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WBU E-BULLETIN VOLUME 9, ISSUE 3 July 2014
CONTACT US AT: World Blind Union 1929 Bayview Avenue, Toronto, Ontario, Canada M4G 3E8 Telephone: 1-416-486-9698, Fax: 1-416-486-8107 Email: [email protected] Website: www.worldblindunion.org Twitter: @BlindUnion
TABLE OF CONTENTS
Contents CONTRIBUTIONS TO THE E-BULLETIN...... 3 PRESIDENT’S MESSAGE...... 3 OFFICE UPDATE...... 4 RIGHT TO READ – MARRAKESH TREATY UPDATES...... 4 THE NEXT STEP IN THE RIGHT TO READ CAMPAIGN: THE FOUNDING OF THE ACCESSIBLE BOOKS CONSORTIUM (ABC)...... 5 NEXT GENERAL ASSEMBLY AWARDED TO NATIONAL FEDERATION OF THE BLIND – USA...... 7 FEATURED ARTICLE...... 8 NON-24-HOUR SLEEP-WAKE DISORDER...... 8 UPDATES FROM WORKING GROUPS...... 10 RECOGNIZING UNSUNG HEROES...... 10 UNIVERSAL POSTAL UNION RULES UPDATES REGARDING FREE POST FOR THE BLIND...... 12
WBU e-Bulletin, July 2014 1 UNIVERSAL DESIGN – THE SILVER BULLET TO REMOVE OUR ENVIRONMENTAL DESIGN BARRIERS?...... 13 UPDATES FROM AROUND THE WORLD...... 15 REPORT ON ATTENDANCE TO THE INTERNATIONAL TRANSPORT FORUM, MAY 21 – 23, LEIPZIG, GERMANY...... 15 WBU ATTENDED THE 7TH CONFERENCE OF STATES PARTIES TO THE UNCRPD, UNITED NATIONS HEADQUARTERS NEW YORK, JUNE 10 TO 12...... 19 INSTITUTIONAL DEVELOPMENT PROGRAM 1ST IDP YOUNG LEADERS CAMP IN JOHANNESBURG, SOUTH AFRICA 8TH TO 22ND SEPTEMBER 2013...... 22 ANNOUNCEMENTS...... 23 SECOND WBU ADVOCACY SEMINAR...... 23 HADLEY’S INDEPENDENT LIVING SERIES...... 23 RESOURCES...... 25 PROJECT ASPIRO PROFILES...... 25 RNIB REVISED PRE-EMPLOYMENT PROGRAMME...... 25 IFES RELEASES MANUAL ON DISABILITY AND ELECTIONS...... 26 BOOKS...... 26 2014 IMPORTANT DATES/CONFERENCE NOTICES/EVENTS...... 28 NEWS FROM THE REGIONS...... 29 AFRICA...... 30 ASIA...... 30 ASIA-PACIFIC...... 30 EUROPE...... 31 LATIN AMERICA...... 31 NORTH AMERICA & THE CARIBBEAN...... 33 WBU OFFICERS...... 34 REGIONAL PRESIDENTS...... 35 WBU STAFF...... 35 OUR PLATINUM SPONSORS...... 36 OUR DIAMOND SPONSORS...... 36
WBU e-Bulletin, July 2014 2 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 September 30, 2014. We accept submissions in English, French and Spanish in electronic format. Please note that we retain the right to edit submissions for space limitations. Send you stories to: [email protected]
PRESIDENT’S MESSAGE In this address I will give some examples of the importance of working together, but let me first of all take this opportunity to say thank you to the President of National Federation of the Blind (NFB) USA, Dr. Marc Maurer. He has been serving as the President of this organisation for 28 years. Dr. Maurer has had a great influence on the work in USA and also in WBU. I was invited to come to their Convention in the beginning of July, and it was an honour to attend Dr. Maurer’s last convention as President for NFB. Thank you Marc for all you have done!
We have now seen the result from the Open Working Group which has been drafting the final document for the Post Millennium Development Goals (PMDG). It is with very great satisfaction that we can see that our hard work has resulted in success. Disability is mentioned in several paragraphs. I had the opportunity to speak to this in the State Parties Meeting in UN in June. There has been a lot of cooperation with other organisations in this work. Let me mention the Vision Alliance where WBU, ICEVI and IAPB work together. We have had several initiatives to promote that persons with disabilities must not be forgotten, and that it is important to be mentioned in the document. If you are not named or counted; you will also loose priority.
Another important alliance in this work is International Disability Alliance where Maryanne Diamond took over the chair from the 1st of July after she has been the 1st Vice President. IDA consists of 12 members where 4 members are regional organisations and 8 members are worldwide disability organisations like for example WBU. IDA has been vital in this work and through working together we have managed to put pressure on the UN system.
WBU e-Bulletin, July 2014 3 The Marrakesh Treaty was also a result from close cooperation between WBU and other member organisations. Through this work we also achieved good relations to other international organisations. I am very happy to report that India is the first country to ratify the Marrakesh Treaty.
