Last month, Vithya Vijayakumare, Senior Digital Accessibility Specialist at VisAbility, was invited to attend and present at the Right to Read Conference for Pacific Island Countries in Sydney, Australia. Organised by the World Intellectual Property Organisation (WIPO) and funded by the Australian Government, this event brought together carefully selected accessibility specialists from members of the Marrakesh Treaty, the Accessible Books Consortium (ABC) and delegates from the Pacific Island countries. This conference aims to advance the right to read for people with visual and print disabilities.
The Marrakesh Treaty: Enabling the Right to Read
The Marrakesh Treaty, adopted by WIPO in 2013, helps people who are blind, visually impaired, or otherwise print-disabled to access published works. By providing copyright exceptions, the Treaty allows the production and cross-border sharing of accessible books in formats like large print, braille, and audio. For over 285 million people globally, this Treaty makes the right to read a reality.
Australia adopted the Treaty in 2014 and has been a leading advocate for accessible reading. The Right to Read Conference highlighted Australia’s commitment to creating a network of authorised distributors of accessible books. VisAbility, Vision Australia, and The Queensland Braille Writing Association are part of this network, supporting accessible reading materials in the region.
Conference Insights: Legal and Practical Aspects of Accessibility
The Conference addressed both legal and practical aspects of the Marrakesh Treaty. Legal experts explained how countries can incorporate the Treaty into domestic laws. Practitioners shared best practices for the authorised production and distribution of accessible formats, which is key to cross-border sharing. The ABC Global Book Service was showcased as an effective solution for sharing accessible materials internationally, expanding the right to read for people in the Pacific Islands.
Vithya Vijayakumare’s Presentation on Accessible Format Production
Vithya co-presented a session on “Introduction to Accessible Format Production (Braille, Audio, EPUB 3)” with Dipendra Manocha from the DAISY Forum of India and Sonali Marathe from NextSense. Together, they discussed essential principles for creating accessible books in different formats. They also shared insights on affordable tools and software that help people with disabilities read.
Through her presentation, Vithya highlighted VisAbility’s dedication to the right to read. She shared practical strategies for producing accessible books, making it easier for all people to access information.
Connecting with Pacific Island Delegates
The Conference was also an opportunity for Vithya to meet delegates from Pacific Island nations. Representatives from Blind Association organisations and government representatives from Cook Islands, Fiji, Kiribati, Marshall Islands, Papua New Guinea, Samoa, Solomon Islands, Tonga, and Vanuatu attended. These conversations allowed participants to exchange ideas and explore ways to improve accessibility in their communities.
The Right to Read: A Shared Vision for the Future
The Right to Read Conference strengthened the global commitment to making reading accessible for everyone. With support from WIPO, the Australian Government, and authorised organisations like VisAbility, we are moving closer to a world where everyone can access books and knowledge.
Visit our website for more information on print and digital accessibility or contact us to get support.