WBU E-BULLETINVOLUME 15, ISSUE 2April 2019

Contact us at:

World Blind Union1929 Bayview Avenue Toronto, Ontario, Canada M4G 3E8

Telephone: 1-416-486-9698 Fax: 1-416-486-8107Email: info@wbu.ngo Website: www.wbu.ngo Twitter: @BlindUnion Facebook: www.facebook.com/BlindUnion

Changing What It Means to be Blind!

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CONTRIBUTIONS TO THE E-BULLETIN...............................................3PRESIDENT’S MESSAGE.....................................................4WBU NEWS.......................................................................5WBU CEO ADDRESSES UN FORUM ON FINANCING FOR DEVELOPMENT.........................................................................................................5ACCESSIBLE AIR TRAVEL..................................................................7WBU STATEMENTS FOR INTERNATIONAL CAMPAIGNS......................7SCHOLARSHIPS AVAILABLE FOR BLIND AND PARTIALLY SIGHTED PERSONS..........................................................................................8UPDATES FROM THE REGIONS..........................................10IMPLEMENTATION OF SDGS IN PAKISTAN.......................................10WHITE CANE INITIATIVE IN KENYA..................................................12NORTH AMERICA AND CARIBBEAN REGION MEMBERSHIP EXPANSION.......................................................................................................13MONTENEGRO - INTERNATIONAL CONFERENCE ON MARRAKESH TREATY...........................................................................................14LESOTHO RATIFIES MARRAKESH TREATY.......................................14THAILAND JOINS THE MARRAKESH TREATY....................................15UPDATES FROM GLOBAL PARTNERS.................................16WBU PARTICIPATES AT 100TH ANNIVERSARY OF INTERNATIONAL LABOUR ORGANIZATION.................................................................16AN INTERVIEW WITH UNDP POLICY SPECIALIST, BANGKOK REGIONAL HUB................................................................................................18FEATURES.......................................................................20ERITREAN INVENTS GEEZ READING SOFTWARE.............................20WBU PROJECT ASPIRO.....................................................22SUCCESS STORIES ON EMPLOYMENT..............................................22TECH UPDATES................................................................23BE MY EYES NOW OFFERS CUSTOMER SERVICE FROM GOOGLE DISABILITY SUPPORT ON THE SPECIALIZED HELP PLATFORM.........23UPCOMING EVENTS.........................................................24

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EBU GEAR CONFERENCE ON GENDER EQUALITY............................24SHARE YOUR RESEARCH ON EQUITY AND EYE HEALTH – A CALL FOR PAPERS...........................................................................................25REMINDER: CONTACT INFORMATION.................................25THE WBU REGIONS..........................................................26AFRICA............................................................................................26ASIA................................................................................................26ASIA-PACIFIC...................................................................................26EUROPE..........................................................................................26LATIN AMERICA...............................................................................26NORTH AMERICA/THE CARIBBEAN..................................................26WBU TABLE OFFICERS.....................................................26REGIONAL PRESIDENTS...................................................26WBU STAFF.....................................................................27OUR SPONSORS..............................................................27OUR PLATINUM SPONSORS.............................................................27OUR DIAMOND SPONSORS.............................................................28OUR GOLD SPONSORS....................................................................28

CONTRIBUTIONS TO THE E-BULLETIN

We welcome articles from the regions and from members who wish to share their good news with the rest of the world. Our next deadline for content is July 6th, 2019. We accept submissions in English, French, and Spanish in electronic format. Please note that we retain the right to edit submissions due to space limitations. Send your news to: Terry.Mutuku@wbu.ngo

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PRESIDENT’S MESSAGE

Dear members of the World Blind Union,

Among the many issues facing blind and partially sighted individuals are emerging technologies. Of course, technology has opened countless doors, yet the failure to address accessibility at the earliest design stage often results in new technology being unusable by blind and partially sighted people.

One of today’s most exciting emerging technologies is self driving cars. The inability to drive has limited opportunities for blind people in countless ways, but self driving vehicles offer the possibility of heretofore unimaginable independence. Yet, self driving cars, or what the industry calls “autonomous and connected vehicles,” must be equipped with controls that enable blind and partially sighted people to operate them independently.

In February 2019, I spoke at a United Nations conference jointly organized by the Global Forum for Road Traffic Safety (WP.1) and the World Forum for the Harmonization of Vehicle Regulations (WP.29). The conference was titled “Automation in Transport: Safe deployment of automated vehicles in traffic.”

In my presentation, I urged policy makers and engineers to consider the needs of blind and partially sighted individuals. I stressed that they needed to factor in both accessibility and usability in the design of self driving vehicles. The distinction I made was between controls that were accessible and considerations of usability, such as the ability to locate a self driving car, the ability to know when the vehicle had arrived at its destination and was not just temporarily stopped in traffic and so on. I also stressed that addressing the needs of blind and

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partially sighted persons was not an act of charity but an economic imperative.

