WBU E-BULLETIN VOLUME 5, ISSUE 2, April 2011
WBU E-BULLETIN
VOLUME 5, ISSUE 2
April 2011
TABLE OF CONTENTS
CONTRIBUTIONS TO THE E-BULLETIN 3
PRESIDENT’S MESSAGE 3
WELCOME TO MARIANNE MCQUILLAN 4
UPDATE FROM WBU OFFICERS MEETING 4
WBU PLANS COLLABORATIVE GENERAL ASSEMBLY WITH ICEVI 5
UPDATE ON WIPO MEETINGS 6
EMPLOYMENT RESOURCE BANK PROJECT 7
NEW WBU WEBSITE LAUNCHED 7
WBU SIGNS UPDATED MOU WITH IBSA 8
BLIND OR SIGHTED, OUR BRAINS PROCESS READING
MATERIAL THE SAME 8
REMINDERS 10
BRAILLE21 REGISTRATIONS 10
BRAILLE21 AWARD 10
CONSULTATION ON WBU DRAFT STANDARDS FOR USER REQUIREMENTS FOR TELEVISION RECEIVING EQUIPMENT 10
WBU INSTITUTIONAL DEVELOPMENT PROGRAM (IDP)
5TH AFRICA FORUM REGISTRATION 11
PARENTS ASSOCIATION SURVEYS 11
CASE STUDIES FOR EMPLOYMENT INITIATIVE 11
WIPO BRIEFING DOCUMENT 11
WBU SCHOLARSHIP APPLICATIONS 12
ANNOUNCEMENTS 12
APPLICATIONS OPEN FOR 2012 COURSE AT INTERNATIONAL INSTITUTE FOR SOCIAL ENTREPRENEURS 12
ESPERANTO SUMMER LANGUAGE COURSE –
JULY 30 TO AUGUST 7TH 13
REQUEST FROM WORLD BANK (WB) 13
RESOURCES 13
HUMAN RIGHTS FACT SHEETS ON CRPD –
RESOURCE FOR EDUCATORS 13
“SOUNDAROUND” INTERNATIONAL AUDIO MAGAZINE AVAILABLE 14
MAGNETIC LETTER TOY 14
NEWS FROM THE REGIONS 14
AFRICA 14
RWANDA UNION OF THE BLIND WHITE CANE DAY
CELEBRATIONS 14
ASIA-PACIFIC 14
JAPAN FEDERATION OF THE BLIND SUPPORTING BLIND AND PARTIALLY SIGHTED PERSONS FOLLOWING THE EARTHQUAKE AND TSUNAMI IN JAPAN 14
ASIA 15
TOWARDS INCREASED PARTICIPATION OF WOMEN AND YOUTH: A BASELINE STUDY ON INVOLVEMENT OF WOMEN AND YOUTH IN ORGANIZATIONS WORKING WITH THE BLIND IN ABU REGION 15
LEARNING TO CAPTURE MOMENTS 17
EUROPE 17
PROMOTING COLLABORATION BETWEEN YOUNG AND OLD,
THE CONCLUSION OF THE INTERGEN PROJECT 17
ASTRONOMY FOR THE BLIND 18
LATIN AMERICA 19
CONGRATULATIONS TO MOISES BAUER 19
YOUTH PROGRAMS 19
WOMEN’S PROGRAMS 19
RIGHT TO READ CAMPAIGN IN LATIN AMERICA 20
NORTH AMERICA AND THE CARIBBEAN 20
BLIND MAN DRIVES CAR INDEPENDENTLY 20
WBU OFFICERS 21
REGIONAL PRESIDENTS 21
WBU STAFF 21
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 Friday, July 8, 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 Penny Hartin at penny.hartin@wbuoffice.org.
PRESIDENT’S MESSAGE
By Maryanne Diamond
2011 has begun with horrific natural disasters around the world. Our thoughts and prayers are with our brothers and sisters caught up in these situations. We also recognise that many man made disasters continue to have devastating impacts on many countries and particularly on those who are blind or partially sighted. One of the priorities the Vision Alliance partnership has agreed to is to work to influence mainstream relief and reconstruction organisations to ensure the needs of people who are blind are included in their work.
Congratulations to Ron McCallum who has been re-elected as chair of the CRPD monitoring committee for a two year period. The committee met in Geneva during April and has begun their work to review country reports. The International Disability Alliance (IDA) held a very informative meeting with many members of the CRPD committee during April. IDA is recognised by the committee as the main international body representing the interests of people with disability worldwide.
It is now more than four years since we began the E-bulletin which has been very successful in sharing information and learning about the priorities of the regions and activities under our strategic plan. It takes a great deal of time to put the bulletin together and have it translated before sending out to members and other interested individuals and organisations by our very small staff team in Toronto.
We have decided to do a trial of it being produced quarterly instead of by-monthly. At the same time, we will prepare an email message to members every two weeks. The purpose of the message is to provide information which is of urgent nature; upcoming events members may be interested in etc. This will only contain information which cannot wait until the next issue of the E-Bulletin and will be very short in length. We will make an assessment after one year as to how effective this new way of communicating with members is working.
I trust you will find the material contained in this issue very interesting and a demonstration of the diversity and breadth of our movement.
Maryanne
WELCOME TO MARIANNE MCQUILLAN
We are delighted to announce that Ms. Marianne McQuillan has joined our WBU team as Manager of Fund Development & Communications effective April 26th. Marianne comes to us with over ten years working for organizations involved in blindness prevention at the international level, notably Operation Eyesight Universal and Orbis International (Canada office). We welcome Marianne to the WBU team.
UPDATE FROM WBU OFFICERS MEETING
The WBU Officers held their early 2011 meeting in Amman Jordan on April 4 – 6, hosted by the Friendship Association of the Blind of Jordan. Our local hosts did a wonderful job of making us feel welcome in Jordan and their arrangements facilitated very productive meetings. We were honoured that HRH Prince Ra’ad bin Zeid attended the Official Opening of the meetings and later joined us for dinner the same day. The Officers meeting was preceded by meetings of the Development Committee, the Constitution Committee, the Policy Review Working Group, the Membership Fees Committee and the Finance Committee. Some highlights from the meetings included the following:
Agreement of a policy paper on WBU’s role in situations of emergency or disaster. This will be forwarded to the Executive for their final approval and then sent to the membership. We will work with our Vision Alliance members to consider the formation of a joint working group to develop an advocacy strategy to ensure that first response providers of emergency aid take into account the special needs of blind and partially sighted persons.
Progress on the strategic plan was reviewed and it was concluded that in general we are making good progress towards achieving the objectives set out in the plan. In those areas where we have not made as much progress as expected, the strategic priority and objective leaders will review and revise the action plan to reflect what can realistically be achieved by the end of 2012.
The preliminary year-end financial statements were reviewed. These showed a positive result for the year 2010 with income exceeding expenses by a modest amount, even after putting some funds aside to support delegates to attend the General Assembly next year. The audited statements are being finalized currently and once finalized, approved and translated, will be forwarded to the membership prior to the end of June. The budget for 2011 was also reviewed by the Finance Committee and approved by the Officers.
There was also discussion about plans for the 2012 General Assembly, the Employment initiative, our work with WIPO and other matters. These will be discussed in other sections of the e-bulletin.
In order to help some of our lower income countries that are having difficulties paying their WBU fees, we will be testing a process to allow countries to offer translation support into and from French and Spanish as an in-kind contribution towards payment of their fees. Further information about how to apply to participate in this process will be sent out shortly.
It was also agreed that only those countries that are fully financial by December 31, 2011 will be eligible to be considered for financial support to attend the 8th General Assembly in Bangkok in 2012.
WBU PLANS COLLABORATIVE GENERAL ASSEMBLY WITH ICEVI
We are pleased to confirm that the 8th General Assembly of the WBU will be held in cooperation with ICEVI in Bangkok, Thailand in November of 2012. While both organizations will hold their own General Assemblies, the programs will be organized in such a way as to allow two days of overlapping sessions that would be of interest to both WBU and ICEVI members and which will enable networking and sharing of information and expertise between the two organizations. We will have a joint organizing committee and joint program committee as well as a common registration process. Please watch the e-bulletin for updates as the planning progresses.