The last area where we must also find alliance partners is working with organisations representing the elderly persons. The elderly part of the population in many countries will increase in the coming years and that the number of visually impaired will also grow. We have started this cooperation, and I think we need to focus on this in the future. Let us know your ideas on this.
We need together to change the world, and I think this is the fact for our national members, the regions of WBU, and WBU itself.
Arnt Holte
OFFICE UPDATE We welcome Swedish student Anders Arnor has joined us in the WBU office in Toronto as an intern for five months from July to November 2014, as part of his Human Rights studies practicum for school. If this name is familiar to some of you that is because Anders is the grandson of the first WBU Secretary General, Anders Arnor. He will be working on WBU’s Human Rights programs. He soon will send out a survey to members to seek information from you so please respond. He can be reached at: [email protected]
RIGHT TO READ – MARRAKESH TREATY UPDATES Marrakesh Treaty now a year old from when the document was put into its final form and passed on June 27, 2013. To date over 70 countries have signed on but we still need 19 more to ratify it in order for the rules to come into effect.
India has ratified treaty and is the first country to do so. “We congratulate India on its ratification of the Marrakesh Treaty and hope this ratification will be the first of many,” said WIPO Director General Francis Gurry. This shows the new government’s concern for their
WBU e-Bulletin, July 2014 4 print-disabled citizens, and their desire to provide the tools so that blind students can access more books to improve their ability to learn alongside their school peers.
We understand that El Salvador is in the final stages of completing the ratification process. Once it has been filed with WIPO, it would be the first country in Latin America to do so. We thank the strong leadership of Pablo Lecuona for promoting this treaty to the Latin governments and we hope this starts the ball rolling for more ratifications of Marrakesh by countries in Latin America.
The R2R Campaign Chair is WBU’s Immediate Past President, Maryanne Diamond [email protected]. Listed here are the names and contact information of each regional coordinator:
Scott LaBarre – NA/C [email protected] Pablo Lecuona – ULAC [email protected] Wolfgang Angermann – EBU [email protected] S. K. Rungta – ABU [email protected] Neil Jarvis – WBU-AP [email protected] Jace Nair – AFUB [email protected]
Please contact any of the Right to Read team if you need help in reaching out to your government to begin the process working towards ratifying the Marrakesh Treaty in your own country. They would be happy to help you with this. WBU also has resources on our website regarding advocacy and the Marrakesh Treaty: http://www.worldblindunion.org/English/our-work/our- priorities/Pages/right-2-read-campaign.aspx
The next step in the Right to Read Campaign: The founding of the Accessible Books Consortium (ABC) ABC was created to help implement the objectives of the Marrakesh Treaty to Facilitate Access to Published Works for Persons Who Are Blind, Visually Impaired or Otherwise Print Disabled at a practical level through work in three areas: the sharing of technical skills in developing and least developed countries to produce and distribute books in accessible formats, promoting inclusive publishing, and building an international database and book exchange of accessible books. The Marrakesh Treaty was adopted by WIPO’s members on
WBU e-Bulletin, July 2014 5 June 27, 2013 and will enter into force once it has been ratified by 20 nations.
“The launch of the Accessible Books Consortium advances global efforts to increase the number of books available for use by people with print disabilities,” Francis Gurry lauded. “We are pleased that ABC’s stakeholders are fully committed to collaborating and ensuring the success of this initiative,” he added.
According to the World Blind Union, over 90% of all published materials are inaccessible by blind or low vision people. This scarcity of published works in accessible formats has been referred to as the “global book famine”.
"The Accessible Book Consortium provides a practical way to address the enormous problem of the lack of books in accessible formats in the world today", said Ms. Maryanne Diamond, Immediate Past President of the World Blind Union and Chair of the International Disability Alliance. “Persons with print disabilities have the right to information and the right to read on an equal basis with their sighted peers. The ABC provides an excellent platform to bring together key stakeholders in the delivery of holistic solutions to this very large and complicated global problem."
“The lack of books in accessible formats has been a true barrier for education and employment opportunities for the blind and visually impaired in developing and least developed countries,” said Mr. Dipendra Manocha, President of the DAISY Forum of India. He noted that “The ABC offers a golden promise that through collaboration among key stakeholders we can end the global book famine.”
Through its work on capacity building in developing and least developed countries, the ABC is helping to boost technical knowledge in how to produce accessible books, particularly for school books in national languages. The ABC also promotes inclusive publishing, which encourages publishers to deliver digital publications for sighted audiences that are equally accessible to the print disabled – a system known as “born accessible” – as well as encouraging the adoption of an industry-wide accessibility standard.
The International Publishers Association (IPA) President, Y.S Chi, said “The Accessible Books Consortium embodies the spirit and the
WBU e-Bulletin, July 2014 6 collaboration that is needed to achieve equal access to all readers regardless of their abilities. Successes such as these are indicative of where WIPO’s strengths lie. Publishers and the IPA look forward to continuing our accessibility work with WIPO, the ABC, and the World Blind Union.”
Under the auspices of ABC, WIPO also hosts the Trusted Intermediary Global Accessible Resources (TIGAR) book exchange, a database of over 238,000 accessible format books in 55 languages from libraries from around the world.
