WORKING TOGETHER, DELIVERING AUDIO
DESCRIPTION (AD) THROUGHOUT THE WORLD 20
ASIA 21
ASIAN BLIND UNION (ABU) LAUNCHES NEW WEBSITE 21
MS. FATIMA AHMED AL-ELAGHIL TAKES LEAD IN
EMPOWERING OTHER BLIND WOMEN IN YEMEN 21
EUROPE 22
A NEW VISUAL IDENTITY FOR EBU 22
ACCESSIBLE BANK SERVICES IN BELGIUM 22
SIGNS & SIGNAGE FOR PEOPLE WITH LOW VISION 23
LATIN AMERICA 23
TWENTY-FIVE YEARS OF WORK BENEFITING PEOPLE
WITH VISUAL DISABILITIES 23
NORTH AMERICA AND THE CARIBBEAN 24
ONLINE CERTIFICATE PROGRAM ON DISABILITY 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, January 17, 2011 for our next 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
Welcome to the final issue of our e-Bulletin for 2010. As the year draws to an end, I would like to comment on just a few of our achievements and challenges over the year.
Our work for an international binding instrument at WIPO has made progress and had some set backs during the year. It is important to remember that all parties agree that the time is here to find a solution. It is also fantastic that access to published works for the print disability community remains an issue at the global level.
Our work in the area of employment is gaining strength and it is great to see that many regions have also taken up work in this area. Don’t forget to share stories of successful employment, peer and mentoring programs in the area of employment, good practice employment programs and resources, and examples of microcredit programs where people who are blind or have low vision are successfully engaged.
During October, IAPB and the WHO celebrated the mid point of the Vision2020 initiative. Although we still await the latest data from WHO on the situation of blindness around the world, I understand that there has been a decrease in the numbers of people who are blind. However, the goal of eliminate all unnecessary blindness by the year 2020 remains extremely ambitious. We continue to work with the eye care sector to ensure there are good and appropriate pathways from prevention to treatment, to educational, and rehabilitation services.
Our work with partners, as members of a range of international and regional bodies have ensured that issues important to us as people who are blind are incorporated into their work and add value to ours. We had a wonderful executive meeting in my home city of Melbourne during November. We had great participation from all regions and make progress in a number of areas of our work. An article on this meeting can be found later in this issue. Thank you to everyone for your great participation, hard work and long journeys.
It isn’t possible for me to comment on all of our work but encourage you to read the interesting and diverse articles in this issue. Past issues for 2010 provide a wealth of information to refer to and knowledge to keep at your convenience.
Thank you to all who have contributed to this e-Bulletin throughout the year, to our fantastic staff in Toronto, to our regional leaders and secretariats and to you our members.
I look forward to 2011, another year which looks extremely busy for all of us.
Maryanne
WBU EXECUTIVE MEETS IN MELBOURNE - AUSTRALIA
The WBU Executive met in Melbourne Australia from November 11-13, hosted by Vision Australia. The meeting was opened with a Welcome to Country by an Indigenous Senior Elder as well as an address by the Assistant Treasurer for Australia having previously had responsibility for disability. There were 25 Executive delegates or alternates present from all Regions. The Executive meeting was preceded by meetings of the Diversity, Membership Fees and Finance Committee and the Languages working group and a meeting of the Employment working group was held following the Executive meeting.
In addition, two declarations were taken by the Executive, which will be included in full at the end of this article. Several themed sessions were also held as part of the Executive meeting in order to enable the Executive to focus on specific issues and provide opportunities for excellent discussion and input.
A session on Employment updated the Executive on our global employment strategy and sought their input in the areas of developing case studies, peer support and mentoring programs, micro-enterprise and income generating activities and sharing employment models and resources.
A session on membership led to a discussion of our present membership structure, its benefits and barriers to membership with the consensus that our present membership structure continues to be appropriate for our organization and that only minor constitutional refinements could resolve any membership issues that we have.
A session on the CRPD was honored by the presence of Ron McCallum who is presently Chair of the CRPD Monitoring Committee. Ron gave an excellent overview of the CRPD monitoring process. Also included in that session was an overview of the CRPD toolkit being developed by WBU for its members and which will be available in the new year, as well as a discussion of the CRPD parallel reporting process.
A fourth themed session that involved presentations from several of our international partners provided an excellent overview of how we can strengthen our work and our messages through collaboration with our international partners.
The following highlights some of the key items discussed and decisions taken:
8th General Assembly Awarded
Following a process to receive and review bids from members to host the 8th General Assembly in 2012, the Executive accepted the recommendation to hold the 8th General Assembly in Bangkok, Thailand from November 12 to 16, 2012. The Assembly will be hosted by the Thailand Association of the Blind. The Assembly will be preceded by a Diversity Forum for one and one-half days on November 10 and 11th. In addition, the Executive agreed to explore the possibility of organizing the Assembly in collaboration with ICEVI, who will also be holding its Assembly and World Conference in 2012. Further information about plans for the General Assembly will be included in the next and following e-Bulletins.
New WBU Members Approved
The Executive approved the acceptance of six new members. They are the following: National Federation of the Blind of Bangladesh whose acceptance also changed the status of Bangladesh from a Special Member to a full National Member; three new International members: Hadley School for the Blind, Inclusive Planet, and Arab Union of the Blind; and two new Associate members: National Braille Press (USA), Blind Education and Rehabilitation Development Organization, BERDO (Bangladesh). We welcome all of these new members to the WBU family.
Review of Strategic Plan Progress
Each Strategic Priority Leader reported on progress on achieving our 2009–2012 Strategic Plan. All areas have seen progress and several initiatives are showing very good success. A summary status report providing an update on all initiatives within the workplan was prepared and this will be posted on the WBU website shortly for the convenience of our members.
Review of Reports and Policies
A number of reports and policy statements were reviewed by the Executive. The Treasurer presented the financial statements to September 30th which indicate a positive performance compared to budget in that our revenues are better than budget and our expenses below budget for the first three-quarters of the year.
An evaluation report had been prepared on the membership fee structure which had been adopted by the General Assembly in 2008. The report, which is available to members upon request, revealed that the number of countries paying their fees has increased as well as revenues from fees. The membership fees committee had reviewed over forty requests for membership fee relief, which included reclassifications of fee categories, transition periods or reduction in membership fees and all but three requests had resulted in some relief being provided. The evaluation revealed that overall, the new membership fees structure has been a success. The committee continues to make adjustments as needed and in fact received the support of the Executive to extend the transition period for members in need for up to five years to 2014 in light of the economic difficulties faced by some members.
The Executive approved three new policy documents including: a protocol on policy papers which sets out the types of policy papers we have and the development and approval process; a revised fundraising policy; and an investment policy. The Executive also provided input to the draft of a new position statement on WBU response to emergency or crisis situations in order to clarify WBU’s role in these situations. This policy statement will be further developed for approval at a later date.
Preliminary discussions were also held regarding possible amendments to the constitution at the next General Assembly.
This then, is a brief summary of the discussions held and decisions taken at the Executive meeting. As this was to be the only face to face meeting of the Executive between the Assemblies, it was an important and substantive meeting. All members worked hard and there was excellent participation from all members who shared their experience and regional perspectives. The meeting was invaluable in helping to confirm our priorities and work for the final two years of the present quadrennium.
THE MELBOURNE DECLARATION ISSUED BY THE WORLD BLIND UNION AND THE DAISY CONSORTIUM ON NOVEMBER 13, 2010
"Recalling the productive relationship which has traditionally existed between the goals of WBU and the efforts of the DAISY Consortium, the Boards of the two organizations welcome and support the following as ways to implement the UN Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities in relation to access to information ..."
1. The integration of the DAISY standard with mainstream publishing systems;
2. Accessible publishing directly by publishers via EPUB and similar accessible electronic publishing solutions;
3. The creation of an accessible digital version of all published materials, utilizing solutions such as the "save as DAISY" option in Open office, Microsoft word, Adobe in design etc.;
4. The adoption by Publishers of the use of a single electronic source file from which all formats, including accessible versions, can be simply created;
5. Development of the DAISY standards to encompass file-formats which enables the easy production of electronic and hard-copy braille;
6. International inter-operable standards for access to information;
7. The ability to exchange information across national boundaries unhindered by copyright restrictions;
8. A network of trusted intermediaries which publishers can use, recognizing that the flow of files from publishers to trusted intermediaries is essential to reduce costs and increase speed of publication;
9. A copyright exception to cater for publishers who will not create a license for a worldwide trusted intermediary network;
10. Capacity Building in Developing Countries for production and distribution of accessible books using DAISY Standards based tools and systems and availability of affordable assistive technology for end users to access such books.
MELBOURNE RESOLUTION ON JOINT ICEVI-WBU ADVOCACY FOR EFA-VI
The WBU Executive meeting in Melbourne, Australia, Nov 11-13, 2010
Recognizing that after 20 years of operation the global initiative on Education For All supported by UNESCO, UNICEF, and The World Bank is still largely failing to include the needs of children with visual impairment in national level initiatives
Resolves that:
1. WBU and ICEVI will develop a specific advocacy and lobbying strategy to pressure the EFA Fast Track Initiative of The World Bank to take proactive measures to address the educational needs of blind children, including provision of accessible textbooks and other learning materials; and,
2. WBU and ICEVI will work together to develop an effective advocacy strategy to pressure national governments to make specific provision in national EFA plans for children with visual impairment, with specific and immediate priority being given to those countries targeted by the ICEVI-WBU Global Campaign on Education for All Children with Visual Impairment.