I pointed out that, at present, the world’s 253 million blind and partially sighted people do not drive. Therefore, they represent a new and untapped market, not simply the existing market of licensed drivers. That means that, if manufactures recognize blind and partially sighted people as a source of new customers and include their needs into the earliest design of their autonomous vehicles, they have the potential of attracting as many as a quarter of a billion new customers.

Autonomous and connected vehicles are on their way. They will be on the streets soon, and, if we are going to be able to use them, we must continue to be aggressive in our advocacy. We will continue to work with the United Nations regulatory agencies; we will continue to work with the automobile manufactures; and we will continue to work with national governments and policy makers to insure that the promise of independent vehicle transportation is not just another far-off, unfulfilled promise but a practical reality.

Thank you for all you do.

Dr. Fredric K. Schroeder, President, WBU WBU NEWSWBU CEO ADDRESSES UN FORUM ON FINANCING FOR DEVELOPMENT

The CEO of the World Blind Union Mr. Jose Viera who is also the Permanent Representative of the UN Stakeholder Group of Persons with Disabilities gave a presentation at the UN Forum on Financing for Development held at the UN Headquarters in New York on April 17.

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Photo: Mr. Jose Viera speaking at FfDForum (Photo courtesy of Elizabeth Lockwood, CBM International Representative at the United Nations)

Mr. Viera emphasized that redressing the many inequalities experienced by Persons with disabilities requires dedicated resources. However, he observed that one of the key barriers that are preventing such resources from being mobilised and allocated is corporate tax avoidance which is costing governments worldwide an estimated US$500 billion every year. This includes some $70-120 billion lost from countries in the global south, where corporate taxation is a particularly important source of revenue. "Countries in the global south are still not able to participate in decisions on international tax standards on a genuinely equal footing: the OECD tends to act as the chief decision maker, as there is still no intergovernmental tax body under the auspices of the UN. This makes it much harder to put an end to harmful tax practices that currently deprive governments of resources that they urgently need for tackling inequalities", he saidMr. Viera underlined that taxation and expenditure policies should be subject to comprehensive human rights impact assessments, and the assessments should be fully disability-responsive. This in turn requires concerted efforts to enhance transparency, accountability and participation in fiscal policymaking, especially for marginalized groups.

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"We ask the Inter-Agency Task Force on Financing for Development, in its 2020 report, to examine governments’ performance in conducting human rights impact assessment of fiscal policies, with a particular emphasis on responsiveness to the rights of marginalized groups, such as persons with disabilities."ACCESSIBLE AIR TRAVEL

The World Blind Union has released a position statement encouraging national members to urgently intensify advocacy efforts towards delegates of International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO) to address pressing issues affecting blind and partially sighted air travellers. ICAO will be holding its 40th session in Montreal, Canada from 24 September to 4 October, 2019. WBU is therefore mobilizing all members to sensitize relevant state authorities in their countries to ensure that delegates approve a resolution to establish international regulations which address the following key issues:

1. Accessibility of self-serve travel kiosks;2. Universal policies surrounding guide dogs and air travel;3. Accessible/usable websites and inflight entertainment systems.

The statement contains a link to ICAO's website with a list of specific states authorities to be contacted for the advocacy efforts. WBU recommends that member organizations issue a statement on the subject matter to these entities and organise follow up meetings to ensure that these issues are addressed.

Download the full statement from our website.

WBU STATEMENTS FOR INTERNATIONAL CAMPAIGNS

The World Blind Union marked international days with statements for its global campaigns' initiatives. Among the campaigns are: a call for "Universal Health Coverage for Everyone, Everywhere", in solidarity with the World Health Organization (WHO). The campaign was marked globally on World Health Day, April 7. On this occasion, the WBU urged governments to ensure that essential health services are accessible and affordable to all, in particular, free eye screenings, subsidized visual aids and rehabilitation services. The WBU continues to collaborate with the WHO in ensuring that health needs of blind and

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partially sighted persons are fully mainstreamed in universal health programmes.

WBU also joined International Labour Organization (ILO) to observe the World Day for Safety and Health at Work on April 28. In keeping with United Nations Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities (CRPD) article 27 which focuses on work and employment, the WBU called on State Parties to fulfil their obligations to protect the rights of persons with disabilities to just and favourable conditions of work. WBU emphasized that states must implement appropriate policies that provide employment opportunities, safe and healthy working conditions. The theme was "Safety and Health and the Future of Work".

In another campaign, WBU supported UNESCO (The United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization) in promoting the enjoyment of books and reading in honour of World Book and Copyright Day on 23 April 2019. WBU urged governments to ensure that persons with disabilities, including blind and partially sighted persons, have access to books and reading materials in accessible formats and appropriate technologies such as braille.

In addition, the World Blind Union also joined the rest of the world in observing International Guide Dogs Day on April 24. This is a significant day for our community as we honour the fundamental role that guide dogs play in enabling blind and partially sighted persons get around safely and independently.