UPDATE ON WIPO MEETINGS
By Maryanne Diamond
I'd like to update you on recent developments with WBU's engagement with the stakeholder platform.
On Monday April 11th, Maryanne Diamond, WBU President, and Dan Pescod, Vice-chair of the WBU Right to Read Campaign, met Francis Gurry, WIPO Director General, his colleague Trevor Clarke, and IPA Chairman YS Chi who was accompanied by IPA's chief lobbyist Jens Bammel. WIPO called this meeting to see how WBU could be brought back into the stakeholder platform. We listened to issues and concerns from IPA representing the rightsholders and agreed to reflect on our position at the request of Francis Gurry. However, following reflection, WBU will continue to suspend its engagement in the stakeholder platform whilst we focus on delivering the treaty.
We are working very hard to campaign for the treaty and are confident that good progress will be made on this by the end of June. Likewise, whilst WBU and EBU have suspended their involvement in these platforms, we know that some organisations continue to work on key projects that will be needed to implement any treaty and move towards a more accessible model of publishing.
We also welcome the publication of the Accessible Publishing Best Practice Guidelines for Publishers which can be found at http://www.editeur.org/files/Collaborations/Accessibility/Accessible%20Publishing-Best%20Practice%20Guidelines%20for%20Publishers.pdf.
WBU fully recognises the value of working with the industry on access to books, and we did not take our decision to suspend our involvement on the stakeholder platforms lightly. We will review our participation in the WIPO Stakeholder Platform and EU Stakeholder Dialogue after the June meeting.
EMPLOYMENT RESOURCE BANK PROJECT
As a result of a major donation from the Trillium Foundation which is based in Ontario, Canada, we will shortly be able to commence the development of our Employment Resource Bank on our website. This was one of the key activities that we had planned to undertake as part of our WBU Employment Initiative. The project is a collaborative project with the CNIB who will be assisting us with the development of tools and resources. We wish to express our sincere appreciation to the CNIB for their willingness to collaborate with us in applying to a Foundation that is clearly a local Foundation for the CNIB, and for their support in working with us on the implementation of the project.
The Employment Resource Bank will collect a variety of tools and resources that will assist blind and partially sighted persons to improve their opportunities to secure employment in both the formal and informal economies. It will also provide resources to inform educators, rehabilitation workers and potential employers about the abilities of blind and partially sighted persons, the kinds of jobs blind persons are engaged in and job accommodation strategies. You will continue to hear more about the project as it evolves and we will also be asking you for information and resources to include in the resource bank.
NEW WBU WEBSITE LAUNCHED
As you know, the new WBU website was launched in mid February. The site was organized in a different way that we hope you find easy to use, and we included updated information. As we are now able to update information ourselves, we are able to update the site more quickly than in the past. We have attempted to have the majority of information in English, French and Spanish, and there are also accessibility features built into the site. It is our intention to continue to develop its capacity and to make it more attractive with photos and so forth. We encourage you to visit the site often for updated information and to find information regarding our members, guidelines, policy papers, other resources and documents. We are also very interested in hearing your feedback and suggestions about the site to make it as useful as possible to you.
WBU SIGNS UPDATED MOU WITH IBSA
At the WBU Executive meeting held in Melbourne Australia in November 2010, the WBU formally signed an updated Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) with IBSA (International Blind Sports Federation). The updated MOU was jointly signed by WBU President, Maryanne Diamond and IBSA President Michael Barredo.
Aims of the Memorandum of Understanding:
A. To promote closer co-operation between IBSA and WBU in view of the fact that both organisations share the common objective of achieving the full integration and maximum wellbeing of blind and partially sighted persons, and taking advantage of the common structure which exists in many IBSA and WBU member countries, in which the IBSA member organisation is also the WBU member organisation.
B. To seek to fulfil the objectives of the United Nations Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities (CRPD), in particular Article 30 Section 5 concerning Recreation and Sport, where “persons with disabilities” shall in this case be taken to refer to blind and partially sighted persons.
C. To strengthen the position of existing organisations specifically of blind and partially sighted persons, whether they be sports organisations or not, both in IBSA and WBU member countries and internationally.
D. To encourage the establishment of organisations of blind and partially sighted persons, including sports organisations, in those countries where such organisations do not currently exist.
A full text of the MOU can be requested from the WBU office at info@wbuoffice.org.
BLIND OR SIGHTED, OUR BRAINS PROCESS READING MATERIAL THE SAME
By Wendy Greif, Literacy News March 13th, 2011
It doesn't matter if readers use sight or Braille; the portion of the brain responsible for visual reading reacts exactly alike. According to new research from the Hebrew University of Jerusalem and France, brain imaging studies of blind people show activity in precisely the same part of the brain that lights up when people use vision to read.
Presented in the journal ‘Current Biology’, the study revealed that regardless of sensory input, the brain doesn't distinguish blind people reading Braille from sighted readers. Dr. Amir Amedi's team used functional magnetic resonance imaging (FMRI) to measure the neural activity in people who had been blind since birth while they read Braille. Researchers were interested in studying a very specific part of the brain, known as the Visual Word Form Area, or VWFA, which shows peaks of activity when studying sighted readers. The results were surprising.
Brain activity in blind and sighted readers showed identical patterns in the VWFA-in fact they were indistinguishable. The main functional properties of the VWFA were identical in both types of readers, requiring no visual experience at all. "To the best of our judgment, this provides the strongest support so far for the metamodal theory of brain function," said Dr. Amir Amedi of the Hebrew University of Jerusalem, who spearheaded the research team.
This suggests that brain regions are task-oriented and defined by the computations they perform. These findings challenge the textbook notion that the brain processes information in divided regions that are specialized for different senses, including touch and sight. As it turns out, that's not the case. "The brain is not a sensory machine, although it often looks like one; it is a task machine," said Amedi.
Most tasks the brain performs have been innately ingrained, unlike reading, which is a relatively new invention by comparison --- only about 5,400 years old. An even newer task, Braille has been around for 200 years. "That's not enough time for evolution to have shaped a brain-module dedicated to reading," Amedi explained. VWFA is a multisensory integration area that binds simple features into more elaborate shape descriptions making it ideal for the relatively new task of reading.
Researchers say that its specific anatomical location and strong connectivity to language areas enable it to bridge a high-level perceptual word representation and language-related components of reading. Consequently, it's the most suitable region to be taken over during reading acquisition-even when reading by touch without prior visual experience.
Up next for Amedi and his research associates is an examination of brain activity as people learn to read Braille for the first time. How rapidly does this takeover happen? How does the brain change to process information in words? Is it instantaneous? This study should answer these questions and shed even more light on how the human brain tackles a challenging task.
http://www.literacynews.com/2011/03/blind-or-sighted-our-brains-process-reading-material-the-same/
REMINDERS
Braille21 Registrations
Registration is now open for Braille21, the international Braille conference, focused on innovations in Braille that is being organized by the WBU World Braille Council and the German Central Library for the Blind. The conference will take place in Leipzig Germany from September 27 – 30th. For more information please visit www.braille21.net
Braille21 Award
A special award to recognize innovations in Braille will be presented at the Braille21 Conference. Information about the award is included in the nomination form which can be found on the WBU website at: http://www.worldblindunion.org/en/news-events/upcoming-events/Pages/default.aspx
Nominations close on July 31, 2011.
Consultation on WBU Draft Standards for User Requirements for Television Receiving Equipment
The WBU is seeking input on the Users Requirement Document for Television Receiving Equipment that has been developed by the WBU Technology Working Group, chaired by Stephen King at RNIB. The consultations close on April 29, 2011.