WBU DIVERSITY COMMITTEE UPDATE REPORT
The WBU Diversity Committee is currently focusing on 3 areas of work: women, elderly and children. This brief update covers some of our activities and particularly welcomes interest and a response from
regional members.
Elderly
The elderly working group, made up of experts from around the WBU regions, are currently working to produce material to raise our concerns about the global growth of age related sight loss. As an outcome we hope to produce materials that will be available to member organizations that they can use to advocate on behalf of elderly blind in their own countries. Our second stage will be to pull together examples of good practice that organizations will be able to use when planning services to meet the challenge of growing demands. In order to make this information as relevant as we can, it is important that we reflect your local, regional and cultural differences when it comes to caring for older people. Do please support this important program by contacting us via the WBU office.
Children
The children’s working group recognizes the significant role of parents of children with visual impairments and the work of national parents’ associations that aim to support, educate, and advocate for the special education and medical services for children who are blind and their families. In order to encourage communication and information sharing internationally for families, the children’s committee has decided to do a search for all the national associations for parents of visually impaired, blind and those with deaf-blindness or multiple disabilities around the world and to compile the contact information to be posted on the WBU website. A letter will be distributed to WBU regions asking for contact information for any parents’ associations you are aware of in your country or region. We appreciate your contribution to our committee’s project as we feel the directory of parents’ associations will be a great resource.
Women
Women all around the world want to be connected and in many countries excellent groups already exist. Some countries and organizations do not currently have a forum for women to participate. The working group is listening to the existing forums so that they can share knowledge where there is still a need. We are keen to hear from individual women and from organizations’ representatives to join an email forum for women’s issues. Everybody should embrace the equality agenda and the working group understands that to make a difference for blind people globally, everyone needs to participate, whatever their gender. We invite you to contact us via the WBU office.
“BRAILLE WITHOUT BORDERS” GRADUATES REALIZE THEIR DREAMS
The International Institute for Social Entrepreneurs (IISE) in Trivandrum, Kerala (South India) operates under the umbrella of Braille without Borders Charitable Trust (BWB). In 2005, BWB was co-founded by Sabriye Tenberken, who became blind when she was 12, and Paul Kronenberg, who has a background in mechanical engineering, computer science, commercial technology, and communication system science.
IISE creates credible and effective leaders for positive social change across the world. Their 11-month experiential program helps them set up social projects that improve the quality of blind, visually impaired people, and marginalized target groups in an earth-respecting environment that promotes leadership training through innovation, collaboration, and positive social change.
The IISE does not believe in different schools on segregation based on: physical ability or disability, between highly educated participants to participants who have never been in a formal education set up, between people from developing countries or developed countries, between young and old. It is an institution open to people who wish to bring a positive change in society, and are driven by this need.
The IISE welcomes participants, all over 22 years of age, whom have overcome significant life challenges ranging from vision impairment, disability, poverty, war, discrimination and exploitation. Most of them have personally experienced adversity or witnessed a particular situation that they wish to change so others do not suffer. 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 11-month program, participants develop all 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. All selected participants receive a full scholarship, including travel costs, accommodation and a high-end course by a group of international experts. To ensure high quality training, IISE accommodates a maximum of 30 participants per academic year.
In January 2009, the IISE welcomed its first batch of 20 participants. They all returned to their home countries to work on the realization of their planned social projects. Learn more about how these projects are developing by visiting http://www.braillewithoutborders.org/ENGLISH/IISE-Grads-August-2010.pdf
In 2010, IISE has trained 29 participants from 18 countries who will graduate in December and return home to begin their dream projects. Over 120 applications from 34 countries worldwide have already been received for 2011 and the 30 most suitable candidates will soon be finalized.
LOUD, PROUD, AND PASSIONATE
(Excerpted from an article by Manique Guneratne - Second Vice President, Sri Lanka Federation of the Visually Handicapped; Secretary, Daisy Lanka Foundation; Resource Person to Train, Promote & Develop Information & Communication Technology for Visually Impaired Persons; Junior Executive –The Employers’ Federation of Ceylon)
Swinging 50 feet in the air, suspended by ropes, I screamed as I plummeted toward the ground. “It felt good to put my fears aside and just go for it” that was the feeling when swinging in the air.
I, a visually impaired young lady, was part of a group of 29 disabilities activists from around the world – Africa, Asia, Europe, Latin America and the Middle East – who was in Eugene, Oregon in U.S.A. for the Mobility International USA’s fifth International Women’s Institute on Leadership and Disability, WILD. They lived up to the acronym.
The group met in August at the Spencer Butte challenge course (one of the many areas covered at the program) to get to know each other a little better and to test their boundaries. The challenge course is all about teamwork and breaking down preconceived notions society has of what they think is possible for women with disabilities.
In the wooded terrain, the harnessed women swung from ropes, manoeuvred from high platforms and balanced on a seesaw-type structure, cheering each other through the frightening undertaking. Apart from the challenge course, river rafting, problem solving, policies and legislations, inclusive education, inclusive employment, fund raising and proposal writing and women’s issues were some areas covered at the training.
Although hailing from different countries and cultures and holding different political views, all similarities united everyone in Eugene, Oregon in U.S.A. All had a disability and wanted to make change.
The 3-week program included seminars and workshops at the University of Oregon and a four-day retreat with 24 alumni of the program and other organizations such as the Gender, Disability and Development Institute.
Women with disabilities have less access to education, more chance of being victims of crime and contracting HIV. Therefore, Mobility International selected 30 prominent disabilities rights activists to share their knowledge and to gain insight from others.
The women all had different levels of expertise – law, health, education, business, HIV/AIDS, violence prevention. “The program was designed for the women to learn from each other.”
My dream is to be a role model for women with disabilities and let them know that they are able to do what they want. I want them to be independent. I also recognize the value of collaborating with other disability groups. I don’t think we need to be separate any longer. It’s important to be united as women with disabilities to change attitudes from sympathy to empathy, dependence to independence and hidden to open.
This program was like a dream come true. We can learn from people. Maybe, we can make our disability a bridge to communicate, to help people in the world to make peace with each other.
STEVIE WONDER ENDORSES WBU’s PROPOSED WIPO TREATY
(Excerpted from an article by Dan Pescod, Campaigns Manager-Europe, International and Accessibility, The Royal National Institute of Blind People)
As you know, for the last year and a half WBU has been urging government representatives at the World Intellectual Property Organisation’s Copyright Committee (SCCR) to support the WBU proposed treaty, which was formally tabled at the SCCR in May 2009 by the governments of Brazil, Ecuador and Paraguay.
On behalf of WBU/EBU, Chris Friend and Dan Pescod attended the WIPO General Assemblies in September 2010. At the start of that meeting, our friends in the music industry managed to organize a slot for singer Stevie Wonder to make a powerful speech. The webcast is available at: http://www.wipo.int/aboutwipo/en/assemblies/webcasting
Mr. Wonder could not have been clearer that the time for a binding agreement in WIPO is now, and that the assembled countries should get on with making that agreement. (He promised them a free concert when they finish the job!)
ANNOUNCEMENTS
DIRECTOR OF PERKINS INTERNATIONAL APPOINTMENT
It is a pleasure to announce the appointment of Dr. W. Aubrey Webson as the new Director of Perkins International. Aubrey will be responsible for the strategic and operational elements of Perkins International and its work with hundreds of partners in 65 countries around the world. Perkins’ new 2010-2015 Strategic Plan highlights the importance of expanding internationally and their international work includes the Hilton/Perkins program, which has been at the core of their international development work for over two decades.
Aubrey started at Perkins in 1992 where he has led the work in the growth of services in Africa and the Caribbean. He has helped to shape educational services for children who are deafblind and those with multiple disabilities, supported government and service workers in policy development, and introduced and implemented the Institutional Development Program, a capacity building project for organizations of the blind in Africa and the Caribbean. Recently Aubrey has added work with braille literacy to his portfolio.
On behalf of the WBU, congratulations and much success to you, Aubrey, in your new role!
FIRST CALL FOR ABSTRACTS: TRANSED 2012 AT DELHI, INDIA
Svayam, an initiative of S.J.Charitable Trust, India is proud to announce the 13th International Conference on Mobility and Transport for Elderly and Disabled Persons will take place in India from September 17-21, 2012 on the theme "Seamless Access for All: Universal Design for Transport Systems and Infrastructure as a key element in the creation of livable cities". TRANSED 2012 will showcase international innovation and technological solutions for accessible transportation and travel through papers and posters as well as through live exhibitions of products, services, and best practices.
This is the first call inviting abstracts from potential authors on the following topics:
a) Role of the UN Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities (UNCRPD)
b) Best practices and innovations
c) Accessible tourism: Conservation, access to the historic and natural heritage
d) Environmental impact, sustainability, and accessibility of integrated multimodal systems
e) Accessible Bus Rapid Transit
f) Highway design and safety
g) Pedestrian mobility & safety for livable communities
h) Rural access and mobility
i) Implementation, monitoring and enforcement
j) Others
Deadline for receipt of abstracts is March 30, 2011. For further details please visit http://www.transed2012.in/abstract_submission.html
LIONS CLUB INTERNATIONAL ESSAY CONTEST
Lions Clubs International is offering you an opportunity to support your local visually-impaired youth. The Lions International Essay Contest is open to 11, 12 and 13-year-old students who are visually impaired. Work with your fellow Lions, local schools and area families to identify young people who are interested in participating and who could benefit from this program. One grand prize winner will receive an award and US $5,000.