The ABC includes the following umbrella organizations: World Blind Union, DAISY Consortium, International Authors' Forum, International Federation of Reproduction Rights Organizations, and the International Publishers Association. Watch this news item on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PMYjFol0BGs
NEXT GENERAL ASSEMBLY AWARDED TO NATIONAL FEDERATION OF THE BLIND – USA At the WBU Executive meeting held in Norway in May of this year, the recommendation to accept the bid to hold the next General Assembly in the United States, hosted by the National Federation of the Blind (NFB) – USA was accepted. The Assembly will be held in August 2016 with final dates and location to be confirmed before the end of 2014. As was the case in 2012, the WBU and ICEVI will hold a joint Assembly event. While further information will follow as it is finalized, we can share with you some of the general format for the event. There will be no Diversity Forum at the Assembly but rather it is expected that diversity issues will be reflected in the program. The WBU Assembly will be held over 4 days (Monday to Thursday) and then we will have two joint days with ICEVI where a number of concurrent workshops will be held. We really encourage WBU members to watch for program announcements and opportunities to submit proposals to do presentations as we want to ensure a wide range of presentations during the event.
And because the Assembly will be held earlier than in 2012 (although this is the normal time when the Assembly is held in more northern countries), this does mean that we will need to begin processes earlier than you are accustomed to in order to ensure that we have the needed delegate and other information within the required timeframes
WBU e-Bulletin, July 2014 7 and that everyone will have time to acquire their visas. As a result we will be asking you to pay your 2016 membership fees earlier in the year than normal (by March 31, 2016) and will give members the opportunity to pay their 2016 fees in advance when the 2015 fees are paid (they would be placed into a special deferred revenue account so would be recognized in the proper year). We will be sending out delegate support applications in about September 2015 and will ask for them to be submitted by December 2015 so that approvals can be done early for the purposes of travel arrangements and visa applications. As in the past, only members that are fully financial will be considered for sponsorship. We will also be sending our members a notice during 2015 to confirm your delegates to the Assembly if you can. We realize that this will not be possible for some given the timing of your own elections, but these will definitely need to be confirmed to us a minimum of two months prior to the Assembly so you might want to consider that in the timing of your national Assemblies or election processes.
As you know, the General Assembly is where any constitutional amendments are considered. The Constitution Committee, Chaired by Wolfgang Angermann, EBU President, has already begun meeting. They have requested that any constitutional amendment proposals be submitted to them prior to December 31, 2015 so that the committee has the opportunity to compile its constitution report including any proposed amendments for distribution to the membership as per the requirements of the constitution. You can download the current version of the WBU constitution from the WBU website in the About Us section at: http://www.worldblindunion.org/English/about- wbu/Pages/Constitution.aspx
We will continue to provide regular articles in the WBU E-bulletin to keep you updated on the Assembly planning. There is also a General Assembly section on the WBU website at: http://www.worldblindunion.org/English/general- assembly/Pages/default.aspx and all documents for the 2016 event will be posted there.
FEATURED ARTICLE
WBU e-Bulletin, July 2014 8 Non-24-Hour Sleep-Wake Disorder Non-24-Hour Sleep-Wake Disorder, or Non-24 for short, is a serious, chronic circadian rhythm disorder that affects up to 70 percent of people who are totally blind. Non-24 begins with the master body clock. Everyone has one. For most people, it runs slightly longer than 24 hours and is reset every day by environmental light that's detected by the eye and signals the brain. The body uses light cues received by the eyes to reset the clock each day. So, the eye actually has two main functions. One is to transmit images, and the other is to “perceive” light that signals whether it’s day or night. In fact, there are actually special photoreceptor cells in the eye, different from those used to send images, which are responsible for the light detection to reset the master body clock to 24 hours. For people who are totally blind, the body clock runs on its own Non-24 hour body clock that shifts out of sync with the 24-hour day-night cycle. Because the non- 24-hour body clock creates an ever-shifting sleep-wake cycle, Non-24 is classified as a circadian rhythm disorder. Non-24 can occur regardless of the cause of blindness, and occurs with the loss of sight at any age.
Non-24 makes it difficult to fall asleep or stay asleep at night and creates an uncontrollable urge to sleep during the day. This may lead to exhaustion and a decrease in overall functionality. Changes in the sleep-wake cycle can also cause daytime problems with managing school or work, cause increased irritability, make concentration difficult, and have an adverse effect on relationships.
The symptoms are mild for some and more disruptive for others. In addition, the impact can vary from person to person. Having Non-24 means you might suddenly fall asleep at the wrong moment—such as in the middle of the workday or during a meeting or a class.
Many people with Non-24 experience broad extremes. During the day, you may fight to stay awake by doing anything to keep busy. At night, you may do almost anything to try to force yourself to get tired. Adding to the frustration and unpredictability, there are also periods when you may sleep and wake normally when the master body clock and the typical day-night cycle are temporarily in sync. Non-24 may sound like a sleep disorder, but it’s actually a circadian rhythm disorder.