The WBU encourages members to use these campaign statements for their advocacy initiatives. The statements are available on the WBU website.

SCHOLARSHIPS AVAILABLE FOR BLIND AND PARTIALLY SIGHTED PERSONS

WBU members are encouraged to submit applications for scholarships programmes available for blind and partially sighted persons. A brief summary on each scholarship program is available on our website.

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Scholarships beneficiaries' stories

Ohunu Kossiwa Marie, a law student at the University of Lome, Togo and a beneficiary of the WBU scholarship is grateful that the scholarship opens opportunities for employment and attaining independence.

Another beneficiary, Tchoka Abra, also from Togo, believes that the WBU scholarship will impact her life positively. She is a second year student at the Department of History, University of Lomé.

The full stories from our scholarships beneficiaries are available on the website. All completed applications should be submitted to the World Blind Union either electronically to info@wbu.ngo or mailed to WBU, 1929 Bayview Avenue, Toronto, Ontario, M4G 3E8. Canada. Applications are accepted at any time and scholarships will be awarded prior to June 30 of each year.

UPDATES FROM THE REGIONSIMPLEMENTATION OF SDGS IN PAKISTAN

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By Muhammad Iqbal, Pakistan Association of the Blind

The following are highlights of a national report on SDGs (Sustainable Development Goals) compiled by the Pakistan Association of the Blind. The report aims to raise awareness and knowledge of DPOs (Disabled persons' organizations) about disability-inclusive SDGs so they're better prepared to advocate for the rights of persons with disabilities in the achievement of the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development. It is part of a project supported by the WBU in collaboration with IDA (International Disability Alliance)

Pakistan is the first country to localize the SDGs of the 2030 Agenda through a unanimous parliamentary resolution on 19 February 2016. The federal and provincial governments have established SDGs units in their respective planning and development departments. The SDGs units are working to fulfill the vision of 2030 agenda for Sustainable Development.

Besides many Constitutional provisions, numerous legislations apply to persons with disabilities (PWDs) in Pakistan. The Disabled Persons (Employment and Rehabilitation) Ordinance 1981, the Sindh Empowerment of Persons with Disabilities Act 2018, The Balochistan Persons with Disabilities Act 2017 and the Punjab Disabled Persons (Employment and Rehabilitation) Amendment Act 2015 are laws that exclusively deal with persons with disabilities (PWDs) at federal and provincial levels. Provincial legislations in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, Gilgit-Baltistan (GB), and Azad Jammu & Kashmir are already tabled as a bill in the respective provincial assemblies.

With regard to SDG 01: NO POVERTY, many social protection schemes are in place for persons with disabilities (PWDs) in Pakistan. The Benazir Income Support Program (BISP), Pakistan Poverty Alleviation Fund (PPAF), and Pakistan Bait-ul-Mal (PBM) provides social protection coverage to deserving persons where persons with disabilities (PWDs) are given preference.

On SDG 03: GOOD HEALTH AND WELL BEING, Pakistan spends 1.12% of the GDP on health. As such, persons with disabilities (PWDs) enjoy health facilities provided to the entire population. However, the National Policy for Persons with Disabilities 2002, National Health

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Vision Pakistan 2016-25, and Prime Minister's National Health Program make special provisions for persons with disabilities (PWDs).

With reference to SDG 04: QUALITY EDUCATION, many steps have been taken for the education of persons with disabilities (PWDs). Besides special education schools, persons with disabilities (PWDs) have the liberty to enjoy education at the inclusive schools. Further, the education of persons with disabilities (PWDs) is free in all the public sector schools, colleges and universities. The Higher Education Commission (HEC) has drafted an inclusive policy for students with disabilities.

In order to secure job opportunities for persons with disabilities (PWDs), as per SDG 08: WORK AND EMPLOYMENT, a job quota of 02% has been allocated in all public and private sector establishments. However, the implementation of the 02% quota has proven to be a daunting task. Persons with disabilities (PWDs) are also allowed to compete in the Central Superior Service exams. Some of the provincial legislations have increased the quota from 02% to 05%.

As for SDG 11: INCLUSIVE CITIES AND COMMUNITIES, the accessibility of all physical and virtual infrastructures for persons with disabilities (PWDs) is a major issue in the country. The National Policy for Persons with Disabilities 2002 and the Accessibility Codes of Pakistan 2006 provide many guidelines for accessible infrastructure. The Digital Pakistan Policy 2018 provides guidelines for the accessibility of online websites to persons with disabilities (PWDs) (especially visually impaired persons).

Regarding SDG 16: ACCESS TO JUSTICE, justice services in Pakistan are very costly and time consuming. As such persons with disabilities (PWDs) enjoy all the justice services available. Besides court structure, persons with disabilities (PWDs) and other Pakistanis have the option to consult the office of the Ombudsperson for redressal of their grievances against any state institution.