The theme for the essay is “Power of Peace.” Each essay must be submitted with a completed entry form. Essays must be no longer than 500 words in length, submitted in English, type-written in black ink and double-spaced. For the complete rules and entry form, visit http://www.lionsclubs.org/EN/common/pdfs/pr41.pdf Deadline to submit your essay is February 15, 2011.
FESTIVAL OF INTERNATIONAL CONFERENCES ON CAREGIVING, DISABILITY, AGING, AND TECHNOLOGY (FICCDAT)
Save the Date: June 5-8, 2011 in Toronto, Ontario, Canada
International Conference on Best Practices for Universal Design
The goal of universal practice is to make the environment more usable for a broader range of people in more situations. Although the universal design movement has made significant progress (e.g., iconic buildings and housing, new initiatives in public and professional education, best practice design guidelines, etc.), there is a strong need to advance the development of evidence based practice. This conference will explore new and exciting strategies to help support our increasingly diverse population. It will bring together professionals and experts from around the world to address critical issues and questions about universal design in a format supporting dialogue and discussion. Session themes include:
• Housing and Home Modifications
• Public Buildings
• Community Environments
• Research Methods
• Certification and Commitment Programs
• UD and Dissemination, Information, and Education
• The Next Generation Accessible Bus
Log onto www.ficcdat.ca for more detailed information.
INTERNATIONAL MOBILITY CONFERENCE
Save the Date: February 13-17, 2012
Location: Palmerston North, New Zealand
A Call for Papers will be issued in February 2011 with a closing date of April 30, 2011. Emails may be sent to secretariat@imc14.com or directly to Professor Steve LaGrow the Conference Organiser s.j.lagrow@massey.ac.nz For more information, please visit the conference web site: www.imc14.com
RESOURCES
BRAILLE21: “BRAILLE POST” MAGAZINE IS NOW DIGITALLY AVAILABLE
The first edition of the Braille Post has recently been launched and will continue to be published every three months. It will prepare the themes of the World Congress Braille21 for the long term. The Braille Post will inform regularly about the progress of the project Braille21 and it will communicate current knowledge about braille. To order copies of the Braille Post for your organization or for you individually, please email info@braille21.net. The following formats are available:
• Braille-Post in uncontracted braille, English
• Braille-Post in contracted braille, German
• Braille-Post in common print, English
• Braille-Post in common print, German
All editions of the Braille Post are also available for download at:
http://www.braille21.net/en/press (English version), or
http://www.braille21.net/de/presse (German version)
WHO RELEASES GUIDELINES ON COMMUNITY-BASED REHABILITATION FOR PEOPLE WITH DISABILITIES
Community-Based Rehabilitation (CBR) is a strategy for the equalization of opportunities and social integration of all children and adults with disabilities. The "Community-Based Rehabilitation Guidelines”, a new document developed by more than 180 individuals and nearly 300 organizations, the majority from low-income and middle-income countries, offers practical ways to enhance the quality of life for people with disabilities and their families and provides practical suggestions to program managers on how to develop or strengthen community-based programs that are inclusive of people with disabilities and their families.
The guidelines are based on a new CBR matrix which includes five components--health, education, livelihood, social, and empowerment--each with their corresponding elements. CBR program implementers can select, based on local needs and priorities, which components and elements to implement. The guidelines strongly encourage the inclusion and participation of people with disabilities and their families in all decision-making processes.
WHO will provide technical support to member states to facilitate the implementation of the guidelines and ensure they reach a wide audience. In addition WHO will support the development of a training package, facilitation of "train-the-trainer" programs, strengthening of regional CBR networks, and the development of a global CBR network.
To access the Community-Based Rehabilitation (CBR) guidelines visit: http://www.who.int/disabilities/cbr/guidelines/en/index.html, or for more information, please contact Mr. Chapal Khasnabis at khasnabisc@who.int
WHO WELCOMES APPLICANTS WITH DISABILITIES
The WHO Task Force on Disability, supported by a network of disability champions across the organization, is making real progress in dismantling barriers to employment at WHO. Hot on the heels of the new welcome statement, which reads "WHO is committed to workforce diversity", comes a new policy on disability and employment, which sets out how WHO will work towards reasonable accommodation, an accessible office environment and flexible working arrangements, among other measures, to ensure fairness and respect for persons with disabilities.
But fine words mean nothing if practices do not change, which is why the audit of the e-Recruitment website was so important. This summer, WHO received an independent report identifying barriers, for example, to people with visual impairments. The process of implementing the necessary changes is already under way.
Finally, disability equality training is being delivered to staff who sit on selection panels, so they are aware of the human rights approach to disability and understand the principle of reasonable accommodation of people with disabilities in the workplace. All these measures mean that WHO is better placed to welcome persons with disabilities into the workforce. Now all that's needed is for suitable qualified people to apply. Over to you! Link to the WHO E-Recruitment site: http://www.who.int/employment/recruitment/en/
DISABLED PEOPLE’S INTERNATIONAL (DPI) LAUNCHES NEW WEBSITE
Please visit DPI’s new website at http://www.dpi.org. Here you will find updates to position and policy papers on the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) and on Disability and Poverty Eradication, as well as DPI's Annual Report 2009-2010.
UNESCO REPORT ON DISABILITY AND TECHNOLOGY
This UNESCO Report summarizes the recommendations of a group of experts on how UNESCO could assist its Member States in facilitating social inclusion of persons with disabilities through information and communication technologies (ICT). The Report can be read by following links at http://portal.unesco.org/ci/en/ev.php-URL_ID=30877&URL_DO=DO_TOPIC&URL_SECTION=201.html
CRPD UPDATE
The Committee on the Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities (CRPD) closed its fourth session, which was primarily devoted to the discussion of its procedures and working methods, in Geneva on October 8, 2010.
The Committee held a Day of General Discussion on Article 9 of the Convention pertaining to accessibility. Over the course of two meetings, the Committee held three sessions on the right to access on an equal basis with others to physical environment and transportation and the right to equal access to virtual and material information and communications, as well as best practices on the implementation and promotion of accessibility. To read more, go to http://www.unog.ch/80256EDD006B9C2E/(httpNewsByYear_en)/22262DBDB4A9FE6FC12577B60051CBC5?OpenDocument
2010 HUMAN DEVELOPMENT REPORT: 40-YEAR TRENDS ANALYSIS SHOWS POOR COUNTRIES MAKING FASTER DEVELOPMENT GAINS
The 20th anniversary UNDP Human Development Report finds long-term progress in health and education is not determined by income; the Report introduces new indices for gender, poverty, and inequality. Most developing countries made dramatic yet often underestimated progress in health, education and basic living standards in recent decades, with many of the poorest countries posting the greatest gains. Yet patterns of achievement vary greatly, with some countries losing ground since 1970, the 2010 Human Development Report shows. To read the full report, please visit http://hdr.undp.org/en/reports
NEWS FROM THE REGIONS
AFRICA
NEW REHABILITATION CENTRE, NEW HOPE IN TARABA STATE, NIGERIA
(Excerpted from Hope for the Blind Foundation Newsletter)
The Hope for the Blind Foundation has submitted a proposal to the Nigerian government to build a new rehabilita¬tion centre in Jalingo, Taraba State, Nigeria. Establishing a new rehab centre in the North- East Geo-Political Zone means that those people who are blind and living in the stated area, need not travel the long way to the Hope Centre, located in Zaria. The new rehab centre will provide trainings including: Braille reading and writing skills, typing and computer skills, daily living skills, orientation and mobility skills, etc. Delivery of services to the blind in the Northeast region will begin as soon as the Foundation has approved funding for this project. For more information, please visit www.hopefortheblind.org
AFRICAN UNION FOR THE BLIND UPDATE: HIV & AIDS AWARENESS AND TRAINING PROGRAM
Year II countries have recorded impressive performance and have gone the extra mile to reach more visually impaired persons than was planned for in the grassroots training. Ninety-five Peer Educators (57 women, 38 men) have been trained in Benin, Eritrea, Liberia and Mali. They continue to be active in their organizations in as far as training is concerned.
As of October 2010, a total of 3,236 visually impaired persons have been reached with information on HIV & AIDS in the four countries (1,950 females and 1,285 males) through grassroots level training workshops (827 in Benin; 789 in Eritrea; 926 in Liberia; and 694 in Mali).
A lobby committee was set up in the four target countries. Advocacy activities continue to take place, and countries have reported increased networks and partnerships with other HIV stakeholders/ organizations in their countries. All the four countries have held at least 3 meetings. The use of the media, mostly radio and print, has been employed by all the countries. In addition, the following materials have been produced in English and French: (1) Train the Trainers Manual; (2) Manual on Minimum Criteria for Including Visually Impaired Persons; and, (3) HIV Information Booklet. This booklet has been translated into local languages of the four respective countries.
CLUB OF THE YOUNG & REHABILITATED BLIND OF CAMEROON (CJARC)
Congratulations to Coco Bertin, Managing Director of CJARC, on the launch of his third album “Surprise” and his new book, In Pursuit of a Dream. A fundraiser event will be held on December 7 at the Hilton Hotel in Yaounde to support education initiatives for children who are blind in Cameroon. For more information, please contact Coco Bertin at cjarc2006@yahoo.fr.