WBU e-Bulletin, July 2014 9 Despite how challenging and frustrating these symptoms can be, Non- 24 can be difficult to identify and diagnose. This is because it is different for each person, each body, and each master body clock. This variability can lead to delays in diagnosis, or even prevent a proper diagnosis.
Non-24 is a serious, chronic circadian rhythm disorder that affects up to 70 percent of people who are totally blind. Although it is very common in totally blind people, it is relatively rare in the overall population and some doctors are not even aware of it.
Vanda Pharmaceuticals Inc. a biopharmaceutical company, based in the United States in Washington, D.C. is raising awareness about the disorder by providing educational resources. You can visit www.Non- 24.com to learn more about Non-24. The website includes the option to sign up for to receive the latest information on Non-24. If you would like to discuss opportunities to raise awareness in your community, please email Paul Ramirez at [email protected] References for this article appear on page 34 of the newsletter
UPDATES FROM WORKING GROUPS
Recognizing Unsung Heroes By Penny Hartin, WBU CEO
Like all non-governmental organizations with limited resources, the WBU relies on contributions from individuals and members to enable us to achieve our objectives. These talented people make up the teams of our various committees or working groups. And while financial support is always needed and appreciated, it is often the human resources, the contributions of expertise, time and skills that are just as valuable. The WBU is blessed to have many, many individuals who give their time and expertise, in many cases through the support of the organizations to which they belong. And we hear about the contributions of many, but there are some who do a huge amount on behalf of the WBU and they often work behind the scenes and so our members don’t hear about them. While we appreciate and thank everyone who gives so much of their time and expertise to assist the WBU, we would like to offer our particular gratitude to two individuals.
WBU e-Bulletin, July 2014 10 Dan Pescod is the Manager International Campaigns for the RNIB and has provided strategy and advocacy support to many WBU initiatives both at the international and EBU levels. In particular, Dan has been supporting our WBU work with the Universal Postal Union, supporting Lord Colin Low in having the UPU treaty amended and modernized so that many more materials can be sent on behalf of blind and partially sighted persons free of postage. You will learn more about this important Convention and what it means for you in another article elsewhere in the E-bulletin.
Equally, and perhaps even more significant, Dan has provided significant leadership to our WBU Right to Read campaign for some 10 years now which, as we all know, resulted in the Marrakesh Treaty. Dan has served as Vice Chair of the committee for much of the time, developing strategy, developing documents and tools, participating in meetings at WIPO and the EU, providing his calm leadership and support to all. Following the adoption of the Marrakesh Treaty, Dan has been instrumental in working with Maryanne Diamond to develop the next phase of the campaign – to get the treaty ratified in as many countries as possible. As part of that, Dan was the main author of a proposal to the Open Society Institute Foundation that has resulted in a $166,000 grant to the WBU to support our ratification issues.
Dan’s other work priorities as Manager for International Campaigns at RNIB do not permit him to continue in his role as Vice Chair for the Right to Read Campaign, but we know that he is following the work closely and is just an email away. Dan, we really want to thank you for all that you have done. We doubt that we would be where we are without your help.
Alan Suttie is the Executive Director of the Fife Society for the Blind in Scotland and a former trustee of the RNIB. Alan has had a significant interest in the issues of elderly blind persons and became involved with the WBU close to 10 years ago leading our initiatives to better understand and work with elderly blind persons. He has led our WBU elderly blind network since that time; during the last WBU quadrennial he and his team produced a report on the situation of elderly blind persons worldwide as well as recommendations for WBU engagement. He then spearheaded the development of a resource kit related to working with the elderly blind, sponsored by the AMD Alliance International and launched at the last General Assembly. You
WBU e-Bulletin, July 2014 11 will also remember Alan as Chair of the WBU Resolutions Committee in Bangkok and the core leader of our first ever WBU Diversity Forum.
As a volunteer, Alan has done a great deal of work in Tanzania, raising awareness and supporting persons with albinism in Tanzania who face such horrific persecution in that country. As part of that work, Alan developed a book targeted as school children to raise their awareness about albinism, to try to dispel traditional beliefs about albinism and to promote better acceptance and inclusion.
Alan has unfortunately recently been diagnosed with Motor Neuron disease which is a very serious illness and so he has had to reduce his involvement somewhat although he is continuing to be involved as much as he can. Alan, we really thank you for your contributions and your championing of issues related to elderly blind persons.
Universal Postal Union Rules Updates Regarding Free Post for the Blind By Dan Pescod
We have a report on the expanded list of items that may be shipped free by registered blind citizens that go beyond the ability to just send Braille documents. The entire article is posted on our website: http://www.worldblindunion.org/English/news/Pages/Universal-Postal- Union-Rules-Updates-Regarding-Fre-Post-for-the-Blind.aspx (English link) http://www.worldblindunion.org/French/News/Pages/Campagne-de- l’UMA-pour-une-poste-gratuite-et-moderne-pour-les-aveugles.aspx (French link) http://www.worldblindunion.org/Spanish/News/Pages/Campaña-de-la- UMC-a-favor-de-un-correo-gratuito-moderno-para-personas- ciegas.aspx (Spanish link)
As many countries may not honor the new rules the call for action is below:
What should WBU national members do about exemptions? It is for WBU national members to consider whether they wish to discuss the exemptions with their national governments. These cannot be dealt with by WBU representatives attending UPU meetings.
