The blind and visually impaired are discriminated against by the government which has failed to ratify an international treaty to provide Braille books despite a Constitutional Court order removing barriers to ratifying the treaty, says Blind South Africa.
“Less than 0.5% of published works are available in accessible formats such as Braille, and most are published by NPOs such as Blind SA — meaning the blind and visually impaired in South Africa are suffering a book famine,” said the society, which is working with Section27 to lobby the government.
“We have done all we can from a legal perspective to push the government to do right by people who are blind and visually impaired.”
South Africa’s copyright laws prohibit books being published in Braille or other formats accessible to people who are visually impaired without the author or publisher’s permission. However, in September, the Constitutional Court handed down judgment providing an exception to that provision in the Copyright Act. The court gave parliament 24 months to amend the Copyright Act.
Ratifying the treaty would make the production and international transfer of specially-adapted books for people who are blind or visually impaired easier, the NPOs say.
They plan to march to the offices of the department of trade, industry & competition, the department of women, youth & persons with disabilities, the department of justice & constitutional development, the Presidency and the department of international relations & co-operation in Pretoria on June 27.
The lobby groups have also launched a petition demanding the treaty be ratified.
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Inaction denying blind South Africans access to Braille books: Blind SA
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The blind and visually impaired are discriminated against by the government which has failed to ratify an international treaty to provide Braille books despite a Constitutional Court order removing barriers to ratifying the treaty, says Blind South Africa.
“Less than 0.5% of published works are available in accessible formats such as Braille, and most are published by NPOs such as Blind SA — meaning the blind and visually impaired in South Africa are suffering a book famine,” said the society, which is working with Section27 to lobby the government.
“We have done all we can from a legal perspective to push the government to do right by people who are blind and visually impaired.”
South Africa’s copyright laws prohibit books being published in Braille or other formats accessible to people who are visually impaired without the author or publisher’s permission. However, in September, the Constitutional Court handed down judgment providing an exception to that provision in the Copyright Act. The court gave parliament 24 months to amend the Copyright Act.
Ratifying the treaty would make the production and international transfer of specially-adapted books for people who are blind or visually impaired easier, the NPOs say.
They plan to march to the offices of the department of trade, industry & competition, the department of women, youth & persons with disabilities, the department of justice & constitutional development, the Presidency and the department of international relations & co-operation in Pretoria on June 27.
The lobby groups have also launched a petition demanding the treaty be ratified.
TimesLIVE
Support independent journalism by subscribing to the Sunday Times. Just R20 for the first month.
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