WHITE CANE INITIATIVE IN KENYA

The White Cane Initiative: Kenya Chapter under the slogan “empowering the blind one cane at a time,” was held from 7th - 14th March, 2019. The objective of this campaign was to provide technical

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assistance and support to blind persons living in disadvantaged areas to enhance their independence, and empowerment.

According to the National Bureau of Statistics (Kenya), about 1.5 million people are visually impaired in Kenya and among this, two thirds are totally blind. The latter category of impairment has faced major challenges due to lack of adequate mobility aids (white canes). A significant number of visually impaired persons are dependent on family members and friends for assistance. In response to this crisis, Global Cane Outreach and You Cane Give donated 115 white canes and 100 solar audio bibles to newly visually impaired persons in Kenya.

The White Cane Initiative: Kenya Chapter was a project initiated to provide technical assistance and support to blind persons in disadvantaged areas. This initiative was a partnership between YouCane Give, Global Cane Outreach, Mugambi Paul Initiative (also known as Mpofu Namba1), the African Union of the Blind (AFUB), and the Kenya Union of the Blind (KUB).

There is a great need for White Canes in Africa, dubbed the White Cane famine, says James A. Boehm, Executive Director, YouCaneGive Initiative. YouCaneGive Initiative is already working on future projects, and are currently fundraising for the next trip back to Kenya in 2020. "We are working with partners such as the African Union of the Blind (AFUB) to strategically plan for the project in other African Countries as well. Currently, we have also received various requests for white canes from other nations such as Mexico, Ghana, Ethiopia, Uganda among others.

We would therefore like to request the public and other institutions to assist the YouCaneGive Initiative to undertake these missions through donations such as:

• White Canes which will be refurbished and restored;• Financial support; and• Any other support that they may deem fit.

For more information, please contact James A. Boehm (Executive Director- YouCaneGive Initiative) at youcanegive@gmail.com; and Paul Mugambi (Mugambi Paul Initiatives ) at shamgpaul@gmail.com

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NORTH AMERICA AND CARIBBEAN REGION MEMBERSHIP EXPANSION

At the beginning of 2018, the North America/Caribbean Region launched an initiative aimed at encouraging Caribbean countries to become independent national members of the WBU. Up to now, with the exception of Haiti, which has been an independent national member for several years already, Caribbean countries have been represented by an umbrella organization, the Caribbean Council of the Blind (also known as Eye Care Caribbean) under WBU’s Grouped Membership classification. Accordingly, discussions were held in Antigua with representatives of blindness organizations from many Caribbean countries in July of 2018, and that process has resulted in considerable interest being expressed.

In September, Trinidad and Tobago applied for national membership, and their application was considered and approved by the WNU Officers at their meeting in Guatemala City in November. This year, so far, additional applications have been received from Guyana, St. Lucia, and Jamaica, and applications are also expected from Barbados and the Bahamas. All these applications will be considered at the Officers meeting in Athens in May, and it is hoped to welcome these new members into the WBU family soon thereafter. Further, we are pleased to note that our spring regional meeting for 2019 is to be held in Trinidad and Tobago, hosted by the Trinidad and Tobago Blind Welfare Association, to whom we extend our thanks.

MONTENEGRO - INTERNATIONAL CONFERENCE ON MARRAKESH TREATY

The Union of the Blind of Montenegro organised an international conference "Marrakesh Treaty and its benefits for persons who are blind, visually impaired, or otherwise print disabled", which was held in Podgorica, in February.

The International Conference is part of the project "Easier Way to the ratification of the Marrakesh Treaty in the Western Balkan Countries" funded by the European Blind Union, through its Solidarity Fund. Partners in the project were the Unions of the Blind of Albania, Macedonia, Serbia and Republic of Srpska. Round tables were held in

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Skopje, Banja Luka, Belgrade, Podgorica. A video spot was made about the importance of the Marrakesh Treaty, among other activities.

The conference gathered representatives of the European Blind Union, representatives of partner countries in the region, as well as representatives of institutions closely related to the issue of the Marrakesh Treaty and its ratification.

Read more on the EBU website.

LESOTHO RATIFIES MARRAKESH TREATYLesotho, a south African country in the WBU-AFUB region was 37th country to ratify Marrakesh Treaty. Since the Treaty was signed by countries in Morocco in 2013, Lesotho National League of the Visually Impaired Persons (LNLVIP) formulated a technical team to support the blind and partially sighted people and ensure that the Treaty was endorsed. This initiative was achieved in collaboration with national libraries, Lesotho register’s office, visually impaired schools and various ministries including Foreign Affairs, Law and Constitutional Affairs, Social Development and Education.Advocacy for the ratification of the Treaty was contacted through local radio and television stations, as well as lobbing ministers and parliamentarians. "Ever since the adoption of the Treaty, we are now working with different media to advocate for the implementation of the Treaty" says Jeremane Teele of the Lesotho National League of the Visually Impaired Persons (LNLVIP). "Implementation of the Marrakesh Treaty is vital to advance information access to all", says Teele.