For further information, please visit the WBU website at the following link: http://www.worldblindunion.org/en/our-work/campaigns/Pages/AccessToTechnology.aspx
WBU Institutional Development Program (IDP) 5th Africa Forum Registration
The deadline for registrations for the IDP 5th Africa Forum is rapidly approaching. This 5th Africa Forum will be held from July 3 to 8 in Accra, Ghana. It brings together representatives of organizations of and for the blind, educators, researchers and government and civil society leaders from across Africa. For further information, please visit the IDP website at: www.wbu-idp.org
Parents Association Surveys
A few months ago, we sent out surveys to our membership to gather information about Parents Associations that may exist in different countries. We have had an excellent response, but would be pleased to continue to accept surveys if you know of an Association of Parents of Blind and Partially Sighted Children. If you need another copy of the survey please contact the WBU office at: info@wbuoffice.org.
Case Studies for Employment Initiative
As noted in the earlier article about the Employment Resource Bank, we are collecting case studies of individual blind and partially sighted persons in different employment situations as well as examples of models of employment programs. We sent out guidelines for these earlier this year and continue to welcome your input. You may find the guidelines on the WBU website at: http://www.worldblindunion.org/en/our-work/campaigns/Pages/default.aspx
WIPO Briefing Document
Over the past few months we have sent you documents related to our work with the World Intellectual Property Association in our efforts to obtain a treaty for the visually impaired. Your advocacy efforts are very important towards your national representatives who will be attending the June meeting of the WIPO Standing Committee on Copyright and Related Rights (SCCR). A Briefing document has been sent to you regarding this important work and how you can assist. That briefing document can be found on our WBU website at: http://www.worldblindunion.org/en/our-work/campaigns/Pages/default.aspx
For additional advice, please contact Christopher Friend, who is leading the Strategic Objective on the Right to Read campaign on behalf of the WBU. Chris’s email address is: cfwbu@sightsavers.org
WBU Scholarship Applications
This is a reminder that we are accepting applications for our scholarship funds for 2011. The three funds are: the Hermoine Grant Calhoun Scholarship fund for blind and partially sighted women and girls; the Pedro Zurita Youth Fund; and the Arne Husveg Development Fund. We expect that the Scholarships Committee will meet at the beginning of July, and while applications will be accepted later in the year, it is best to get the applications in earlier if possible as limited funds are available. You can find the guidelines and application forms for the three funds on the WBU website at the following link: http://www.worldblindunion.org/en/resources/scholarships/Pages/default.aspx.
ANNOUNCEMENTS
Applications open for 2012 course at International Institute for Social Entrepreneurs
Braille Without Borders is once again offering its 11 month couse at the International Institute for Social Entrepreneurship (IISE) in Kerala South India. The course will begin in January 2012.
“The IISE welcomes participants, all over 22 years of age, who 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. The IISE does not select its participants according to pre-education/degrees. What we are looking for are motivated and dedicated individuals who have the potential to start and run a social project.” For further information about the program and application process, please visit their website at: www.bwb-iise.org
Esperanto Summer Language Course – July 30 to August 7th
ILEI, the international association of Esperanto teachers, is organising an international Esperanto study week in Slovakia, Nitra, 90 km from the capital Bratislava. The distance from Vienna, Austria, to Bratislava is 45 km.
For the second time visually impaired, youth and adults are invited to attend this event. This is an excellent opportunity to learn Esperanto in the morning, enjoy various leisure activities, excursions, social evenings and to get acquainted with the Slovakian culture and that of other participating countries.
Further details about the course as well as online registration are available at
http://en.lernu.net/pri_lernu/renkontighoj/SES/2011/index.php
Request from World Bank (WB)
To respond more effectively to the emerging, fast-changing and challenging global demands expected in the next decade, the World Bank is preparing a new Social Protection and Labour Strategy. WB is consulting with a broad range of governments, development partners, civil society organizations, private sector, academics and other stakeholders to discuss how the World Bank can use social protection to help reduce poverty and inequality, and build human potential. To read more and contribute your opinion, go to http://web.worldbank.org/WBSITE/EXTERNAL/TOPICS/EXTSOCIALPROTECTION/0,,contentMDK:22804819~pagePK:210058~piPK:210062~theSitePK:282637,00.html
RESOURCES
Human Rights Fact Sheets on CRPD – Resource for Educators
The resource includes both theoretical information and practical tools. Nine activity sheets focus on a particular article of the Convention and are designed to get students to think about the rights that must be guaranteed in a democratic society.
The fact sheets can be found at the following link: http://book.coe.int/EN/ficheouvrage.php?PAGEID=36&lang=EN&produit_aliasid=2578
“SOUNDAROUND” International Audio Magazine Available
“Soundaround” is a monthly 100 minute cassette or CD magazine available free to blind and partially sighted persons around the world. The programme contains the following features: News and current affairs; Cookery and gardening; Competitions and quizzes; Talent spot entertainment section; Listeners postbag; Contact and friendship feature. The listeners’ postbag and contact feature is an ideal way for people to forge international friendships.
To subscribe, please send an e-mail to lorainew@blind-society.org.uk giving your postal address.
Magnetic Letter Toy
The Hasbro Company has developed a set of magnetic letters with braille embossed on each letter. The Product # 4559401000
www.hasbro.com
NEWS FROM THE REGIONS
AFRICA
Rwanda Union of the Blind White Cane Day Celebrations
The International White cane day celebration (October 15, 2010) was held in Nyamagabe district in close collaboration between RUB and Nyamagabe District Office. The celebration was preceded by a workshop on human rights of blind people and use of a white cane as a mobility tool. At the white cane celebration it was revealed that white canes are now going to be included in the national health insurance coverage.
ASIA-PACIFIC
Japan Federation of the Blind Supporting Blind and Partially Sighted Persons following the Earthquake and Tsunami in Japan
Following the devastating earthquake and Tsunami that caused so much loss of life and damage in Japan since early March, the Japan Federation of the Blind has been working diligently to support its members. This work has included their efforts to locate and support blind and partially sighted persons living in the affected areas and to advocate with that government and first response programs to ensure that information and services are accessible to blind and partially sighted persons.
ASIA
Towards Increased Participation of Women and Youth: A Baseline Study on Involvement of Women and Youth in Organizations Working With the Blind in Abu Region
(Excerpt from ABU Newsletter – October to December 2010)
In keeping with its commitment to ensure equal participation of all segments of the visually impaired in decision making processes at all levels, the Asian Blind Union conducted a study to find out whether the visually impaired women and youth are finding adequate space in organizations of/for the blind. The study once again re-enforces the fact that much still needs to be done to ensure the equal participation of women and youth in organizational processes. The following is a summary of some of the highlights from the study.
For the purposes of this study, youth were defined as those less than 35 years of age. The objectives were three-fold: firstly, to assess their present level of participation; secondly, to identify the reason behind lack of participation (where applicable) and thirdly, to generate recommendations for increasing their involvement within these organizations. 121 male and female members, including heads of 17 organizations across 12 countries participated in the study... Regarding the first objective, the present level of participation of visually impaired women and youth was assessed in three ways. Firstly, through statistical analysis of membership data on their representation in various organizational levels viz. General Assembly, Executive and Board; secondly, through analysis of their own perception of the involvement of their group within their respective organizations; and thirdly, through the assessment of organizational heads. Along with this information, qualitative data regarding the perception of women and youth as well as the heads of various organizations about the causes for lack of participation and recommendations for improving participation of these groups was obtained.
Statistical analysis of the representation and membership of women across various participating organizations revealed that the proportion of women members was quite low in Pakistan, India (NAB), Tajikistan and Nepal (NAWB) and was highest in Lebanon. Also, it was observed that the proportion of women members significantly reduced as the level of hierarchy increased—General Assembly to board—within the organizations. The main reasons identified for the lack of participation of women across the various countries in ABU region were: lack of confidence, lack of interest and lack of competent women/ women not considered competent.
The recommendations of the women members and heads of various organizations for increasing participation were very diverse. Some of the major recommendations included organizing of various workshops/ trainings and courses, improving the level of education and providing encouragement and motivation to the women. Other major recommendations included taking steps to develop confidence of women, raising of awareness through campaigns, reservation of seats, promoting economic empowerment, and organizing various activities.