ASIA-PACIFIC
WORKING TOGETHER, DELIVERING AUDIO DESCRIPTION (AD) THROUGHOUT THE WORLD
Sonali Rai of the Royal National Institute of Blind People met Alex Varley, CEO Media Access Australia, recently to discuss and share the latest developments in the field of AD across Australia and the UK. Alex stated that as a direct consequence of the fantastic support that Media Access Australia has received from the Media and Culture Team RNIB over the past few years, latest information on the DVDs being released with audio description, they are now not only at par with the UK as far as DVDs with AD were concerned but just a little bit ahead.
They take all the AD being produced in the UK and also describe their own home grown films. Aside from this, Alex also mentioned that the Government in Australia has recently announced their plan to ensure that every major cinema chain location is made more accessible for patrons who are deaf or blind by the end of 2014 in addition to exploring an AD trial on their television by 2011.
The WBU Technology Committee continues to work on plans to share best practice around access to TV and film throughout the world, including the possibility of creating a demonstration DVD and documentation to support the adoption of AD by as many countries as possible. For further information, contact: Pete.osborne@rnib.org.uk
+44 1670 829447
ASIA
ASIAN BLIND UNION (ABU) LAUNCHES NEW WEBSITE
Check out ABU’s new website at www.abunion.org. Your comments and feedback are welcome! On behalf of the WBU, thank you for all your effort in making information more available and accessible to people who are blind and partially sighted in your region.
MS. FATIMA AHMED AL-ELAGHIL TAKES LEAD IN EMPOWERING OTHER BLIND WOMEN IN YEMEN
(Excerpted from an article in the ABU Newsletter)
The work and contribution of Ms. Fatima Ahmed Al-Elaghil in empowering the blind in Yemen is well Known to many at the international level. With support from Asian Blind Union, the organization which she heads, namely Al-Aman Organization of Blind Women Care, conducted a legal literacy workshop for a cross section of government and civil society representatives.
The primary purpose of this workshop was to educate 30 visually impaired women from various provinces of Yemen about their rights so that they could become more aware, stronger and more capable in living as equal and meaningful citizens of society. According to Ms. Fatima, even after so many years, the majority of blind and low vision women in Yemen are not as aware of their rights as they ought to be.
Apart from empowering such women through legal literacy, additional objectives of this workshop were: to strengthen the partnership with government ministries and human rights organizations, and to raise
awareness of a number of associations and institutions dealing with disabilities.
The participants included 30 visually impaired women as well as representatives from a cross section such as decision makers from various government ministries, activists from human rights organizations, leaders of some NGOs engaged in work for persons with disabilities.
It was felt that with regard to visually impaired women in Yemen, family life and educational facilities were the two areas requiring immediate attention. Consequently, a number of practical recommendations were formulated at the end of the two day discussions.
EUROPE
A NEW VISUAL IDENTITY FOR EBU
On November 12, 2010, the European Blind Union (EBU) launched its new visual identity at the EBU PROGRESS conference in Vienna, Austria. The logo is part of an overall communication package developed with the contribution of the Community Program For Employment and Social Solidarity – PROGRESS, which includes a redesigned EBU website, and a range of communication materials to be launched in December 2010.
The aim is to make EBU more recognizable as a brand and to achieve a clear, consistent visual identity that resonates with all concerned. This brand reflects the organization’s mission and core values, as represented in EBU’s stated objective “to protect and promote the interests of blind and partially sighted people in Europe to live full and independent lives. EBU works towards an inclusive society in which blind and partially sighted people have equal opportunities to full participation in society.”
The new logo represents an eye; symbolic of its campaigns to defend the rights of blind and partially sighted people throughout Europe, but also of their aim in increasing visibility and awareness. Within the eye, the letters EBU simplify the European Blind Union into an interdependent and synergistic design, and the strapline reinforces our message. Our new identity is intended to be more inclusive--EBU is about men and women, young and elderly, blind and partially sighted at all levels of society. This requires one core logo and a strong visual theme to bring greater unity to our publications while adopting a more outward-looking approach.
ACCESSIBLE BANK SERVICES IN BELGIUM
(Excerpted from an article in the EBU Newsletter)
On October 15th, 2010, the Belgian Confederation for the Blind and Partially Sighted organized an event on accessible bank services for blind and partially sighted persons. On that occasion the BNP Paribas Fortis Bank launched the first accessible Automated Teller Machines (ATM).
By the end of 2010, ten ATMs will be accessible. Two months later, the number will be increased to 600. Up to that moment only BNP clients will have access to the service. From April 2011, everyone will be able to use the accessible ATM. This should be a signal for other banks to follow this example of good practice. The Confederation will keep in touch with the Federation of the Belgian Banks. For further information contact Harry Geyskens, Belgian Confederation for Blind and Partially Sighted E-mail: bcbs.cbpam@skynet.be, tel: +32 2 732 53 24
SIGNS & SIGNAGE FOR PEOPLE WITH LOW VISION
(Excerpted from a feature article in EBU’s Newsletter)
A new study by ANEC (the European consumer voice in standardization) shows that the size of pictograms, symbols, icons and text used in public places such as airports, metro stations and shopping centres should be at least 5% of the Critical Reading Distance (CRD) in order to be readable by the majority of consumers, including people with visual impairments. Optimal, but not maximal, contrast intensity should be around a value of 75% on the white-black axis. From the new study, carried out by the University of Ghent (Belgium), it is clear that the interaction between size and contrast has to be considered when discussing guidelines for visual accessibility in public spaces.
At present no harmonized approach exists in Europe with regard to size, character height of text and symbols, foreground/background contrast, colour, reading distance, localisation, lighting and legibility of signs used in public places.
Finally, the study draws attention to the particular challenges posed by ensuring both localization and recognition of signs as they are both essential for independent travelling and mobility. However, while recognition is acceptable from 5% CRD on and hardly increases beyond that threshold, localization still improves until 9% CRD.
To read ANEC’s full report along with recommendations, please visit www.anec.eu
LATIN AMERICA
TWENTY-FIVE YEARS OF WORK BENEFITING PEOPLE WITH VISUAL DISABILITIES
On November 15, 2010, the Latin American Union of the Blind (ULAC) celebrated its 25th anniversary. This historic occasion marked the dedication and commitment of this organization over the past 25 years and its vision for the future. The event took place in the city of Mar del Plata, Argentina, the very same place where the organization was founded in 1985.
Founding members, leaders in the field of blindness, national and international authorities, and the general public convened to review and assess the work accomplished to-date and to jointly construct the future of the organization. Special participation of experts in areas such as human rights, international cooperation, and communication offered to the day an ideal framework for reflection.
The Enrique Elissalde Distinction Award was presented to the ONCE Foundation for Solidarity with the Blind People of Latin America (FOAL), an institution that has tirelessly supported the work of ULAC in the region.
Recognition was also directed to the work and dedication of all their Presidents--Jose Monteagudo, Gloria Peniza, Adilson Ventura and Enrique Elissalde, these last two already deceased.
After the commemoration day, the ULAC Executive Committee meeting took place. The creation of a working group in charge of the design of a strategic plan that mirrors the priority areas and objectives of the WBU’s strategic plan was established.