One of the positive results of the advocacy efforts of LNLVIP, is that a local mobile phone network company, Vodacom Lesotho, is about to construct a library for the blind and partially sighted persons. LNLVIP is also brailing business cards for interested people in private and government sectors to promote inclusiveness and accessible information.

THAILAND JOINS THE MARRAKESH TREATY

On January 28th, 2019, the WIPO Director General Francis Gurry received the instrument of accession of Thailand to the Marrakesh

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Treaty at the World Intellectual Property Organization (WIPO), in Geneva, Switzerland.

The Deputy Minister of Commerce, Chutima Bunyaprophasara, the Director General of the Department of Intellectual Property, Thodsapone Danuputra and the Ambassador of Thailand to UN and other organizations in Geneva, Sunanta Kangvalkulkij, were Thailand representatives on this special occasion. The Treaty entered into force for Thailand on 28 April 2019.

Source : https://www.flickr.com/photos/wipo/45988823075/in/dateposted/(Copyright: WIPO. Photo: Emmanuel Berrod. This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivs 3.0 IGO License.)

In the preparation to ratify the Marrakesh Treaty, Thailand amended their law relevant to this Treaty. The Copyright Act B.E.2561 Vol.4 was revised successfully on November 8th, 2018. After 120 days of announcement on the government gazette, this Act was enforced in the Kingdom of Thailand from 11 March 2019. The amendment clarifies that reproduction, adaptation and copy of published works for non-profit distribution is authorized for Thai or international authorized non-governmental organizations founded to benefit persons with visual impairments and other disabilities. This is a significant achievement in ensuring that Thai persons with disabilities access more information in accessible formats.

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UPDATES FROM GLOBAL PARTNERSWBU PARTICIPATES AT 100TH ANNIVERSARY OF INTERNATIONAL LABOUR ORGANIZATION

The World Blind Union President, Mr. Fred Schroeder, represented WBU at a High-level Luncheon meeting of the one-hundredth anniversary of the establishment of the International Labour Organization (ILO). Mr. Guy Ryder, Director General of the ILO was among Delegates at the luncheon held at the United Nations Headquarters, New York, on 10 April 2019.

Mr. Schroeder participated as a panelist in an interactive panel discussion on “Progress towards SDG 8: good practices and lessons learned”. The luncheon was an opportunity for taking stock of the progress in the implementation of sustainable development objectives in the area of promoting sustained, inclusive and sustainable economic growth, full and productive employment and decent work for all. It was also an opportunity for informal interactions on concrete and successful experiences in accelerating achievement of SDGs in the area of decent work.

The ILO flagship report World Employment and Social Outlook - Trends 2019 stated that progress towards SDG 8 has been slower than expected. There continues to be major gaps, both across and within countries. Poor working conditions are identified in the study as the main global challenge in the world of work. The global unemployment rate has declined but more than 170 million people are still unemployed. Furthermore, women, young people (ages 15–24) and persons with disabilities continue to be much less likely to be in employment. Progress towards SDG 8 must therefore be examined, in a more comprehensive future analysis. Member States need to step up their commitment to the 2030 Agenda if the SDG targets are to be met. To fully realize SDG 8, it is necessary that higher growth rates be accompanied by decent work opportunities for all women and men, including young people and persons with disabilities. This involves ensuring equal pay for work of equal value, protecting labour rights, making work environments secure and eradicating forced labour,

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slavery and child labour. It is also important to create decent work opportunities in all areas of employment, encourage entrepreneurship and formalize micro-small and medium-sized enterprises.

AN INTERVIEW WITH UNDP POLICY SPECIALIST, BANGKOK REGIONAL HUB

The UNDP (United Nations Development Programme) jointly with WBU member, Vietnam Blind Association, recently organised a workshop on Marrakesh Treaty in Viet Nam. The following is an interview with Kazuyuki Uji, Policy Specialist, HIV, Health and Inclusive Development, UNDP, Bangkok Regional Hub.

Q: What was the Marrakesh Treaty workshop all about? Who was involved and what was its significance?

A: The workshop was co-organised by the Vietnam Blind Association (VBA), National Committee for Persons with Disabilities and UNDP, with the primary objective of introducing the Marrakesh Treaty and its importance to Viet Nam. The meeting was attended by over 80 key stakeholders including senior government officials from relevant ministries, communities of persons with disabilities from across Viet Nam, development partners, academia and the media.

The workshop was significant on several levels: (1) it was the first workshop ever organized on the Marrakesh Treaty in Viet Nam; (2) VBA initiated and took the lead, which is an exemplary case of community empowerment and engagement in policymaking; and (3) the workshop laid an important foundation for a shared vision, multi-sectoral partnerships, and commitment towards realizing the rights of persons with vision impairment and other print disabilities through the new international legal instrument.