Similarly, data regarding participation of visually impaired youth was obtained and analyzed. Across the countries, statistical analysis of representation and membership of youth across various participating organizations revealed that the proportion of the youth was quite low in many countries while they had a high representation in some countries. Also, it was observed that the proportion of youth members significantly reduced as the level of hierarchy increased within the organization. Within the category of youth, young men had a significantly higher participation than young women in many organizations.
The main reasons that could be identified for the lack of participation of youth across the various countries in ABU region were: lack of confidence, lack of interest and lack of competent youth/ youth not considered competent. Other causes included no second line of command of youth being prepared and lack of awareness. For several countries, the main recommendation was to increase the qualifications and interest of the youth through organizing of various workshops, seminars, trainings and courses and improving the level of education. Other major recommendations included providing opportunities to the youth, raising of awareness through campaigns, and providing encouragement and motivation to the youth.
Since this was an exploratory study combining both quantitative and qualitative data, the findings of the study will be useful for the development of effective country-specific as well as general strategies to improve the participation of visually impaired women and youth in organizations of and for the blind. Also, the findings of this baseline study would be useful to examine the extent of effectiveness and success of intervention strategies that have been implemented in the past. The findings would be immensely useful in planning any future strategies as well
Learning to Capture Moments
(From ABU Newsletter October – December 2010)
“A blind photographer”! Most blind and sighted persons would dismiss it as an impossibility. However, a recent online initiative has brought photography well within the reach of the blind. Mr. Partho Bhowmick of India has set up an online photography school for the blind which can be reached on the website: www.blindwithcameraschool.org. The website aims to teach visually impaired persons step-by-step photography. It also provides guidance to those sighted photographers who wish to conduct face-to-face photography workshops for blind people. Blind with Camera has conducted several such workshops face-to-face which have met with tremendous success. The website has opened up possibilities of a new hobby for many visually impaired persons as also of a new professional interest.
EUROPE
Promoting collaboration between young and old, the conclusion of the INTERGEN project
Designed and conducted by EBU and funded by the Education and Culture DG of the European Commission, the INTERGEN project involved five partners from the EBU network: the German Federation of the Blind and Partially Sighted (DBSV), the Italian Union of the Blind and Partially Sighted (UIC), the Italian Institute for Research, Training and Rehabilitation (IRIFOR), the Turkish Federation of the Blind, and the Turkish Six Dots Foundation.
The aims of the project were to develop methods and techniques which would facilitate the exchange of experience and knowledge between different generations of visually impaired people. Throughout the project a series of workshops were held by the different partners, and the evaluation and successive improvement of these permitted the creation of a workshop facilitation manual.
These results, and the positive response to the project both from the organisers and the participants in the different workshops, allow us to hope that INTERGEN will continue to have an impact beyond the end of 2010 when it officially ended, and will become a valuable resource for future use. The individual skill forms, designed to enable young and elderly visually impaired people to improve their daily living skills and their capacity to exploit new technology, and translated into five different languages, are great examples of practical, easy-to-use resources resulting from the project.
All the documents mentioned above are available on the internet site resource centre, in English, French, German, Italian and Turkish. Link to it from the EBU website at: www.euroblind.org.
The site also includes photos, videos and testimonials relating to the project. We invite you to visit the site and to make use of and disseminate the information. Please mention the INTERGEN name and the European Blind Union when using the documents.
EBU and its partners are very pleased with the outcome of this project, which demonstrates, on an international level, that cooperation between generations is a universal topic and offers advantages to young and old, men and women and to society as a whole.
Astronomy for the blind
To celebrate 2009, the Year of Astronomy, the Pontina Astronomy Association set up a special astronomy course for visually impaired persons, also offered in English and French. Special instruments were designed and built specifically for the purpose of this course, and the local branch of the Italian Union of the Blind and Partially Sighted gave its contribution with the feedback of users that attended the course. The Pontina Astronomy Association is willing to disseminate information on this course with the double aim of offering it to anybody interested (upon advance reservation only) and of sharing knowledge and ideas on astronomy education for the blind.
The course, which may last from 1 day to 3 or 4 days, is held in Latina, a city 70 km south of Rome. More information in English on the Pontina Astronomy Association and the course for the blind is available at the following links:
www.astronomiapontina.it/home.htm,
www.astronomiapontina.it/RISORSE/STRUMENTIDIDATTICI/StrumentiDidattici_en.htm#ciechi
For further information please write to Andrea Miccoli, Vice-President of the Pontina Astronomy Association, at andmicco@libero.it
LATIN AMERICA
Congratulations to Moises Bauer
Our sincere congratulations are extended to Moises Bauer from Brazil who was recently elected as President of CONADE –National Council for the Rights of Persons with Disabilities of Brazil for the next 2 year period. Moises is a lawyer who is well known for his work in the area of Human Rights in Brazil. He is Vice President of the National Organization of the Blind of Brazil (ONCB) and has been active over the past year representing ONCB and the Government of Brazil at WIPO meetings related to the Treaty for the Visually Impaired in Geneva.
Youth Programs
A seminar entitled "Youth participation in social organizations: empowerment of young people with visual impairment in the XXI century", was held from 11 to 15 April. The seminar was organized by the Latin American Union of the Blind, ONCE Foundation for Solidarity with the blind in Latin America and the Spanish Agency for International Development Cooperation.
Over 30 young people from 19 countries in the region attended the week-long training which addressed topics such as social empowerment and the development of management tools, among others. This event concluded with a commitment to continue strengthening their work with youth by having similar events in each country and to participate more actively in the various entities that bring together people with vision impairments.
Women’s Programs
Registration is now open to participate in the seminar: "Impact of visually impaired women in public policies in Latin America", to be held in the Training Center of AECI in Santa Cruz de la Sierra (Bolivia) from 18 to 22 of July, 2011. This activity aims to provide tools for advocacy and leadership for this group so that they can participate more actively in decision making at government level when it comes to defending the rights of this population. More information can be found in the announcements section of the ULAC website at: www.ulacdigital.org.
Right to Read Campaign in Latin America
In line with the global Right to Read Campaign, the Latin American Union of the Blind is preparing to conduct three regional activities where they will bring together representatives of organizations of the blind, the authorities of intellectual property offices and rightholders. It aims to strengthen support from Latin American governments to the treaty proposal by Ecuador, Brazil, Paraguay and Mexico with WIPO, and at the same time raise awareness among rightsholders about the relevance of having this instrument to access books by people with visual and other reading disabilities. The meetings will be held in Guatemala, Montevideo and Quito. Each of these cities has the support of the respective Intellectual Property offices and national organizations of the blind to ensure the success of the initiative.
NORTH AMERICA AND THE CARIBBEAN
Blind Man Drives Car Independently
(Excerpted from National Federation of the Blind Press Release, January 29, 2011)
Daytona Beach, Florida (January 29, 2011): The National
Federation of the Blind (NFB), the oldest and largest organization of blind people in the United States, announced today that for the first time a blind individual has driven a street vehicle in public without the assistance of a sighted person. Mark Anthony Riccobono, a blind executive who directs technology, research, and education programs for the organization, was behind the wheel of a Ford Escape hybrid equipped with non-visual technology and successfully navigated 1.5 miles of the road course section of the famed track at the Daytona International Speedway.
The historic demonstration was part of pre-race activities leading up to the Rolex 24 at Daytona this morning. Mr. Riccobono not only successfully navigated the several turns of the road course but also avoided obstacles, some of which were stationary and some of which were thrown into his path at random from a van driving in front of him. Later he successfully passed the van without collision. The Ford Escape was equipped with laser range-finding censors that conveyed information to a computer inside the vehicle, allowing it to create and constantly update a three-dimensional map of the road environment. The computer sent directions to vibrating gloves on the driver’s hands, indicating which way to steer, and to a vibrating strip on which he was seated, indicating when to speed up, slow down, or stop.