WBU e-Bulletin, July 2014 12 You might wish to explain the need for a wide, modern interpretation of the “items for the blind” service, as achieved at the UPU Congress in 2012. However, you might decide that this matter is not a priority for your organisation. Of course, Dan Pescod remains happy to try to answer any questions members have on this matter.
Dan Pescod; Campaigns Manager, RNIB; 105 Judd Street London WC1H 9NE. UK Tel: +44 (0) 20 7391 2009 E-mail: [email protected]
Universal Design – The Silver Bullet to Remove our Environmental Design Barriers? By Martine Abel-Williamson
WBU Strategic Lead regarding access to the environment for blind and partially sighted persons including safe and independent travel and access to transportation.
In this article the seven general universal design principles will be explained plus examples given, and the need for actual measurements and specific outcomes will be emphasize at the end, as more than one strategy or solution’s required to allow for an inclusive and accessible communication and physical environment.
What is universal design? Universal Design is the design of products and environments to be usable by all people, to the greatest extent possible, without the need for adaptation or specialized design.
The following Principles of Universal Design have been established to guide a wide range of design disciplines including environments, products, and communications. These seven principles may be applied to evaluate existing designs, guide the design process and educate both designers and consumers about the characteristics of more usable products and environments.
PRINCIPLE ONE: Equitable Use: The design is useful and marketable to people with diverse abilities.
WBU e-Bulletin, July 2014 13 An example here would be to have doors to buildings designed in such a way that all of us can use it, instead of some needing to use a side entrance. An automatic opening/closing door might be more preferable rather than a revolving one, as many blind and partially sighted vision people might not feel safe using the latter, as it might be difficult to gage when to step into the door space, or even problematic to identify where the actual door is.
PRINCIPLE TWO: Flexibility in Use: The design accommodates a wide range of individual preferences and abilities.
An example of good design here might be to design proximity or swipe card entrances to buildings as such that the left or right hand can be used to manipulate access, especially where both door handles and access card sensors are in the equation.
PRINCIPLE THREE: Simple and Intuitive Use: Use of the design is easy to understand, regardless of the user’s experience, knowledge, language skills, or current concentration level.
The way queuing systems within banks and hospital buildings are set up is an example here, for if this is done via visual means only such as indicating lighting and temporary barriers that are raised too high off the ground so that one cannot always locate it with a white cane or guide dog, this can end up being confusing and hazardous.
PRINCIPLE FOUR: Perceptible Information: The design communicates necessary information effectively to the user, regardless of ambient conditions or the user’s sensory abilities.
Lifts or elevators that have speech output elements re the direction it is travelling in and which floor it’s arriving at, are good examples in this context.
PRINCIPLE FIVE: Tolerance for Error: The design minimizes hazards and the adverse consequences of accidental or unintended actions.
Travelators (moving sidewalks) at airports where a synthesized voice prompts readiness for when to step off is a good example of where this principle has been incorporated.
WBU e-Bulletin, July 2014 14 PRINCIPLE SIX: Low Physical Effort: The design can be used efficiently and comfortably and with a minimum of fatigue.
Heat sensing taps in bathrooms are good examples here, although I’m sure many of us who are blind or partially sighted, have experienced the situation where we ended up twisting and turning taps, trying to figure out how they work, just to discover that, all we need to do is to hold our hands underneath it. So, we can ask in this instance, does the principle around intuitive use always line up with that on decreased physical effort.
PRINCIPLE SEVEN: Size and Space for Approach and Use: Appropriate size and space is provided for approach, reach, manipulation, and use regardless of user’s body size, posture, or mobility.
Moving through doorways with mobility aids such as guide dogs, while carrying adaptive computer equipment, is a relevant example here where the doorway would need to be wide enough, and body movement sensors would need to be set lower than the average human height level to stop self-opening or –closing doors to activate while one’s guide dog is still within injuring range.
Universal design cannot be implemented without much needed tangible measurable such as technical door width, braille signage and voice output specifications, so, the checklists many agencies are using in order to specify design elements are as vital and needed as ever. Principles are there to guide us in the right direction, but even those can be interpreted subjectively by designers and developers.
Acknowledgement: Compiled by advocates of universal design, listed in alphabetical order: Bettye Rose Connell, Mike Jones, Ron Mace, Jim Mueller, Abir Mullick, Elaine Ostroff, Jon Sanford, Ed Steinfeld, Molly Story, and Gregg Vanderheiden Major funding provided by: The National Institute on Disability and Rehabilitation Research, U.S. Department of Education Copyright 1997 NC State University, the Center for Universal Design
UPDATES FROM AROUND THE WORLD
WBU e-Bulletin, July 2014 15 Report on attendance to the International Transport Forum, May 21 – 23, Leipzig, Germany By Penny Hartin, WBU CEO
The International Transportation Forum is an activity of the OECD and is held on an annual basis. It brings together government transport ministers, industry leaders from the automotive, airline, ground transportation industry as well as representatives from relevant national and international transport agencies and civil society representatives in order to discuss innovations and changes in transport and for governments to forge transportation agreements. The theme of the Forum was “Transport for a Changing World”. Detailed information about the Forum can be found at the Forum website at: http://2014.internationaltransportforum.org/
The Forum had been attended by Pete Osborne in 2013 who felt that the issues being addressed were important and relevant to the WBU and recommended that WBU try to have a presence at this event in order to bring our issues forward and to monitor some of the changes and innovations that are being discussed at such a high level. Penny Hartin attended the Transport forum in 2014 on behalf of WBU, accompanied by Marja Kämpfer from Swiss Federation of the Visually Impaired.