Q: Why is Marrakesh Treaty important to UNDP?

A: UNDP has a clear mandate to advance the core principles of the UN Charter and recognizes the centrality of human rights to the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) underpinned by the pledge to leave no one behind and to reach the furthest behind first. The Marrakesh Treaty is the first copyright treaty with human rights

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principles at its core, with specific reference to the Universal Declaration of Human Rights and the Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities (CRPD).

UNDP’s Strategic Plan 2018-2021 identifies persons with disabilities as a critical target group and positions disability inclusion as a multi-layered, cross-cutting development issue and a human rights imperative. As such, UNDP recognizes the Marrakesh Treaty as a key legal instrument in its efforts to eradicate poverty, address inequalities and exclusion, and advance its institutional mandate of human rights-based approach to development programming.

UNDP has been working with the Government of Viet Nam and the Viet Nam Blind Association to discuss the possibility of Viet Nam acceding to the Marrakesh Treaty and will continue to support efforts in this direction.

Q: Only 55 countries have ratified the Treaty so far. Why is it important for all countries to ratify the Treaty?

A: It is critical that all countries ratify or accede to the Marrakesh Treaty as it will: (1) expand the global collection of accessible format copies in diverse languages and increase the number of persons with disabilities to benefit; (2) help accelerate the CRPD implementation; (3) engage new stakeholders not traditionally featured in disability responses such as the Ministry of Commerce/Intellectual Property Office; (4) facilitate greater social, economic and cultural participation of persons with disabilities; and (5) shed light on the realities, challenges and celebration of people who are blind, partially sighted, or otherwise print disabled, which are often invisible, misunderstood, and under-addressed.

It is encouraging to see good news from key countries in recent months: EU ratified and Japan acceded to the Marrakesh Treaty in October 2018. The US and other countries also recently ratified the Treaty increasing the number of countries that have joined the Treaty to 55. We hope more countries including Viet Nam will follow suit.

Q. Is the treaty relevant and beneficial to the people you serve in your role at the UNDP

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A: Eighty percent of persons with disabilities live in UNDP programme countries. Not only would the Treaty benefit persons with print disabilities, who are among the most marginalized and vulnerable, the Treaty as part of disability-inclusive development effort would also bring significant benefits to the entire country. It would contribute to, for example, decreasing the economic cost of excluding persons with disabilities from labour force (estimated at between 1 and 7 percent of GDP); reduce inequalities within society; and transforming a society into one that accepts, respects, and thrives on diversity. In short, the Treaty helps accelerate and strengthen how UNDP serves the most vulnerable in society.

FEATURESERITREAN INVENTS GEEZ READING SOFTWARE

In developing countries, particularly the sub-Saharan countries, assistive technologies are neither affordable nor accessible to persons with disability. In Eritrea, blind persons including teachers, lawyers, journalists, other workers and students are highly dependent on the help of their sighted family and friends over the decades. In colleges, blind students struggle with shortage of assistive technologies. At work places, very few employers have resources to support their disabled workers. To tackle these problems, different initiatives are being taken ranging from computer training programs to development of accessibility softwares. A successful project initiated by Mr. Kibrom Gebreab has changed the life of many blind persons in Eritrea. Until recently, visually impaired persons were not able to read and write their own local languages on a

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computer except English screen readers. However, the Geez writing system invented by Mr. Gebreab is used in several languages such as Tigrigna, Tigre, Amharic and the Geez language itself of Eritrea and Ethiopia. A large number of people from the two countries use Geez writing system to write in the official languages of the two countries. Using Non Visual Desktop access (NVDA), a free, open source portable screen reader, Mr. Gebreab developed a script that is compatible to Unicode compliant Geez applications. The script works well with NVDA and Jaws screen readers. This technology has transformed the lives of blind and partially sighted persons not only in Eritrea but also in Ethiopia. They are enjoying their local languages on computers and they are able to carry out their regular jobs independently.

Productivity and creativity of various workers has increased significantly. Using this software blind persons now have the opportunity to maximize their professional ability and their potential for writing articles, books and other academic works.

While remembering about his inspiration, Mr. Gebreab says, "I am a novice in computer programming, but the inclusive planet.com a website run by Indian Blind professionals was the main source for my professional achievement of this script’. This group helped me to learn how to write scripts and develop applications".

Mr. Gebreab however added that the software has certain limitations; the hard sounds are not well pronounced but are understandable. The pronunciation parameter is simulated as if an English man is reading Tigrigna, and takes some time to love its reading manner. At the end of a word the 6th alphabets commonly called "sads"’ are not pronounced softly. But, despite the limitations, visually impaired computer users in Eritrea and Ethiopia are enjoying it free of cost.

A project for developing Geez reading software would definitely cost thousands of dollars. It could have taken years to design and implement the project. In this context, Mr. Gebreab's contribution is timely and vital.