For more information, visit the NFB website at: www.nfb.org
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. Ianina Rodriguez, Administrative Assistant ianina.rodriguez@wbuoffice.org
Ms. Marianne McQuillan, Manager of Fund Development & Communications
Marianne.mcquillan@wbuoffice.org
VOLUME 5, ISSUE 2
April 2011
TABLE OF CONTENTS
CONTRIBUTIONS TO THE E-BULLETIN 3
PRESIDENT’S MESSAGE 3
WELCOME TO MARIANNE MCQUILLAN 4
UPDATE FROM WBU OFFICERS MEETING 4
WBU PLANS COLLABORATIVE GENERAL ASSEMBLY WITH ICEVI 5
UPDATE ON WIPO MEETINGS 6
EMPLOYMENT RESOURCE BANK PROJECT 7
NEW WBU WEBSITE LAUNCHED 7
WBU SIGNS UPDATED MOU WITH IBSA 8
BLIND OR SIGHTED, OUR BRAINS PROCESS READING
MATERIAL THE SAME 8
REMINDERS 10
BRAILLE21 REGISTRATIONS 10
BRAILLE21 AWARD 10
CONSULTATION ON WBU DRAFT STANDARDS FOR USER REQUIREMENTS FOR TELEVISION RECEIVING EQUIPMENT 10
WBU INSTITUTIONAL DEVELOPMENT PROGRAM (IDP)
5TH AFRICA FORUM REGISTRATION 11
PARENTS ASSOCIATION SURVEYS 11
CASE STUDIES FOR EMPLOYMENT INITIATIVE 11
WIPO BRIEFING DOCUMENT 11
WBU SCHOLARSHIP APPLICATIONS 12
ANNOUNCEMENTS 12
APPLICATIONS OPEN FOR 2012 COURSE AT INTERNATIONAL INSTITUTE FOR SOCIAL ENTREPRENEURS 12
ESPERANTO SUMMER LANGUAGE COURSE –
JULY 30 TO AUGUST 7TH 13
REQUEST FROM WORLD BANK (WB) 13
RESOURCES 13
HUMAN RIGHTS FACT SHEETS ON CRPD –
RESOURCE FOR EDUCATORS 13
“SOUNDAROUND” INTERNATIONAL AUDIO MAGAZINE AVAILABLE 14
MAGNETIC LETTER TOY 14
NEWS FROM THE REGIONS 14
AFRICA 14
RWANDA UNION OF THE BLIND WHITE CANE DAY
CELEBRATIONS 14
ASIA-PACIFIC 14
JAPAN FEDERATION OF THE BLIND SUPPORTING BLIND AND PARTIALLY SIGHTED PERSONS FOLLOWING THE EARTHQUAKE AND TSUNAMI IN JAPAN 14
ASIA 15
TOWARDS INCREASED PARTICIPATION OF WOMEN AND YOUTH: A BASELINE STUDY ON INVOLVEMENT OF WOMEN AND YOUTH IN ORGANIZATIONS WORKING WITH THE BLIND IN ABU REGION 15
LEARNING TO CAPTURE MOMENTS 17
EUROPE 17
PROMOTING COLLABORATION BETWEEN YOUNG AND OLD,
THE CONCLUSION OF THE INTERGEN PROJECT 17
ASTRONOMY FOR THE BLIND 18
LATIN AMERICA 19
CONGRATULATIONS TO MOISES BAUER 19
YOUTH PROGRAMS 19
WOMEN’S PROGRAMS 19
RIGHT TO READ CAMPAIGN IN LATIN AMERICA 20
NORTH AMERICA AND THE CARIBBEAN 20
BLIND MAN DRIVES CAR INDEPENDENTLY 20
WBU OFFICERS 21
REGIONAL PRESIDENTS 21
WBU STAFF 21
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 Friday, July 8, 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 Penny Hartin at penny.hartin@wbuoffice.org.
PRESIDENT’S MESSAGE
By Maryanne Diamond
2011 has begun with horrific natural disasters around the world. Our thoughts and prayers are with our brothers and sisters caught up in these situations. We also recognise that many man made disasters continue to have devastating impacts on many countries and particularly on those who are blind or partially sighted. One of the priorities the Vision Alliance partnership has agreed to is to work to influence mainstream relief and reconstruction organisations to ensure the needs of people who are blind are included in their work.
Congratulations to Ron McCallum who has been re-elected as chair of the CRPD monitoring committee for a two year period. The committee met in Geneva during April and has begun their work to review country reports. The International Disability Alliance (IDA) held a very informative meeting with many members of the CRPD committee during April. IDA is recognised by the committee as the main international body representing the interests of people with disability worldwide.
It is now more than four years since we began the E-bulletin which has been very successful in sharing information and learning about the priorities of the regions and activities under our strategic plan. It takes a great deal of time to put the bulletin together and have it translated before sending out to members and other interested individuals and organisations by our very small staff team in Toronto.
We have decided to do a trial of it being produced quarterly instead of by-monthly. At the same time, we will prepare an email message to members every two weeks. The purpose of the message is to provide information which is of urgent nature; upcoming events members may be interested in etc. This will only contain information which cannot wait until the next issue of the E-Bulletin and will be very short in length. We will make an assessment after one year as to how effective this new way of communicating with members is working.
I trust you will find the material contained in this issue very interesting and a demonstration of the diversity and breadth of our movement.
Maryanne
WELCOME TO MARIANNE MCQUILLAN
We are delighted to announce that Ms. Marianne McQuillan has joined our WBU team as Manager of Fund Development & Communications effective April 26th. Marianne comes to us with over ten years working for organizations involved in blindness prevention at the international level, notably Operation Eyesight Universal and Orbis International (Canada office). We welcome Marianne to the WBU team.
UPDATE FROM WBU OFFICERS MEETING
The WBU Officers held their early 2011 meeting in Amman Jordan on April 4 – 6, hosted by the Friendship Association of the Blind of Jordan. Our local hosts did a wonderful job of making us feel welcome in Jordan and their arrangements facilitated very productive meetings. We were honoured that HRH Prince Ra’ad bin Zeid attended the Official Opening of the meetings and later joined us for dinner the same day. The Officers meeting was preceded by meetings of the Development Committee, the Constitution Committee, the Policy Review Working Group, the Membership Fees Committee and the Finance Committee. Some highlights from the meetings included the following:
Agreement of a policy paper on WBU’s role in situations of emergency or disaster. This will be forwarded to the Executive for their final approval and then sent to the membership. We will work with our Vision Alliance members to consider the formation of a joint working group to develop an advocacy strategy to ensure that first response providers of emergency aid take into account the special needs of blind and partially sighted persons.
Progress on the strategic plan was reviewed and it was concluded that in general we are making good progress towards achieving the objectives set out in the plan. In those areas where we have not made as much progress as expected, the strategic priority and objective leaders will review and revise the action plan to reflect what can realistically be achieved by the end of 2012.
The preliminary year-end financial statements were reviewed. These showed a positive result for the year 2010 with income exceeding expenses by a modest amount, even after putting some funds aside to support delegates to attend the General Assembly next year. The audited statements are being finalized currently and once finalized, approved and translated, will be forwarded to the membership prior to the end of June. The budget for 2011 was also reviewed by the Finance Committee and approved by the Officers.
There was also discussion about plans for the 2012 General Assembly, the Employment initiative, our work with WIPO and other matters. These will be discussed in other sections of the e-bulletin.
In order to help some of our lower income countries that are having difficulties paying their WBU fees, we will be testing a process to allow countries to offer translation support into and from French and Spanish as an in-kind contribution towards payment of their fees. Further information about how to apply to participate in this process will be sent out shortly.
It was also agreed that only those countries that are fully financial by December 31, 2011 will be eligible to be considered for financial support to attend the 8th General Assembly in Bangkok in 2012.
WBU PLANS COLLABORATIVE GENERAL ASSEMBLY WITH ICEVI
We are pleased to confirm that the 8th General Assembly of the WBU will be held in cooperation with ICEVI in Bangkok, Thailand in November of 2012. While both organizations will hold their own General Assemblies, the programs will be organized in such a way as to allow two days of overlapping sessions that would be of interest to both WBU and ICEVI members and which will enable networking and sharing of information and expertise between the two organizations. We will have a joint organizing committee and joint program committee as well as a common registration process. Please watch the e-bulletin for updates as the planning progresses.