NORTH AMERICA AND THE CARIBBEAN
ONLINE CERTIFICATE PROGRAM ON DISABILITY
Three academic units at Queen's University in Canada-the International Centre for the Advancement of Community Based Rehabilitation, the School of Rehabilitation Therapy, and the Office of Inter-professional Education and Practice-have joined forces to create an interdisciplinary online program focusing on Community Based Rehabilitation (CBR), Disability and International Development. Building on decades of international experience, Queen's University is offering a fully online certificate program to the international audience of administrators, health and social professionals, community workers and others with an interest in disability and development. To read more go to http://www.queensu.ca/icacbr/onlinecertificateprogram.html
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 6
November 2010
TABLE OF CONTENTS
CONTRIBUTIONS TO THE E-BULLETIN 3
PRESIDENT’S MESSAGE 3
WBU EXECUTIVE MEETS IN MELBOURNE AUSTRALIA 4
8TH GENERAL ASSEMBLY AWARDED 5
NEW WBU MEMBERS APPROVED 6
REVIEW OF STRATEGIC PLAN PROGRESS 6
REVIEW OF REPORTS AND POLICIES 6
THE MELBOURNE DECLARATION ISSUED BY THE WORLD BLIND UNION AND THE DAISY CONSORTIUM ON NOVEMBER 13, 2010 7
MELBOURNE RESOLUTION ON JOINT ICEVI-WBU ADVOCACY
FOR EFA-VI 8
WBU DIVERSITY COMMITTEE UPDATE REPORT 9
“BRAILLE WITHOUT BORDERS” GRADUATES REALIZE
THEIR DREAMS 10
LOUD, PROUD, AND PASSIONATE 11
STEVIE WONDER ENDORSES WBU’S PROPOSED WIPO TREATY 13
ANNOUNCEMENTS 13
DIRECTOR OF PERKINS INTERNATIONAL APPOINTMENT 13
FIRST CALL FOR ABSTRACTS: TRANSED 2012 AT DELHI, INDIA 14
LIONS CLUB INTERNATIONAL ESSAY CONTEST 15
FESTIVAL OF INTERNATIONAL CONFERENCES ON CAREGIVING, DISABILITY, AGING, AND TECHNOLOGY (FICCDAT) 15
INTERNATIONAL MOBILITY CONFERENCE 16
RESOURCES 16
BRAILLE21: “BRAILLE POST” MAGAZINE IS NOW
DIGITALLY AVAILABLE 16
WHO RELEASES GUIDELINES ON COMMUNITY-BASED REHABILITATION FOR PEOPLE WITH DISABILITIES 16
WHO WELCOMES APPLICANTS WITH DISABILITIES 17
DISABLED PEOPLE’S INTERNATIONAL (DPI) LAUNCHES
NEW WEBSITE 18
UNESCO REPORT ON DISABILITY AND TECHNOLOGY 18
CRPD UPDATE 18
2010 HUMAN DEVELOPMENT REPORT:
40-YEAR TRENDS ANALYSIS SHOWS POOR COUNTRIES
MAKING FASTER DEVELOPMENT GAINS 18
NEWS FROM THE REGIONS 19
AFRICA 19
NEW REHABILITATION CENTRE, NEW HOPE IN
TARABA STATE, NIGERIA 19
AFRICAN UNION FOR THE BLIND UPDATE:
HIV & AIDS AWARENESS AND TRAINING PROGRAM 19
CLUB OF THE YOUNG & REHABILITATED BLIND
OF CAMEROON (CJARC) 20
ASIA-PACIFIC 20
WORKING TOGETHER, DELIVERING AUDIO
DESCRIPTION (AD) THROUGHOUT THE WORLD 20
ASIA 21
ASIAN BLIND UNION (ABU) LAUNCHES NEW WEBSITE 21
MS. FATIMA AHMED AL-ELAGHIL TAKES LEAD IN
EMPOWERING OTHER BLIND WOMEN IN YEMEN 21
EUROPE 22
A NEW VISUAL IDENTITY FOR EBU 22
ACCESSIBLE BANK SERVICES IN BELGIUM 22
SIGNS & SIGNAGE FOR PEOPLE WITH LOW VISION 23
LATIN AMERICA 23
TWENTY-FIVE YEARS OF WORK BENEFITING PEOPLE
WITH VISUAL DISABILITIES 23
NORTH AMERICA AND THE CARIBBEAN 24
ONLINE CERTIFICATE PROGRAM ON DISABILITY 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, January 17, 2011 for our next 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
Welcome to the final issue of our e-Bulletin for 2010. As the year draws to an end, I would like to comment on just a few of our achievements and challenges over the year.
Our work for an international binding instrument at WIPO has made progress and had some set backs during the year. It is important to remember that all parties agree that the time is here to find a solution. It is also fantastic that access to published works for the print disability community remains an issue at the global level.
Our work in the area of employment is gaining strength and it is great to see that many regions have also taken up work in this area. Don’t forget to share stories of successful employment, peer and mentoring programs in the area of employment, good practice employment programs and resources, and examples of microcredit programs where people who are blind or have low vision are successfully engaged.
During October, IAPB and the WHO celebrated the mid point of the Vision2020 initiative. Although we still await the latest data from WHO on the situation of blindness around the world, I understand that there has been a decrease in the numbers of people who are blind. However, the goal of eliminate all unnecessary blindness by the year 2020 remains extremely ambitious. We continue to work with the eye care sector to ensure there are good and appropriate pathways from prevention to treatment, to educational, and rehabilitation services.
Our work with partners, as members of a range of international and regional bodies have ensured that issues important to us as people who are blind are incorporated into their work and add value to ours. We had a wonderful executive meeting in my home city of Melbourne during November. We had great participation from all regions and make progress in a number of areas of our work. An article on this meeting can be found later in this issue. Thank you to everyone for your great participation, hard work and long journeys.
It isn’t possible for me to comment on all of our work but encourage you to read the interesting and diverse articles in this issue. Past issues for 2010 provide a wealth of information to refer to and knowledge to keep at your convenience.
Thank you to all who have contributed to this e-Bulletin throughout the year, to our fantastic staff in Toronto, to our regional leaders and secretariats and to you our members.
I look forward to 2011, another year which looks extremely busy for all of us.
Maryanne
WBU EXECUTIVE MEETS IN MELBOURNE - AUSTRALIA
The WBU Executive met in Melbourne Australia from November 11-13, hosted by Vision Australia. The meeting was opened with a Welcome to Country by an Indigenous Senior Elder as well as an address by the Assistant Treasurer for Australia having previously had responsibility for disability. There were 25 Executive delegates or alternates present from all Regions. The Executive meeting was preceded by meetings of the Diversity, Membership Fees and Finance Committee and the Languages working group and a meeting of the Employment working group was held following the Executive meeting.
In addition, two declarations were taken by the Executive, which will be included in full at the end of this article. Several themed sessions were also held as part of the Executive meeting in order to enable the Executive to focus on specific issues and provide opportunities for excellent discussion and input.
A session on Employment updated the Executive on our global employment strategy and sought their input in the areas of developing case studies, peer support and mentoring programs, micro-enterprise and income generating activities and sharing employment models and resources.
A session on membership led to a discussion of our present membership structure, its benefits and barriers to membership with the consensus that our present membership structure continues to be appropriate for our organization and that only minor constitutional refinements could resolve any membership issues that we have.
A session on the CRPD was honored by the presence of Ron McCallum who is presently Chair of the CRPD Monitoring Committee. Ron gave an excellent overview of the CRPD monitoring process. Also included in that session was an overview of the CRPD toolkit being developed by WBU for its members and which will be available in the new year, as well as a discussion of the CRPD parallel reporting process.
A fourth themed session that involved presentations from several of our international partners provided an excellent overview of how we can strengthen our work and our messages through collaboration with our international partners.
The following highlights some of the key items discussed and decisions taken:
8th General Assembly Awarded
Following a process to receive and review bids from members to host the 8th General Assembly in 2012, the Executive accepted the recommendation to hold the 8th General Assembly in Bangkok, Thailand from November 12 to 16, 2012. The Assembly will be hosted by the Thailand Association of the Blind. The Assembly will be preceded by a Diversity Forum for one and one-half days on November 10 and 11th. In addition, the Executive agreed to explore the possibility of organizing the Assembly in collaboration with ICEVI, who will also be holding its Assembly and World Conference in 2012. Further information about plans for the General Assembly will be included in the next and following e-Bulletins.
New WBU Members Approved
The Executive approved the acceptance of six new members. They are the following: National Federation of the Blind of Bangladesh whose acceptance also changed the status of Bangladesh from a Special Member to a full National Member; three new International members: Hadley School for the Blind, Inclusive Planet, and Arab Union of the Blind; and two new Associate members: National Braille Press (USA), Blind Education and Rehabilitation Development Organization, BERDO (Bangladesh). We welcome all of these new members to the WBU family.
Review of Strategic Plan Progress
Each Strategic Priority Leader reported on progress on achieving our 2009–2012 Strategic Plan. All areas have seen progress and several initiatives are showing very good success. A summary status report providing an update on all initiatives within the workplan was prepared and this will be posted on the WBU website shortly for the convenience of our members.
Review of Reports and Policies
A number of reports and policy statements were reviewed by the Executive. The Treasurer presented the financial statements to September 30th which indicate a positive performance compared to budget in that our revenues are better than budget and our expenses below budget for the first three-quarters of the year.
An evaluation report had been prepared on the membership fee structure which had been adopted by the General Assembly in 2008. The report, which is available to members upon request, revealed that the number of countries paying their fees has increased as well as revenues from fees. The membership fees committee had reviewed over forty requests for membership fee relief, which included reclassifications of fee categories, transition periods or reduction in membership fees and all but three requests had resulted in some relief being provided. The evaluation revealed that overall, the new membership fees structure has been a success. The committee continues to make adjustments as needed and in fact received the support of the Executive to extend the transition period for members in need for up to five years to 2014 in light of the economic difficulties faced by some members.
The Executive approved three new policy documents including: a protocol on policy papers which sets out the types of policy papers we have and the development and approval process; a revised fundraising policy; and an investment policy. The Executive also provided input to the draft of a new position statement on WBU response to emergency or crisis situations in order to clarify WBU’s role in these situations. This policy statement will be further developed for approval at a later date.
Preliminary discussions were also held regarding possible amendments to the constitution at the next General Assembly.
This then, is a brief summary of the discussions held and decisions taken at the Executive meeting. As this was to be the only face to face meeting of the Executive between the Assemblies, it was an important and substantive meeting. All members worked hard and there was excellent participation from all members who shared their experience and regional perspectives. The meeting was invaluable in helping to confirm our priorities and work for the final two years of the present quadrennium.
THE MELBOURNE DECLARATION ISSUED BY THE WORLD BLIND UNION AND THE DAISY CONSORTIUM ON NOVEMBER 13, 2010
"Recalling the productive relationship which has traditionally existed between the goals of WBU and the efforts of the DAISY Consortium, the Boards of the two organizations welcome and support the following as ways to implement the UN Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities in relation to access to information ..."