Consistent with the theme of the Forum – “Transport for a Changing World” – many of the presentations focused on trends in transportation, pressures imposed by population growth and migration to urban environments and the impact of technological innovation. The presentations and discussions were interesting but also raised a good number of issues from the perspective of persons with disabilities, and particularly those of us who are blind or partially sighted. Neither Marja nor I observed any other participant with a disability at the conference - certainly no one with a visible disability. I attended along with my guide dog Chicory and her presence did garner a lot of interest, particularly since the use of guide dogs is not common in many parts of the world.
The following is a list of topics of presentations that I attended, to give you a sense of the range of topics. I will then share with you some of my observations of the key points, trends and issues for us to be aware of:
WBU e-Bulletin, July 2014 16 . Designing Cities for People . Transport Outlook: Scenarios to 2050 . Transport for a Changing World: Thinking Beyond the Trends . Adapting the Vehicle to a New Society: How Will Shifting Attitudes and Vehicle Technology Change the Way We Drive? . Transport Innovation Talks . Ministerial Session - The Transport Transformation: Innovations that are Changing Transport and How Policy Needs to Respond . Creating Livable Cities in a Changing Urban Landscape . Plenary: Sustainable Transport for All: Planning for Greener and More Inclusive Transport
The Designing Cities session was the only one that addressed universal design and inclusion of persons with disabilities to any degree. It was a good session that raised the issues of planning for inclusion of all – motorists, cyclists and pedestrians in a way that respected the needs of all. The issue of design that met the needs of all persons with disabilities was also raised – that meeting the needs of just one type of disability could then exclude others. An example would be rounded curb cuts with no tactile and visual warning strips required by blind and partially sighted persons to navigate curbs or pedestrian walkways.
There was little opportunity for audience questions or discussions as there was either little time left at the end of a session, or in those sessions which included government minister involvement, then priority was always given to them to speak.
I did however manage to make one intervention on behalf of the WBU. I spoke about the importance of ensuring that the implications of new technology developments in motor vehicles were understood for all stakeholders – not just from the perspective of the drivers, but also the pedestrians and emphasized the issues related to vision loss. I cited the silent/hybrid car issue as an example of an innovation that did not consider stakeholder needs at the design stage and thus now needed to be redesigned due to the safety issues that have subsequently arisen. I also had the opportunity to further discuss these issues with certain participants during the course of the conference. The opportunity for more interventions would have been beneficial but I do believe that our message was heard and our visible presence in the forum also helped to raise some awareness.
WBU e-Bulletin, July 2014 17 For the most part, the Conference presenters focused on issues related to the following trends and issues:
. There is a trend to urbanization – that over the next decades, people in developing countries will be moving from the villages to the cities and cities must be prepared for this influx of people; traffic congestion will increase; there will be a need for mass transit development as well as a need to promote walking and cycling. . Easing traffic congestion is a major issue in virtually all cities; the development of user pay roads to enable more roads and transit to be built; trying to keep traffic out of the central cores of cities and getting people to use mass transit, walk or cycle. . There was a good deal of discussion about cycling and encouraging more people to cycle as a means of transit – also considered more environmentally friendly. However, while there was discussion about separating cyclists from vehicular traffic, there was no discussion about how to separate cyclists from pedestrian traffic and the implications of shared spaces between pedestrians and cyclists. Given the issues we observed while in Leipzig that the city has become very cyclist friendly, there is little provision made for pedestrians, resulting in quite a hazardous situation for pedestrians. Personally, while I travel a lot on my own, whether with a guide dog or a white cane, I would not have felt at all confident walking about in Leipzig except for the small city core that was a pedestrian mall. So we need to be vigilant about the trend towards increased cycling and shared cycling and pedestrian spaces in order to promote responsible cycling and to ensure that blind and partially sighted persons can move about safely. . Technological innovation was also a major theme within the Forum. We heard about the development of the driverless cars and what that would mean. On one hand, perhaps it could mean that blind persons would be able to use these one day as the technology is developed; on the other hand, there were no answers to the questions about what would happen if the technology programmed into these driverless cars fails – as inevitably technology does fail from time to time. They also talked about all of the apps that would be available to assist with navigation and traffic congestion. That, for example, as a vehicle was approaching an intersection, an app on the driver’s smartphone could detect if any traffic was approaching the intersection from the other direction and if not, even if the traffic light was red, the app would turn the light to
WBU e-Bulletin, July 2014 18 green so that the car could proceed uninterrupted. I must confess that I shuddered a bit when hearing that as I wondered what would happen if someone happened to be crossing the road, would the car detect that? On the other hand, there are lots of opportunities for app development that could make travel for blind and partially sighted persons much easier and safer, so long as the apps are accessible and those who need the technology can afford it and have the training to use it. As we know, that is certainly not the case with the majority of blind and partially sighted persons in the world today, so we do need to be vigilant to ensure that assumptions are not made that technology will be the answer for everything.