UPDATE ON WIPO MEETINGS
By Maryanne Diamond
I'd like to update you on recent developments with WBU's engagement with the stakeholder platform.
On Monday April 11th, Maryanne Diamond, WBU President, and Dan Pescod, Vice-chair of the WBU Right to Read Campaign, met Francis Gurry, WIPO Director General, his colleague Trevor Clarke, and IPA Chairman YS Chi who was accompanied by IPA's chief lobbyist Jens Bammel. WIPO called this meeting to see how WBU could be brought back into the stakeholder platform. We listened to issues and concerns from IPA representing the rightsholders and agreed to reflect on our position at the request of Francis Gurry. However, following reflection, WBU will continue to suspend its engagement in the stakeholder platform whilst we focus on delivering the treaty.
We are working very hard to campaign for the treaty and are confident that good progress will be made on this by the end of June. Likewise, whilst WBU and EBU have suspended their involvement in these platforms, we know that some organisations continue to work on key projects that will be needed to implement any treaty and move towards a more accessible model of publishing.
We also welcome the publication of the Accessible Publishing Best Practice Guidelines for Publishers which can be found at http://www.editeur.org/files/Collaborations/Accessibility/Accessible%20Publishing-Best%20Practice%20Guidelines%20for%20Publishers.pdf.
WBU fully recognises the value of working with the industry on access to books, and we did not take our decision to suspend our involvement on the stakeholder platforms lightly. We will review our participation in the WIPO Stakeholder Platform and EU Stakeholder Dialogue after the June meeting.
EMPLOYMENT RESOURCE BANK PROJECT
As a result of a major donation from the Trillium Foundation which is based in Ontario, Canada, we will shortly be able to commence the development of our Employment Resource Bank on our website. This was one of the key activities that we had planned to undertake as part of our WBU Employment Initiative. The project is a collaborative project with the CNIB who will be assisting us with the development of tools and resources. We wish to express our sincere appreciation to the CNIB for their willingness to collaborate with us in applying to a Foundation that is clearly a local Foundation for the CNIB, and for their support in working with us on the implementation of the project.
The Employment Resource Bank will collect a variety of tools and resources that will assist blind and partially sighted persons to improve their opportunities to secure employment in both the formal and informal economies. It will also provide resources to inform educators, rehabilitation workers and potential employers about the abilities of blind and partially sighted persons, the kinds of jobs blind persons are engaged in and job accommodation strategies. You will continue to hear more about the project as it evolves and we will also be asking you for information and resources to include in the resource bank.
NEW WBU WEBSITE LAUNCHED
As you know, the new WBU website was launched in mid February. The site was organized in a different way that we hope you find easy to use, and we included updated information. As we are now able to update information ourselves, we are able to update the site more quickly than in the past. We have attempted to have the majority of information in English, French and Spanish, and there are also accessibility features built into the site. It is our intention to continue to develop its capacity and to make it more attractive with photos and so forth. We encourage you to visit the site often for updated information and to find information regarding our members, guidelines, policy papers, other resources and documents. We are also very interested in hearing your feedback and suggestions about the site to make it as useful as possible to you.
WBU SIGNS UPDATED MOU WITH IBSA
At the WBU Executive meeting held in Melbourne Australia in November 2010, the WBU formally signed an updated Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) with IBSA (International Blind Sports Federation). The updated MOU was jointly signed by WBU President, Maryanne Diamond and IBSA President Michael Barredo.
Aims of the Memorandum of Understanding:
A. To promote closer co-operation between IBSA and WBU in view of the fact that both organisations share the common objective of achieving the full integration and maximum wellbeing of blind and partially sighted persons, and taking advantage of the common structure which exists in many IBSA and WBU member countries, in which the IBSA member organisation is also the WBU member organisation.
B. To seek to fulfil the objectives of the United Nations Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities (CRPD), in particular Article 30 Section 5 concerning Recreation and Sport, where “persons with disabilities” shall in this case be taken to refer to blind and partially sighted persons.
C. To strengthen the position of existing organisations specifically of blind and partially sighted persons, whether they be sports organisations or not, both in IBSA and WBU member countries and internationally.
D. To encourage the establishment of organisations of blind and partially sighted persons, including sports organisations, in those countries where such organisations do not currently exist.
A full text of the MOU can be requested from the WBU office at info@wbuoffice.org.
BLIND OR SIGHTED, OUR BRAINS PROCESS READING MATERIAL THE SAME
By Wendy Greif, Literacy News March 13th, 2011
It doesn't matter if readers use sight or Braille; the portion of the brain responsible for visual reading reacts exactly alike. According to new research from the Hebrew University of Jerusalem and France, brain imaging studies of blind people show activity in precisely the same part of the brain that lights up when people use vision to read.
Presented in the journal ‘Current Biology’, the study revealed that regardless of sensory input, the brain doesn't distinguish blind people reading Braille from sighted readers. Dr. Amir Amedi's team used functional magnetic resonance imaging (FMRI) to measure the neural activity in people who had been blind since birth while they read Braille. Researchers were interested in studying a very specific part of the brain, known as the Visual Word Form Area, or VWFA, which shows peaks of activity when studying sighted readers. The results were surprising.
Brain activity in blind and sighted readers showed identical patterns in the VWFA-in fact they were indistinguishable. The main functional properties of the VWFA were identical in both types of readers, requiring no visual experience at all. "To the best of our judgment, this provides the strongest support so far for the metamodal theory of brain function," said Dr. Amir Amedi of the Hebrew University of Jerusalem, who spearheaded the research team.
This suggests that brain regions are task-oriented and defined by the computations they perform. These findings challenge the textbook notion that the brain processes information in divided regions that are specialized for different senses, including touch and sight. As it turns out, that's not the case. "The brain is not a sensory machine, although it often looks like one; it is a task machine," said Amedi.
Most tasks the brain performs have been innately ingrained, unlike reading, which is a relatively new invention by comparison --- only about 5,400 years old. An even newer task, Braille has been around for 200 years. "That's not enough time for evolution to have shaped a brain-module dedicated to reading," Amedi explained. VWFA is a multisensory integration area that binds simple features into more elaborate shape descriptions making it ideal for the relatively new task of reading.
Researchers say that its specific anatomical location and strong connectivity to language areas enable it to bridge a high-level perceptual word representation and language-related components of reading. Consequently, it's the most suitable region to be taken over during reading acquisition-even when reading by touch without prior visual experience.
Up next for Amedi and his research associates is an examination of brain activity as people learn to read Braille for the first time. How rapidly does this takeover happen? How does the brain change to process information in words? Is it instantaneous? This study should answer these questions and shed even more light on how the human brain tackles a challenging task.
http://www.literacynews.com/2011/03/blind-or-sighted-our-brains-process-reading-material-the-same/
REMINDERS
Braille21 Registrations
Registration is now open for Braille21, the international Braille conference, focused on innovations in Braille that is being organized by the WBU World Braille Council and the German Central Library for the Blind. The conference will take place in Leipzig Germany from September 27 – 30th. For more information please visit www.braille21.net
Braille21 Award
A special award to recognize innovations in Braille will be presented at the Braille21 Conference. Information about the award is included in the nomination form which can be found on the WBU website at: http://www.worldblindunion.org/en/news-events/upcoming-events/Pages/default.aspx
Nominations close on July 31, 2011.
Consultation on WBU Draft Standards for User Requirements for Television Receiving Equipment
The WBU is seeking input on the Users Requirement Document for Television Receiving Equipment that has been developed by the WBU Technology Working Group, chaired by Stephen King at RNIB. The consultations close on April 29, 2011.