1. The integration of the DAISY standard with mainstream publishing systems;
2. Accessible publishing directly by publishers via EPUB and similar accessible electronic publishing solutions;
3. The creation of an accessible digital version of all published materials, utilizing solutions such as the "save as DAISY" option in Open office, Microsoft word, Adobe in design etc.;
4. The adoption by Publishers of the use of a single electronic source file from which all formats, including accessible versions, can be simply created;
5. Development of the DAISY standards to encompass file-formats which enables the easy production of electronic and hard-copy braille;
6. International inter-operable standards for access to information;
7. The ability to exchange information across national boundaries unhindered by copyright restrictions;
8. A network of trusted intermediaries which publishers can use, recognizing that the flow of files from publishers to trusted intermediaries is essential to reduce costs and increase speed of publication;
9. A copyright exception to cater for publishers who will not create a license for a worldwide trusted intermediary network;
10. Capacity Building in Developing Countries for production and distribution of accessible books using DAISY Standards based tools and systems and availability of affordable assistive technology for end users to access such books.
MELBOURNE RESOLUTION ON JOINT ICEVI-WBU ADVOCACY FOR EFA-VI
The WBU Executive meeting in Melbourne, Australia, Nov 11-13, 2010
Recognizing that after 20 years of operation the global initiative on Education For All supported by UNESCO, UNICEF, and The World Bank is still largely failing to include the needs of children with visual impairment in national level initiatives
Resolves that:
1. WBU and ICEVI will develop a specific advocacy and lobbying strategy to pressure the EFA Fast Track Initiative of The World Bank to take proactive measures to address the educational needs of blind children, including provision of accessible textbooks and other learning materials; and,
2. WBU and ICEVI will work together to develop an effective advocacy strategy to pressure national governments to make specific provision in national EFA plans for children with visual impairment, with specific and immediate priority being given to those countries targeted by the ICEVI-WBU Global Campaign on Education for All Children with Visual Impairment.
WBU DIVERSITY COMMITTEE UPDATE REPORT
The WBU Diversity Committee is currently focusing on 3 areas of work: women, elderly and children. This brief update covers some of our activities and particularly welcomes interest and a response from
regional members.
Elderly
The elderly working group, made up of experts from around the WBU regions, are currently working to produce material to raise our concerns about the global growth of age related sight loss. As an outcome we hope to produce materials that will be available to member organizations that they can use to advocate on behalf of elderly blind in their own countries. Our second stage will be to pull together examples of good practice that organizations will be able to use when planning services to meet the challenge of growing demands. In order to make this information as relevant as we can, it is important that we reflect your local, regional and cultural differences when it comes to caring for older people. Do please support this important program by contacting us via the WBU office.
Children
The children’s working group recognizes the significant role of parents of children with visual impairments and the work of national parents’ associations that aim to support, educate, and advocate for the special education and medical services for children who are blind and their families. In order to encourage communication and information sharing internationally for families, the children’s committee has decided to do a search for all the national associations for parents of visually impaired, blind and those with deaf-blindness or multiple disabilities around the world and to compile the contact information to be posted on the WBU website. A letter will be distributed to WBU regions asking for contact information for any parents’ associations you are aware of in your country or region. We appreciate your contribution to our committee’s project as we feel the directory of parents’ associations will be a great resource.
Women
Women all around the world want to be connected and in many countries excellent groups already exist. Some countries and organizations do not currently have a forum for women to participate. The working group is listening to the existing forums so that they can share knowledge where there is still a need. We are keen to hear from individual women and from organizations’ representatives to join an email forum for women’s issues. Everybody should embrace the equality agenda and the working group understands that to make a difference for blind people globally, everyone needs to participate, whatever their gender. We invite you to contact us via the WBU office.
“BRAILLE WITHOUT BORDERS” GRADUATES REALIZE THEIR DREAMS
The International Institute for Social Entrepreneurs (IISE) in Trivandrum, Kerala (South India) operates under the umbrella of Braille without Borders Charitable Trust (BWB). In 2005, BWB was co-founded by Sabriye Tenberken, who became blind when she was 12, and Paul Kronenberg, who has a background in mechanical engineering, computer science, commercial technology, and communication system science.
IISE creates credible and effective leaders for positive social change across the world. Their 11-month experiential program helps them set up social projects that improve the quality of blind, visually impaired people, and marginalized target groups in an earth-respecting environment that promotes leadership training through innovation, collaboration, and positive social change.
The IISE does not believe in different schools on segregation based on: physical ability or disability, between highly educated participants to participants who have never been in a formal education set up, between people from developing countries or developed countries, between young and old. It is an institution open to people who wish to bring a positive change in society, and are driven by this need.
The IISE welcomes participants, all over 22 years of age, whom have overcome significant life challenges ranging from vision impairment, disability, poverty, war, discrimination and exploitation. Most of them have personally experienced adversity or witnessed a particular situation that they wish to change so others do not suffer. 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 11-month program, participants develop all 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. All selected participants receive a full scholarship, including travel costs, accommodation and a high-end course by a group of international experts. To ensure high quality training, IISE accommodates a maximum of 30 participants per academic year.
In January 2009, the IISE welcomed its first batch of 20 participants. They all returned to their home countries to work on the realization of their planned social projects. Learn more about how these projects are developing by visiting http://www.braillewithoutborders.org/ENGLISH/IISE-Grads-August-2010.pdf
In 2010, IISE has trained 29 participants from 18 countries who will graduate in December and return home to begin their dream projects. Over 120 applications from 34 countries worldwide have already been received for 2011 and the 30 most suitable candidates will soon be finalized.
LOUD, PROUD, AND PASSIONATE
(Excerpted from an article by Manique Guneratne - Second Vice President, Sri Lanka Federation of the Visually Handicapped; Secretary, Daisy Lanka Foundation; Resource Person to Train, Promote & Develop Information & Communication Technology for Visually Impaired Persons; Junior Executive –The Employers’ Federation of Ceylon)
Swinging 50 feet in the air, suspended by ropes, I screamed as I plummeted toward the ground. “It felt good to put my fears aside and just go for it” that was the feeling when swinging in the air.
I, a visually impaired young lady, was part of a group of 29 disabilities activists from around the world – Africa, Asia, Europe, Latin America and the Middle East – who was in Eugene, Oregon in U.S.A. for the Mobility International USA’s fifth International Women’s Institute on Leadership and Disability, WILD. They lived up to the acronym.
The group met in August at the Spencer Butte challenge course (one of the many areas covered at the program) to get to know each other a little better and to test their boundaries. The challenge course is all about teamwork and breaking down preconceived notions society has of what they think is possible for women with disabilities.
In the wooded terrain, the harnessed women swung from ropes, manoeuvred from high platforms and balanced on a seesaw-type structure, cheering each other through the frightening undertaking. Apart from the challenge course, river rafting, problem solving, policies and legislations, inclusive education, inclusive employment, fund raising and proposal writing and women’s issues were some areas covered at the training.
Although hailing from different countries and cultures and holding different political views, all similarities united everyone in Eugene, Oregon in U.S.A. All had a disability and wanted to make change.
The 3-week program included seminars and workshops at the University of Oregon and a four-day retreat with 24 alumni of the program and other organizations such as the Gender, Disability and Development Institute.
Women with disabilities have less access to education, more chance of being victims of crime and contracting HIV. Therefore, Mobility International selected 30 prominent disabilities rights activists to share their knowledge and to gain insight from others.
The women all had different levels of expertise – law, health, education, business, HIV/AIDS, violence prevention. “The program was designed for the women to learn from each other.”
My dream is to be a role model for women with disabilities and let them know that they are able to do what they want. I want them to be independent. I also recognize the value of collaborating with other disability groups. I don’t think we need to be separate any longer. It’s important to be united as women with disabilities to change attitudes from sympathy to empathy, dependence to independence and hidden to open.
This program was like a dream come true. We can learn from people. Maybe, we can make our disability a bridge to communicate, to help people in the world to make peace with each other.
STEVIE WONDER ENDORSES WBU’s PROPOSED WIPO TREATY
(Excerpted from an article by Dan Pescod, Campaigns Manager-Europe, International and Accessibility, The Royal National Institute of Blind People)
As you know, for the last year and a half WBU has been urging government representatives at the World Intellectual Property Organisation’s Copyright Committee (SCCR) to support the WBU proposed treaty, which was formally tabled at the SCCR in May 2009 by the governments of Brazil, Ecuador and Paraguay.
On behalf of WBU/EBU, Chris Friend and Dan Pescod attended the WIPO General Assemblies in September 2010. At the start of that meeting, our friends in the music industry managed to organize a slot for singer Stevie Wonder to make a powerful speech. The webcast is available at: http://www.wipo.int/aboutwipo/en/assemblies/webcasting
Mr. Wonder could not have been clearer that the time for a binding agreement in WIPO is now, and that the assembled countries should get on with making that agreement. (He promised them a free concert when they finish the job!)
ANNOUNCEMENTS
DIRECTOR OF PERKINS INTERNATIONAL APPOINTMENT
It is a pleasure to announce the appointment of Dr. W. Aubrey Webson as the new Director of Perkins International. Aubrey will be responsible for the strategic and operational elements of Perkins International and its work with hundreds of partners in 65 countries around the world. Perkins’ new 2010-2015 Strategic Plan highlights the importance of expanding internationally and their international work includes the Hilton/Perkins program, which has been at the core of their international development work for over two decades.
Aubrey started at Perkins in 1992 where he has led the work in the growth of services in Africa and the Caribbean. He has helped to shape educational services for children who are deafblind and those with multiple disabilities, supported government and service workers in policy development, and introduced and implemented the Institutional Development Program, a capacity building project for organizations of the blind in Africa and the Caribbean. Recently Aubrey has added work with braille literacy to his portfolio.