There were, of course, many other topics that were raised and discussed. However, I have tried to focus on those that I think are of most relevent to us as blind and partially sighted persons. I think that there are real opportunities for WBU members to engage: to follow the development of technology both for vehicle innovation and for traffic management, navigation, etc. – to ensure that the technology that can help us considers our needs and is accessible and that the technology innovations will not bring with them safety hazards to us. I believe that we all must engage with our city and town planners to find out what they are planning with transport management for vehicles, pedestrians and cyclists and that they are incorporating universal design into their planning and ensuring that the measures they put in place to assist one stakeholder won’t create unsafe or uncomfortable situations for others. We should be offering our expertise and our perspectives as blind and partially sighted persons. The reality is that often we are forgotten by those developing the innovations or making the plans. However, as was the case with the International Transport Forum – we were not specifically invited to attend this, but we found out about it and then they were very welcoming and accommodating – I have no doubt that you will be just as welcome bringing forward our perspectives.
I hope that this brief report from the Forum has been helpful to you. I felt that the issues were important to us as blind and partially sighted persons and so I decided to share with everyone within the E-bulletin. There is a lot that each of us can do to help ensure that the transport systems of tomorrow will be safe and useful for us.
WBU e-Bulletin, July 2014 19 WBU Attended the 7th Conference of States Parties to the UNCRPD, United Nations Headquarters New York, June 10 to 12 By Penny Hartin, WBU CEO
The WBU was represented at the 7th COSP to the CRPD by WBU President Arnt Holte, 1st Vice President Fredric Schroeder, Immediate Past President Maryanne Diamond and CEO Penny Hartin. Maryanne Diamond was officially part of the International Disability Alliance delegation as IDA Vice-Chair and incoming Chair, effective July 2014. The COSP was preceded by a Civil Society Forum on June 9th and the WBU hosted a side event on the Marrakesh Treaty on November 11th. While the WBU delegation was small, it is fair to say that our presence was significant and visible through the chairmanship of certain sessions by both Maryanne and Arnt, through interventions at COSP Plenary sessions by Arnt representing WBU and Maryanne representing IDA and through our side event on the Marrakesh Treaty. There were a significant number of blind and partially sighted persons present at the event as part of government or civil society delegations. It was reported that 147 countries have now ratified the UNCRPD; as a result it was impossible for all governments that wished to present to do so. There was also a commitment to hear from civil society as well as governments and that commitment was upheld.
A key theme throughout the Civil Society Forum and the COSP related to the importance of inclusion of disability in the goals and targets of the Post 2015 development agenda. This was the focus of many presentations during the Civil Society Forum as well as the COSP and attention was drawn to the need for disability inclusion in the majority of government interventions as well as those by civil society, including the interventions by Arnt Holte and Maryanne Diamond.
Some specific sessions included in the Civil Society addressed the following topics:
. Main Conclusions from the Open Working Group on Sustainable Development Goals and the Post-2015 Development Process . Aligning National, Regional and Global Conversations . Forging Partnerships: Building Alliances with Other Vulnerable Groups, Including Women, Children, Youth, Aging and Indigenous Peoples
WBU e-Bulletin, July 2014 20 . Looking Ahead: A Roadmap for Advocacy to Ensure Inclusion of Persons with Disabilities in the Post-2015 Development Framework and Concrete Asks
During the COSP, in addition to the General Debate, there were sessions that included presentations by countries that had ratified the CRPD, and a special roundtable was held regarding Incorporating the Provisions of CRPD in the post- 2015 development agenda. Representatives from relevant UN Departments updated the status of the Post 2015 agenda, presenting key provisions in the Open Working Group report and milestones to September 2015 at which time the current MDG’s will end.