For further information, please visit the WBU website at the following link: http://www.worldblindunion.org/en/our-work/campaigns/Pages/AccessToTechnology.aspx
WBU Institutional Development Program (IDP) 5th Africa Forum Registration
The deadline for registrations for the IDP 5th Africa Forum is rapidly approaching. This 5th Africa Forum will be held from July 3 to 8 in Accra, Ghana. It brings together representatives of organizations of and for the blind, educators, researchers and government and civil society leaders from across Africa. For further information, please visit the IDP website at: www.wbu-idp.org
Parents Association Surveys
A few months ago, we sent out surveys to our membership to gather information about Parents Associations that may exist in different countries. We have had an excellent response, but would be pleased to continue to accept surveys if you know of an Association of Parents of Blind and Partially Sighted Children. If you need another copy of the survey please contact the WBU office at: info@wbuoffice.org.
Case Studies for Employment Initiative
As noted in the earlier article about the Employment Resource Bank, we are collecting case studies of individual blind and partially sighted persons in different employment situations as well as examples of models of employment programs. We sent out guidelines for these earlier this year and continue to welcome your input. You may find the guidelines on the WBU website at: http://www.worldblindunion.org/en/our-work/campaigns/Pages/default.aspx
WIPO Briefing Document
Over the past few months we have sent you documents related to our work with the World Intellectual Property Association in our efforts to obtain a treaty for the visually impaired. Your advocacy efforts are very important towards your national representatives who will be attending the June meeting of the WIPO Standing Committee on Copyright and Related Rights (SCCR). A Briefing document has been sent to you regarding this important work and how you can assist. That briefing document can be found on our WBU website at: http://www.worldblindunion.org/en/our-work/campaigns/Pages/default.aspx
For additional advice, please contact Christopher Friend, who is leading the Strategic Objective on the Right to Read campaign on behalf of the WBU. Chris’s email address is: cfwbu@sightsavers.org
WBU Scholarship Applications
This is a reminder that we are accepting applications for our scholarship funds for 2011. The three funds are: the Hermoine Grant Calhoun Scholarship fund for blind and partially sighted women and girls; the Pedro Zurita Youth Fund; and the Arne Husveg Development Fund. We expect that the Scholarships Committee will meet at the beginning of July, and while applications will be accepted later in the year, it is best to get the applications in earlier if possible as limited funds are available. You can find the guidelines and application forms for the three funds on the WBU website at the following link: http://www.worldblindunion.org/en/resources/scholarships/Pages/default.aspx.
ANNOUNCEMENTS
Applications open for 2012 course at International Institute for Social Entrepreneurs
Braille Without Borders is once again offering its 11 month couse at the International Institute for Social Entrepreneurship (IISE) in Kerala South India. The course will begin in January 2012.
“The IISE welcomes participants, all over 22 years of age, who 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. The IISE does not select its participants according to pre-education/degrees. What we are looking for are motivated and dedicated individuals who have the potential to start and run a social project.” For further information about the program and application process, please visit their website at: www.bwb-iise.org
Esperanto Summer Language Course – July 30 to August 7th
ILEI, the international association of Esperanto teachers, is organising an international Esperanto study week in Slovakia, Nitra, 90 km from the capital Bratislava. The distance from Vienna, Austria, to Bratislava is 45 km.
For the second time visually impaired, youth and adults are invited to attend this event. This is an excellent opportunity to learn Esperanto in the morning, enjoy various leisure activities, excursions, social evenings and to get acquainted with the Slovakian culture and that of other participating countries.
Further details about the course as well as online registration are available at
http://en.lernu.net/pri_lernu/renkontighoj/SES/2011/index.php
Request from World Bank (WB)
To respond more effectively to the emerging, fast-changing and challenging global demands expected in the next decade, the World Bank is preparing a new Social Protection and Labour Strategy. WB is consulting with a broad range of governments, development partners, civil society organizations, private sector, academics and other stakeholders to discuss how the World Bank can use social protection to help reduce poverty and inequality, and build human potential. To read more and contribute your opinion, go to http://web.worldbank.org/WBSITE/EXTERNAL/TOPICS/EXTSOCIALPROTECTION/0,,contentMDK:22804819~pagePK:210058~piPK:210062~theSitePK:282637,00.html
RESOURCES
Human Rights Fact Sheets on CRPD – Resource for Educators
The resource includes both theoretical information and practical tools. Nine activity sheets focus on a particular article of the Convention and are designed to get students to think about the rights that must be guaranteed in a democratic society.
The fact sheets can be found at the following link: http://book.coe.int/EN/ficheouvrage.php?PAGEID=36&lang=EN&produit_aliasid=2578
“SOUNDAROUND” International Audio Magazine Available
“Soundaround” is a monthly 100 minute cassette or CD magazine available free to blind and partially sighted persons around the world. The programme contains the following features: News and current affairs; Cookery and gardening; Competitions and quizzes; Talent spot entertainment section; Listeners postbag; Contact and friendship feature. The listeners’ postbag and contact feature is an ideal way for people to forge international friendships.
To subscribe, please send an e-mail to lorainew@blind-society.org.uk giving your postal address.
Magnetic Letter Toy
The Hasbro Company has developed a set of magnetic letters with braille embossed on each letter. The Product # 4559401000
www.hasbro.com
NEWS FROM THE REGIONS
AFRICA
Rwanda Union of the Blind White Cane Day Celebrations
The International White cane day celebration (October 15, 2010) was held in Nyamagabe district in close collaboration between RUB and Nyamagabe District Office. The celebration was preceded by a workshop on human rights of blind people and use of a white cane as a mobility tool. At the white cane celebration it was revealed that white canes are now going to be included in the national health insurance coverage.
ASIA-PACIFIC
Japan Federation of the Blind Supporting Blind and Partially Sighted Persons following the Earthquake and Tsunami in Japan
Following the devastating earthquake and Tsunami that caused so much loss of life and damage in Japan since early March, the Japan Federation of the Blind has been working diligently to support its members. This work has included their efforts to locate and support blind and partially sighted persons living in the affected areas and to advocate with that government and first response programs to ensure that information and services are accessible to blind and partially sighted persons.
ASIA
Towards Increased Participation of Women and Youth: A Baseline Study on Involvement of Women and Youth in Organizations Working With the Blind in Abu Region
(Excerpt from ABU Newsletter – October to December 2010)
In keeping with its commitment to ensure equal participation of all segments of the visually impaired in decision making processes at all levels, the Asian Blind Union conducted a study to find out whether the visually impaired women and youth are finding adequate space in organizations of/for the blind. The study once again re-enforces the fact that much still needs to be done to ensure the equal participation of women and youth in organizational processes. The following is a summary of some of the highlights from the study.
For the purposes of this study, youth were defined as those less than 35 years of age. The objectives were three-fold: firstly, to assess their present level of participation; secondly, to identify the reason behind lack of participation (where applicable) and thirdly, to generate recommendations for increasing their involvement within these organizations. 121 male and female members, including heads of 17 organizations across 12 countries participated in the study... Regarding the first objective, the present level of participation of visually impaired women and youth was assessed in three ways. Firstly, through statistical analysis of membership data on their representation in various organizational levels viz. General Assembly, Executive and Board; secondly, through analysis of their own perception of the involvement of their group within their respective organizations; and thirdly, through the assessment of organizational heads. Along with this information, qualitative data regarding the perception of women and youth as well as the heads of various organizations about the causes for lack of participation and recommendations for improving participation of these groups was obtained.
Statistical analysis of the representation and membership of women across various participating organizations revealed that the proportion of women members was quite low in Pakistan, India (NAB), Tajikistan and Nepal (NAWB) and was highest in Lebanon. Also, it was observed that the proportion of women members significantly reduced as the level of hierarchy increased—General Assembly to board—within the organizations. The main reasons identified for the lack of participation of women across the various countries in ABU region were: lack of confidence, lack of interest and lack of competent women/ women not considered competent.
The recommendations of the women members and heads of various organizations for increasing participation were very diverse. Some of the major recommendations included organizing of various workshops/ trainings and courses, improving the level of education and providing encouragement and motivation to the women. Other major recommendations included taking steps to develop confidence of women, raising of awareness through campaigns, reservation of seats, promoting economic empowerment, and organizing various activities.