On behalf of the WBU, congratulations and much success to you, Aubrey, in your new role!
FIRST CALL FOR ABSTRACTS: TRANSED 2012 AT DELHI, INDIA
Svayam, an initiative of S.J.Charitable Trust, India is proud to announce the 13th International Conference on Mobility and Transport for Elderly and Disabled Persons will take place in India from September 17-21, 2012 on the theme "Seamless Access for All: Universal Design for Transport Systems and Infrastructure as a key element in the creation of livable cities". TRANSED 2012 will showcase international innovation and technological solutions for accessible transportation and travel through papers and posters as well as through live exhibitions of products, services, and best practices.
This is the first call inviting abstracts from potential authors on the following topics:
a) Role of the UN Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities (UNCRPD)
b) Best practices and innovations
c) Accessible tourism: Conservation, access to the historic and natural heritage
d) Environmental impact, sustainability, and accessibility of integrated multimodal systems
e) Accessible Bus Rapid Transit
f) Highway design and safety
g) Pedestrian mobility & safety for livable communities
h) Rural access and mobility
i) Implementation, monitoring and enforcement
j) Others
Deadline for receipt of abstracts is March 30, 2011. For further details please visit http://www.transed2012.in/abstract_submission.html
LIONS CLUB INTERNATIONAL ESSAY CONTEST
Lions Clubs International is offering you an opportunity to support your local visually-impaired youth. The Lions International Essay Contest is open to 11, 12 and 13-year-old students who are visually impaired. Work with your fellow Lions, local schools and area families to identify young people who are interested in participating and who could benefit from this program. One grand prize winner will receive an award and US $5,000.
The theme for the essay is “Power of Peace.” Each essay must be submitted with a completed entry form. Essays must be no longer than 500 words in length, submitted in English, type-written in black ink and double-spaced. For the complete rules and entry form, visit http://www.lionsclubs.org/EN/common/pdfs/pr41.pdf Deadline to submit your essay is February 15, 2011.
FESTIVAL OF INTERNATIONAL CONFERENCES ON CAREGIVING, DISABILITY, AGING, AND TECHNOLOGY (FICCDAT)
Save the Date: June 5-8, 2011 in Toronto, Ontario, Canada
International Conference on Best Practices for Universal Design
The goal of universal practice is to make the environment more usable for a broader range of people in more situations. Although the universal design movement has made significant progress (e.g., iconic buildings and housing, new initiatives in public and professional education, best practice design guidelines, etc.), there is a strong need to advance the development of evidence based practice. This conference will explore new and exciting strategies to help support our increasingly diverse population. It will bring together professionals and experts from around the world to address critical issues and questions about universal design in a format supporting dialogue and discussion. Session themes include:
• Housing and Home Modifications
• Public Buildings
• Community Environments
• Research Methods
• Certification and Commitment Programs
• UD and Dissemination, Information, and Education
• The Next Generation Accessible Bus
Log onto www.ficcdat.ca for more detailed information.
INTERNATIONAL MOBILITY CONFERENCE
Save the Date: February 13-17, 2012
Location: Palmerston North, New Zealand
A Call for Papers will be issued in February 2011 with a closing date of April 30, 2011. Emails may be sent to secretariat@imc14.com or directly to Professor Steve LaGrow the Conference Organiser s.j.lagrow@massey.ac.nz For more information, please visit the conference web site: www.imc14.com
RESOURCES
BRAILLE21: “BRAILLE POST” MAGAZINE IS NOW DIGITALLY AVAILABLE
The first edition of the Braille Post has recently been launched and will continue to be published every three months. It will prepare the themes of the World Congress Braille21 for the long term. The Braille Post will inform regularly about the progress of the project Braille21 and it will communicate current knowledge about braille. To order copies of the Braille Post for your organization or for you individually, please email info@braille21.net. The following formats are available:
• Braille-Post in uncontracted braille, English
• Braille-Post in contracted braille, German
• Braille-Post in common print, English
• Braille-Post in common print, German
All editions of the Braille Post are also available for download at:
http://www.braille21.net/en/press (English version), or
http://www.braille21.net/de/presse (German version)
WHO RELEASES GUIDELINES ON COMMUNITY-BASED REHABILITATION FOR PEOPLE WITH DISABILITIES
Community-Based Rehabilitation (CBR) is a strategy for the equalization of opportunities and social integration of all children and adults with disabilities. The "Community-Based Rehabilitation Guidelines”, a new document developed by more than 180 individuals and nearly 300 organizations, the majority from low-income and middle-income countries, offers practical ways to enhance the quality of life for people with disabilities and their families and provides practical suggestions to program managers on how to develop or strengthen community-based programs that are inclusive of people with disabilities and their families.
The guidelines are based on a new CBR matrix which includes five components--health, education, livelihood, social, and empowerment--each with their corresponding elements. CBR program implementers can select, based on local needs and priorities, which components and elements to implement. The guidelines strongly encourage the inclusion and participation of people with disabilities and their families in all decision-making processes.
WHO will provide technical support to member states to facilitate the implementation of the guidelines and ensure they reach a wide audience. In addition WHO will support the development of a training package, facilitation of "train-the-trainer" programs, strengthening of regional CBR networks, and the development of a global CBR network.
To access the Community-Based Rehabilitation (CBR) guidelines visit: http://www.who.int/disabilities/cbr/guidelines/en/index.html, or for more information, please contact Mr. Chapal Khasnabis at khasnabisc@who.int
WHO WELCOMES APPLICANTS WITH DISABILITIES
The WHO Task Force on Disability, supported by a network of disability champions across the organization, is making real progress in dismantling barriers to employment at WHO. Hot on the heels of the new welcome statement, which reads "WHO is committed to workforce diversity", comes a new policy on disability and employment, which sets out how WHO will work towards reasonable accommodation, an accessible office environment and flexible working arrangements, among other measures, to ensure fairness and respect for persons with disabilities.
But fine words mean nothing if practices do not change, which is why the audit of the e-Recruitment website was so important. This summer, WHO received an independent report identifying barriers, for example, to people with visual impairments. The process of implementing the necessary changes is already under way.
Finally, disability equality training is being delivered to staff who sit on selection panels, so they are aware of the human rights approach to disability and understand the principle of reasonable accommodation of people with disabilities in the workplace. All these measures mean that WHO is better placed to welcome persons with disabilities into the workforce. Now all that's needed is for suitable qualified people to apply. Over to you! Link to the WHO E-Recruitment site: http://www.who.int/employment/recruitment/en/
DISABLED PEOPLE’S INTERNATIONAL (DPI) LAUNCHES NEW WEBSITE
Please visit DPI’s new website at http://www.dpi.org. Here you will find updates to position and policy papers on the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) and on Disability and Poverty Eradication, as well as DPI's Annual Report 2009-2010.
UNESCO REPORT ON DISABILITY AND TECHNOLOGY
This UNESCO Report summarizes the recommendations of a group of experts on how UNESCO could assist its Member States in facilitating social inclusion of persons with disabilities through information and communication technologies (ICT). The Report can be read by following links at http://portal.unesco.org/ci/en/ev.php-URL_ID=30877&URL_DO=DO_TOPIC&URL_SECTION=201.html
CRPD UPDATE
The Committee on the Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities (CRPD) closed its fourth session, which was primarily devoted to the discussion of its procedures and working methods, in Geneva on October 8, 2010.
The Committee held a Day of General Discussion on Article 9 of the Convention pertaining to accessibility. Over the course of two meetings, the Committee held three sessions on the right to access on an equal basis with others to physical environment and transportation and the right to equal access to virtual and material information and communications, as well as best practices on the implementation and promotion of accessibility. To read more, go to http://www.unog.ch/80256EDD006B9C2E/(httpNewsByYear_en)/22262DBDB4A9FE6FC12577B60051CBC5?OpenDocument
2010 HUMAN DEVELOPMENT REPORT: 40-YEAR TRENDS ANALYSIS SHOWS POOR COUNTRIES MAKING FASTER DEVELOPMENT GAINS
The 20th anniversary UNDP Human Development Report finds long-term progress in health and education is not determined by income; the Report introduces new indices for gender, poverty, and inequality. Most developing countries made dramatic yet often underestimated progress in health, education and basic living standards in recent decades, with many of the poorest countries posting the greatest gains. Yet patterns of achievement vary greatly, with some countries losing ground since 1970, the 2010 Human Development Report shows. To read the full report, please visit http://hdr.undp.org/en/reports
NEWS FROM THE REGIONS
AFRICA
NEW REHABILITATION CENTRE, NEW HOPE IN TARABA STATE, NIGERIA
(Excerpted from Hope for the Blind Foundation Newsletter)
The Hope for the Blind Foundation has submitted a proposal to the Nigerian government to build a new rehabilita¬tion centre in Jalingo, Taraba State, Nigeria. Establishing a new rehab centre in the North- East Geo-Political Zone means that those people who are blind and living in the stated area, need not travel the long way to the Hope Centre, located in Zaria. The new rehab centre will provide trainings including: Braille reading and writing skills, typing and computer skills, daily living skills, orientation and mobility skills, etc. Delivery of services to the blind in the Northeast region will begin as soon as the Foundation has approved funding for this project. For more information, please visit www.hopefortheblind.org
AFRICAN UNION FOR THE BLIND UPDATE: HIV & AIDS AWARENESS AND TRAINING PROGRAM
Year II countries have recorded impressive performance and have gone the extra mile to reach more visually impaired persons than was planned for in the grassroots training. Ninety-five Peer Educators (57 women, 38 men) have been trained in Benin, Eritrea, Liberia and Mali. They continue to be active in their organizations in as far as training is concerned.