Following this development, in collaboration with the Eritrean National Association for the blind, Mr. Gebreab has given a series of computer trainings to members of the association. The Eritrean National

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Association for the blind has established accessible digital library for the blind and partially sighted persons, and Mr. Gebreab is playing commendable role in achieving this project.

Mr. Kibrom Gebreab is an audio-visual archivist and researcher at Research and Documentation Center in Asmara, capital city of Eritrea. He is co-editor and member of the executive committee of the Library and Information Association of Eritrea.

WBU PROJECT ASPIROSUCCESS STORIES ON EMPLOYMENT

Ken Van Den Oetelaar, a Production Manager at Radio CKLY FM, Lindsay, Ontario, Canada

In this video you’ll meet Ken Van Den Oetelaar, a Production Manager at CKLY FM and his supervisor, Steve Fawcett. The video includes a montage of clips showing Ken talking with colleagues and working at his desk using assistive technology.

Visit the Project Aspiro website regularly for more inspiring success stories and resources about employment, education and career planning. We invite you to share your stories and inspire thousands of others around the world. Please tell us how blindness or low vision impacts day to day life, challenges and successes. You can submit a short video or audio (about 3-5 minutes). The preferred format for an audio file is an mp3 file. Videos files may be submitted in any of the following formats: .MOV, .MPEG4, .AVI, .WMV, .MPEGPS, .FLV, .3GPP,

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or .WebM. See more details on the Project Aspiro website or contact terry.mutuku@wbu.ngo.

TECH UPDATES

BE MY EYES NOW OFFERS CUSTOMER SERVICE FROM GOOGLE DISABILITY SUPPORT ON THE SPECIALIZED HELP PLATFORM

PRESS RELEASE, MARCH 13, 2019

Customer support from Google just got a whole lot easier for people who are blind or have a low level of vision. Through the Be My Eyes Specialized Help platform, blind and low-vision users can now connect directly with the Google Disability Support team.

Be My Eyes, an app that offers visual assistance for people who are blind or have a low level of vision now offers live customer support from Google through the Specialized Help platform. Through the Specialized Help menu, blind and low-vision users can now contact the Google Disability Support team through a live video connection for questions on assistive tools and accessibility features within Google’s products.

“We are very proud to add Google to Specialized Help. This is a big step for accessibility and we are honored to have the support of Google to help blind and low vision individuals lead more independent lives”, says Alexander Hauerslev Jensen, CCO at Be My Eyes in Copenhagen, Denmark.

Originally, Be My Eyes offered blind and low-vision users visual assistance from sighted volunteers, who could sign up to help by downloading the app. Because many calls were concerned with issues connected to specific products or services, Be My Eyes decided to expand with a customer support platform, Specialized Help, in February 2018, so that blind and low-vision individuals could receive support directly from company professionals. Now, blind and low-vision users can contact the Google Disability Support team through the Specialized Help feature in the Be My Eyes app.

Google will be the second company onboard the Specialized Help platform. Besides Google, Be My Eyes users can also contact Microsoft

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through the platform. Be My Eyes is planning to expand the Specialized Help service even further to include more companies within different sectors.

“The Disability Support team aims to provide the best support possible for people with disabilities. We are thrilled to partner with Be My Eyes as this brings us one step closer to achieving that goal.” Kyndra LoCoco, Accessibility Partner & Community Programs Manager at Google.

It is Google’s mission to organize the world’s information and make it universally accessible and useful for everyone, and accessibility is a core consideration for Google from the earliest design stages to release. Now, Google also offers customer support that is accessible and more efficient for their blind and low-vision customers. The Google Disability Support team will be open Monday through Friday 8AM-5PM PT, currently available in English only. Google can be contacted through the Be My Eyes Specialized Help platform by users in Australia, Canada, Hong Kong, Ireland, India, Malaysia, Mexico, New Zealand, the Philippines, Singapore, South Africa, the United Kingdom, and the United States.

For more information, contact Alexander Hauerslev Jensen, CCO at alexander@bemyeyes.com

UPCOMING EVENTSEBU GEAR CONFERENCE ON GENDER EQUALITY

The European Blind Union (EBU) GEAR conference on Gender Equality will be held from 14 to 16 June 2019 in Sweden.

The conference is directed towards EBU national leaders to improve the Gender Equality work in EBU, as well as towards blind and partially sighted women who would like to hold female empowerment workshops in their home countries. The conference will provide lectures, discussions and workshops and will help all participants to put Gender Equality higher on their national agendas. More information is available at EBU website.

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SHARE YOUR RESEARCH ON EQUITY AND EYE HEALTH – A CALL FOR PAPERS

International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health invites submissions for a paper to their special issue. The journal is an open access peer-reviewed scientific journal that publishes articles and communications in the interdisciplinary area of environmental health sciences and public health.