Similarly, data regarding participation of visually impaired youth was obtained and analyzed. Across the countries, statistical analysis of representation and membership of youth across various participating organizations revealed that the proportion of the youth was quite low in many countries while they had a high representation in some countries. Also, it was observed that the proportion of youth members significantly reduced as the level of hierarchy increased within the organization. Within the category of youth, young men had a significantly higher participation than young women in many organizations.
The main reasons that could be identified for the lack of participation of youth across the various countries in ABU region were: lack of confidence, lack of interest and lack of competent youth/ youth not considered competent. Other causes included no second line of command of youth being prepared and lack of awareness. For several countries, the main recommendation was to increase the qualifications and interest of the youth through organizing of various workshops, seminars, trainings and courses and improving the level of education. Other major recommendations included providing opportunities to the youth, raising of awareness through campaigns, and providing encouragement and motivation to the youth.
Since this was an exploratory study combining both quantitative and qualitative data, the findings of the study will be useful for the development of effective country-specific as well as general strategies to improve the participation of visually impaired women and youth in organizations of and for the blind. Also, the findings of this baseline study would be useful to examine the extent of effectiveness and success of intervention strategies that have been implemented in the past. The findings would be immensely useful in planning any future strategies as well
Learning to Capture Moments
(From ABU Newsletter October – December 2010)
“A blind photographer”! Most blind and sighted persons would dismiss it as an impossibility. However, a recent online initiative has brought photography well within the reach of the blind. Mr. Partho Bhowmick of India has set up an online photography school for the blind which can be reached on the website: www.blindwithcameraschool.org. The website aims to teach visually impaired persons step-by-step photography. It also provides guidance to those sighted photographers who wish to conduct face-to-face photography workshops for blind people. Blind with Camera has conducted several such workshops face-to-face which have met with tremendous success. The website has opened up possibilities of a new hobby for many visually impaired persons as also of a new professional interest.
EUROPE
Promoting collaboration between young and old, the conclusion of the INTERGEN project
Designed and conducted by EBU and funded by the Education and Culture DG of the European Commission, the INTERGEN project involved five partners from the EBU network: the German Federation of the Blind and Partially Sighted (DBSV), the Italian Union of the Blind and Partially Sighted (UIC), the Italian Institute for Research, Training and Rehabilitation (IRIFOR), the Turkish Federation of the Blind, and the Turkish Six Dots Foundation.
The aims of the project were to develop methods and techniques which would facilitate the exchange of experience and knowledge between different generations of visually impaired people. Throughout the project a series of workshops were held by the different partners, and the evaluation and successive improvement of these permitted the creation of a workshop facilitation manual.
These results, and the positive response to the project both from the organisers and the participants in the different workshops, allow us to hope that INTERGEN will continue to have an impact beyond the end of 2010 when it officially ended, and will become a valuable resource for future use. The individual skill forms, designed to enable young and elderly visually impaired people to improve their daily living skills and their capacity to exploit new technology, and translated into five different languages, are great examples of practical, easy-to-use resources resulting from the project.
All the documents mentioned above are available on the internet site resource centre, in English, French, German, Italian and Turkish. Link to it from the EBU website at: www.euroblind.org.
The site also includes photos, videos and testimonials relating to the project. We invite you to visit the site and to make use of and disseminate the information. Please mention the INTERGEN name and the European Blind Union when using the documents.
EBU and its partners are very pleased with the outcome of this project, which demonstrates, on an international level, that cooperation between generations is a universal topic and offers advantages to young and old, men and women and to society as a whole.
Astronomy for the blind
To celebrate 2009, the Year of Astronomy, the Pontina Astronomy Association set up a special astronomy course for visually impaired persons, also offered in English and French. Special instruments were designed and built specifically for the purpose of this course, and the local branch of the Italian Union of the Blind and Partially Sighted gave its contribution with the feedback of users that attended the course. The Pontina Astronomy Association is willing to disseminate information on this course with the double aim of offering it to anybody interested (upon advance reservation only) and of sharing knowledge and ideas on astronomy education for the blind.
The course, which may last from 1 day to 3 or 4 days, is held in Latina, a city 70 km south of Rome. More information in English on the Pontina Astronomy Association and the course for the blind is available at the following links:
www.astronomiapontina.it/home.htm,
www.astronomiapontina.it/RISORSE/STRUMENTIDIDATTICI/StrumentiDidattici_en.htm#ciechi
For further information please write to Andrea Miccoli, Vice-President of the Pontina Astronomy Association, at andmicco@libero.it
LATIN AMERICA
Congratulations to Moises Bauer
Our sincere congratulations are extended to Moises Bauer from Brazil who was recently elected as President of CONADE –National Council for the Rights of Persons with Disabilities of Brazil for the next 2 year period. Moises is a lawyer who is well known for his work in the area of Human Rights in Brazil. He is Vice President of the National Organization of the Blind of Brazil (ONCB) and has been active over the past year representing ONCB and the Government of Brazil at WIPO meetings related to the Treaty for the Visually Impaired in Geneva.
Youth Programs
A seminar entitled "Youth participation in social organizations: empowerment of young people with visual impairment in the XXI century", was held from 11 to 15 April. The seminar was organized by the Latin American Union of the Blind, ONCE Foundation for Solidarity with the blind in Latin America and the Spanish Agency for International Development Cooperation.
Over 30 young people from 19 countries in the region attended the week-long training which addressed topics such as social empowerment and the development of management tools, among others. This event concluded with a commitment to continue strengthening their work with youth by having similar events in each country and to participate more actively in the various entities that bring together people with vision impairments.
Women’s Programs
Registration is now open to participate in the seminar: "Impact of visually impaired women in public policies in Latin America", to be held in the Training Center of AECI in Santa Cruz de la Sierra (Bolivia) from 18 to 22 of July, 2011. This activity aims to provide tools for advocacy and leadership for this group so that they can participate more actively in decision making at government level when it comes to defending the rights of this population. More information can be found in the announcements section of the ULAC website at: www.ulacdigital.org.
Right to Read Campaign in Latin America
In line with the global Right to Read Campaign, the Latin American Union of the Blind is preparing to conduct three regional activities where they will bring together representatives of organizations of the blind, the authorities of intellectual property offices and rightholders. It aims to strengthen support from Latin American governments to the treaty proposal by Ecuador, Brazil, Paraguay and Mexico with WIPO, and at the same time raise awareness among rightsholders about the relevance of having this instrument to access books by people with visual and other reading disabilities. The meetings will be held in Guatemala, Montevideo and Quito. Each of these cities has the support of the respective Intellectual Property offices and national organizations of the blind to ensure the success of the initiative.
NORTH AMERICA AND THE CARIBBEAN
Blind Man Drives Car Independently
(Excerpted from National Federation of the Blind Press Release, January 29, 2011)
Daytona Beach, Florida (January 29, 2011): The National
Federation of the Blind (NFB), the oldest and largest organization of blind people in the United States, announced today that for the first time a blind individual has driven a street vehicle in public without the assistance of a sighted person. Mark Anthony Riccobono, a blind executive who directs technology, research, and education programs for the organization, was behind the wheel of a Ford Escape hybrid equipped with non-visual technology and successfully navigated 1.5 miles of the road course section of the famed track at the Daytona International Speedway.
The historic demonstration was part of pre-race activities leading up to the Rolex 24 at Daytona this morning. Mr. Riccobono not only successfully navigated the several turns of the road course but also avoided obstacles, some of which were stationary and some of which were thrown into his path at random from a van driving in front of him. Later he successfully passed the van without collision. The Ford Escape was equipped with laser range-finding censors that conveyed information to a computer inside the vehicle, allowing it to create and constantly update a three-dimensional map of the road environment. The computer sent directions to vibrating gloves on the driver’s hands, indicating which way to steer, and to a vibrating strip on which he was seated, indicating when to speed up, slow down, or stop.
For more information, visit the NFB website at: www.nfb.org
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. Ianina Rodriguez, Administrative Assistant ianina.rodriguez@wbuoffice.org
Ms. Marianne McQuillan, Manager of Fund Development & Communications
Marianne.mcquillan@wbuoffice.org
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