As of October 2010, a total of 3,236 visually impaired persons have been reached with information on HIV & AIDS in the four countries (1,950 females and 1,285 males) through grassroots level training workshops (827 in Benin; 789 in Eritrea; 926 in Liberia; and 694 in Mali).
A lobby committee was set up in the four target countries. Advocacy activities continue to take place, and countries have reported increased networks and partnerships with other HIV stakeholders/ organizations in their countries. All the four countries have held at least 3 meetings. The use of the media, mostly radio and print, has been employed by all the countries. In addition, the following materials have been produced in English and French: (1) Train the Trainers Manual; (2) Manual on Minimum Criteria for Including Visually Impaired Persons; and, (3) HIV Information Booklet. This booklet has been translated into local languages of the four respective countries.
CLUB OF THE YOUNG & REHABILITATED BLIND OF CAMEROON (CJARC)
Congratulations to Coco Bertin, Managing Director of CJARC, on the launch of his third album “Surprise” and his new book, In Pursuit of a Dream. A fundraiser event will be held on December 7 at the Hilton Hotel in Yaounde to support education initiatives for children who are blind in Cameroon. For more information, please contact Coco Bertin at cjarc2006@yahoo.fr.
ASIA-PACIFIC
WORKING TOGETHER, DELIVERING AUDIO DESCRIPTION (AD) THROUGHOUT THE WORLD
Sonali Rai of the Royal National Institute of Blind People met Alex Varley, CEO Media Access Australia, recently to discuss and share the latest developments in the field of AD across Australia and the UK. Alex stated that as a direct consequence of the fantastic support that Media Access Australia has received from the Media and Culture Team RNIB over the past few years, latest information on the DVDs being released with audio description, they are now not only at par with the UK as far as DVDs with AD were concerned but just a little bit ahead.
They take all the AD being produced in the UK and also describe their own home grown films. Aside from this, Alex also mentioned that the Government in Australia has recently announced their plan to ensure that every major cinema chain location is made more accessible for patrons who are deaf or blind by the end of 2014 in addition to exploring an AD trial on their television by 2011.
The WBU Technology Committee continues to work on plans to share best practice around access to TV and film throughout the world, including the possibility of creating a demonstration DVD and documentation to support the adoption of AD by as many countries as possible. For further information, contact: Pete.osborne@rnib.org.uk
+44 1670 829447
ASIA
ASIAN BLIND UNION (ABU) LAUNCHES NEW WEBSITE
Check out ABU’s new website at www.abunion.org. Your comments and feedback are welcome! On behalf of the WBU, thank you for all your effort in making information more available and accessible to people who are blind and partially sighted in your region.
MS. FATIMA AHMED AL-ELAGHIL TAKES LEAD IN EMPOWERING OTHER BLIND WOMEN IN YEMEN
(Excerpted from an article in the ABU Newsletter)
The work and contribution of Ms. Fatima Ahmed Al-Elaghil in empowering the blind in Yemen is well Known to many at the international level. With support from Asian Blind Union, the organization which she heads, namely Al-Aman Organization of Blind Women Care, conducted a legal literacy workshop for a cross section of government and civil society representatives.
The primary purpose of this workshop was to educate 30 visually impaired women from various provinces of Yemen about their rights so that they could become more aware, stronger and more capable in living as equal and meaningful citizens of society. According to Ms. Fatima, even after so many years, the majority of blind and low vision women in Yemen are not as aware of their rights as they ought to be.
Apart from empowering such women through legal literacy, additional objectives of this workshop were: to strengthen the partnership with government ministries and human rights organizations, and to raise
awareness of a number of associations and institutions dealing with disabilities.
The participants included 30 visually impaired women as well as representatives from a cross section such as decision makers from various government ministries, activists from human rights organizations, leaders of some NGOs engaged in work for persons with disabilities.
It was felt that with regard to visually impaired women in Yemen, family life and educational facilities were the two areas requiring immediate attention. Consequently, a number of practical recommendations were formulated at the end of the two day discussions.
EUROPE
A NEW VISUAL IDENTITY FOR EBU
On November 12, 2010, the European Blind Union (EBU) launched its new visual identity at the EBU PROGRESS conference in Vienna, Austria. The logo is part of an overall communication package developed with the contribution of the Community Program For Employment and Social Solidarity – PROGRESS, which includes a redesigned EBU website, and a range of communication materials to be launched in December 2010.
The aim is to make EBU more recognizable as a brand and to achieve a clear, consistent visual identity that resonates with all concerned. This brand reflects the organization’s mission and core values, as represented in EBU’s stated objective “to protect and promote the interests of blind and partially sighted people in Europe to live full and independent lives. EBU works towards an inclusive society in which blind and partially sighted people have equal opportunities to full participation in society.”
The new logo represents an eye; symbolic of its campaigns to defend the rights of blind and partially sighted people throughout Europe, but also of their aim in increasing visibility and awareness. Within the eye, the letters EBU simplify the European Blind Union into an interdependent and synergistic design, and the strapline reinforces our message. Our new identity is intended to be more inclusive--EBU is about men and women, young and elderly, blind and partially sighted at all levels of society. This requires one core logo and a strong visual theme to bring greater unity to our publications while adopting a more outward-looking approach.
ACCESSIBLE BANK SERVICES IN BELGIUM
(Excerpted from an article in the EBU Newsletter)
On October 15th, 2010, the Belgian Confederation for the Blind and Partially Sighted organized an event on accessible bank services for blind and partially sighted persons. On that occasion the BNP Paribas Fortis Bank launched the first accessible Automated Teller Machines (ATM).
By the end of 2010, ten ATMs will be accessible. Two months later, the number will be increased to 600. Up to that moment only BNP clients will have access to the service. From April 2011, everyone will be able to use the accessible ATM. This should be a signal for other banks to follow this example of good practice. The Confederation will keep in touch with the Federation of the Belgian Banks. For further information contact Harry Geyskens, Belgian Confederation for Blind and Partially Sighted E-mail: bcbs.cbpam@skynet.be, tel: +32 2 732 53 24
SIGNS & SIGNAGE FOR PEOPLE WITH LOW VISION
(Excerpted from a feature article in EBU’s Newsletter)
A new study by ANEC (the European consumer voice in standardization) shows that the size of pictograms, symbols, icons and text used in public places such as airports, metro stations and shopping centres should be at least 5% of the Critical Reading Distance (CRD) in order to be readable by the majority of consumers, including people with visual impairments. Optimal, but not maximal, contrast intensity should be around a value of 75% on the white-black axis. From the new study, carried out by the University of Ghent (Belgium), it is clear that the interaction between size and contrast has to be considered when discussing guidelines for visual accessibility in public spaces.
At present no harmonized approach exists in Europe with regard to size, character height of text and symbols, foreground/background contrast, colour, reading distance, localisation, lighting and legibility of signs used in public places.
Finally, the study draws attention to the particular challenges posed by ensuring both localization and recognition of signs as they are both essential for independent travelling and mobility. However, while recognition is acceptable from 5% CRD on and hardly increases beyond that threshold, localization still improves until 9% CRD.
To read ANEC’s full report along with recommendations, please visit www.anec.eu
LATIN AMERICA
TWENTY-FIVE YEARS OF WORK BENEFITING PEOPLE WITH VISUAL DISABILITIES
On November 15, 2010, the Latin American Union of the Blind (ULAC) celebrated its 25th anniversary. This historic occasion marked the dedication and commitment of this organization over the past 25 years and its vision for the future. The event took place in the city of Mar del Plata, Argentina, the very same place where the organization was founded in 1985.
Founding members, leaders in the field of blindness, national and international authorities, and the general public convened to review and assess the work accomplished to-date and to jointly construct the future of the organization. Special participation of experts in areas such as human rights, international cooperation, and communication offered to the day an ideal framework for reflection.
The Enrique Elissalde Distinction Award was presented to the ONCE Foundation for Solidarity with the Blind People of Latin America (FOAL), an institution that has tirelessly supported the work of ULAC in the region.
Recognition was also directed to the work and dedication of all their Presidents--Jose Monteagudo, Gloria Peniza, Adilson Ventura and Enrique Elissalde, these last two already deceased.
After the commemoration day, the ULAC Executive Committee meeting took place. The creation of a working group in charge of the design of a strategic plan that mirrors the priority areas and objectives of the WBU’s strategic plan was established.
NORTH AMERICA AND THE CARIBBEAN
ONLINE CERTIFICATE PROGRAM ON DISABILITY
Three academic units at Queen's University in Canada-the International Centre for the Advancement of Community Based Rehabilitation, the School of Rehabilitation Therapy, and the Office of Inter-professional Education and Practice-have joined forces to create an interdisciplinary online program focusing on Community Based Rehabilitation (CBR), Disability and International Development. Building on decades of international experience, Queen's University is offering a fully online certificate program to the international audience of administrators, health and social professionals, community workers and others with an interest in disability and development. To read more go to http://www.queensu.ca/icacbr/onlinecertificateprogram.html
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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