The theme of the special issue is Leaving no one behind: Equity and Eye Health and the submission deadline is 31 August 2019.In this Special Issue, submissions on any aspect of equity and eye health in low- and middle-income settings, or interventions targeted towards disadvantaged groups in any setting will be considered.

"Our understanding of the problem of inequalities in eye health is growing, but there is very little evidence on solutions to eliminate these inequalities. Therefore, we are particularly interested in solution-based research on strategies to address inequalities, which can include health systems, implementation or operational research, experimental or quasi-experimental studies, and systematic reviews. We also welcome submissions that report novel methods of measuring or conceptualising eye-health inequality."

More information on the special issue and instructions for submission can be found here: https://www.mdpi.com/journal/ijerph/special_issues/equity_eye_health

REMINDER: CONTACT INFORMATION

Friendly reminder to members: Please check your contact information on our website to ensure that it is up to date at: Member Regions and Organizations: http://www.worldblindunion.org/English/about-wbu/membership/Pages/Member-Regions-and-Organizations.aspxShould you change your contact information any time please update us. You can contact Ianina at ianina.rodriguez@wbu.ngo

THE WBU REGIONS Our regions are the bridge between the international level of work and the local level. Policies and treaties constructed at global levels are

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then carried out by our members in their own countries. Most of the regions have their own websites where they post updates on their work, member activities, and upcoming events in their area.

AFRICAhttp://www.afub-uafa.orgASIA Website is currently unavailableASIA-PACIFIC http://wbuap.org/index/EUROPE http://www.euroblind.orgLATIN AMERICA http://ulacdigital.orgNORTH AMERICA/THE CARIBBEAN Website is currently unavailable

WBU TABLE OFFICERS Dr. Fredric K. Schroeder, Presidentpresident@wbu.ngo Mr. Fernando Riaño 1st Vice Presidentfriano@ilunion.com

Ms Donatilla Kanimba2nd Vice Presidentdonakanimba@gmail.com

Ms. Martine Abel-Williamson Treasurermartine.the1@xtra.co.nz Mr. A. K. Mittal

Secretary Generalmittal24ak@gmail.com

Mr. Arnt HolteImmediate Past President arnt.holte@blindeforbundet.no

REGIONAL PRESIDENTS

AFRICA (AFUB)Mr. Yaw Ofori-Debra yawdebra2015@gmail.com

ASIA (ABU)Mr. Santosh Kumar Rungta nfbsec.g@gmail.com

ASIA PACIFIC (WBU-AP)Ms. Michiko Tabata tabacchi@par.odn.ne.jp

EUROPE (EBU)Mr. Wolfgang Angermann ebupresident@euroblind.org

LATIN AMERICA (ULAC)Mr. Volmir Raimondi presidencia@ulacdigital.org

NORTH AMERICA/CARIBBEAN (WBU-NA/C)Mr. Charles Mossop charles.mossop@cnib.ca

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WBU STAFF Mr. Jose VieraChief Executive Officerjose.viera@wbu.ngo

Ms. Terry Mutuku Communications Officerterry.mutuku@wbu.ngo

Jessica Kashia JacobieHuman Rights OfficerJessica.Jacobie@wbu.ngo

Ms. Ianina Rodriguez

Administrative Assistant Ianina.rodriguez@wbu.ngo

Dard, Benjamin Global Accessibility Advisor Benjamin.Dard@cbm.org Hannes Lagrelius, Program Officer, Accessibility in Smart Cities InitiativeHannes.Lagrelius@wbu.ngo

OUR SPONSORS

Members listed below provide funds beyond their membership fees to support the work of the World Blind Union. We are grateful to these members and organizations for their valued contributions.Our Platinum Sponsors CBM International http://www.cbm.org/ Canadian National Institute for the Blind (CNIB) http://www.cnib.ca Open Society Institute Foundation (FOSI)

https://www.opensocietyfoundations.org/ Organización Nacional de Ciegos Españoles (ONCE)

http://www.once.es/new/ Sightsavers International http://www.sightsavers.org Vision Australia http://www.visionaustralia.org/ Vanda http://www.vandapharma.com/index.html

Our Diamond Sponsors Lighthouse San Francisco http://openhub.ch/en/content/swiss-

federation-blind-and-visually-impaired

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Swiss Federation of the Blind and Sight Impaired (SFB) http://openhub.ch/en/content/swiss-federation-blind-and-visually-impaired

Norwegian Association of the Blind and Partially Sighted (NABP) https://www.blindeforbundet.no

Our Gold Sponsors National Industries for the Blind (NIB)

http://www.nib.org/about-us/mission Danish Association of the Blind (DAB) https://blind.dk/internationalt German Federation of the Blind and Partially Sighted (DBSV).

https://www.dbsv.org/dbsv-in-english.html

*****The World Blind Union is registered in Canada as a charitable organization in order to raise funds for our work. Donations from individuals or groups are always appreciated and can be made via the “Donate Now” button on our website: http://www.wbu.ngo.

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