Some of the key messages heard throughout the 4 days included the following:
. The need to push for inclusion of disability in the new development agenda and targets . The need for disaggregated data that includes disaggregation by disability; a quote that was frequently repeated: “if we are not counted then we don’t count” . The importance of engaging with national governments to advocate for disability inclusion in the final version of the new development agenda as it will ultimately be national governments that decide. Therefore it will be critical to engage and advocate with national governments over the course of the next year to ensure disability inclusion and disaggregated data. Since most governments who presented during the COSP sessions emphasized the importance of disability inclusion in the Post 2015 agenda, these presentations can be used as part of our advocacy strategies
As mentioned at the outset, the WBU also hosted a side event focused on the Marrakesh Treaty. We had a number of panelists who focused on the need for countries to ratify the Marrakesh Treaty and how the treaty related to the implementation of the UNCRPD. The session was moderated by Fredric Schroeder on behalf of Arnt Holte and specific presentations included:
1. Maryanne Diamond - Chair WBU Right to Read Campaign and Immediate Past President WBU Why we need a treaty, what it is and what it means for persons who are blind or partially sighted
WBU e-Bulletin, July 2014 21 2. Senator Kerryann Ifill – Consultant/Facilitator Technology Services for the Blind/Visually Impaired, Barbados What the treaty means for blind or partially sighted persons living in developing countries 3. Martin Babu Mwesigwa - CRPD Committee Member The linkage between the Marrakesh Treaty and the CRPD 4. Geidy Lung - Senior Counsellor, WIPO Copyright Law Division. How the Marrakesh Treaty fits with other WIPO treaties and what WIPO is doing to have it ratified 5. Ambassador Guilherme de Aguiar Patriota - Deputy Permanent Representative of Brazil to the United Nations The role of a champion member state in the development of the Marrakesh Treaty and the importance and urgency of member states ratifying it 6. Scott C. LaBarre – Lead, North America Treaty Ratification Campaign What the United States is doing to progress the ratification of the Treaty
For further information about the Conference of States Parties, access to webcasts and documents, please see the UN Enable website at: http://www.un.org/disabilities/default.asp?navid=15&pid=1615
Institutional Development Program 1st IDP Young Leaders Camp in Johannesburg, South Africa 8th to 22nd September 2013 By Martin Keiti, Perkins
The 1st IDP Young Leaders Camp was held in Delmas Environmental Centre, a camping site outside Johannesburg, South Africa, from 8th to 22nd September 2013. The Camp was one of the new initiatives adopted by the IDP in its 2013-2016 Strategic Framework. The camp was convened by the IDP in collaboration with the South African National Council for the Blind (SANCB) and Eco-Access, a South African non-profit that specialises in camping and environmental access for persons with disabilities.
The purpose of the Camp is to empower more blind and partially sighted leaders in Africa by exposing the camp participants to diverse approaches to leadership and stimulating new thinking towards their role as agents of social transformation.
WBU e-Bulletin, July 2014 22 The Camp philosophy is: young people have the capacity to become leaders in their field of endeavour if given the exposure to concepts of leadership and the opportunity to demonstrate their skills through positive social action. The objective of the Camp is to produce inspired, motivated and aware leaders who are more confident to pursue their personal and community service goals.
Twenty blind and partially sighted youth from nine African countries attended the Camp. Most of them were within their first two years in University and between 19 and 24 years of age. The next Camp is will take place in 2015.
ANNOUNCEMENTS
Second WBU Advocacy Seminar It will be done by Maryanne Diamond on the Marrakesh Treaty. Monday July 28, at 10:00PM UTC via this link: http://www.conference321.com/masteradmin/room.asp? id=rs0e95c9bbd9fe Duration: 60 min.
Contact Dr Victor Cordeiro at: [email protected] if you plan to participate. Kindly send your questions in advance on the topic which will be addressed at the end of the session. The seminar will be recorded then posted to our website later on.
Learn more about WBU webinars, how to sign in etc. here: http://www.worldblindunion.org/English/news/Pages/July-Webinar-on- Marrakesh-Treaty.aspx
Hadley’s Independent Living Series The Hadley School for the Blind is pleased to offer a number of mini- courses that teach students how to carry out tasks of daily living in a competent, more independent way. The courses in this Independent Living Series are especially helpful for those who have recently lost vision. But even those who have been visually impaired for some time may discover useful new ideas that enable them to live more independently. Moreover, these courses provide strategies for people with low vision, total blindness and deaf-blindness. All courses are two
WBU e-Bulletin, July 2014 23 lessons and are available in large print and online. For more information and to enroll, visit www.hadley.edu or call 800-323-4238.
Independent Living: The Beginnings No matter how long a person has had a visual impairment, the type of visual loss, or the presence of other disabilities, using the senses can help a person live more independently. This course describes how to use nonvisual senses and remaining vision to do many daily living tasks in a competent, more independent way. It describes how to use the senses to gather information about the environment. It then explains how to use this information to make changes in the environment and live more independently.
Independent Living: Orientation and Mobility Basics This mini-course emphasizes the importance of receiving training from a certified O&M instructor and explains how to use the human guide technique, self-protective techniques and trailing. It presents strategies for exploring surroundings and identifies specific travel aids. This course may appeal to both students who have recently lost vision and those who looking for new ideas. Note that this course does not replace training from a certified O&M instructor.
Independent Living: Clothing Care & Dressing Confidently The course illustrates how to use nonvisual techniques and any remaining vision to identify, organize and care for clothing, footwear and accessories in the wardrobe. Many of the adaptations, techniques and suggestions are simple to learn and incorporate into a daily routine. Although this course may be of particular interest to students who have recently lost vision, it may also appeal to students looking for new ideas. Familiarization with ways to care for clothing and dress with confidence will enable the individual with visual impairment to live more independently.
Independent Living: Socializing and Dining With vision loss, socializing and dining may now be a challenge. This mini-course offers tips and techniques to help people with vision loss socialize and dine with ease, enabling them to regain and expand their social lives. Topics include accepting yourself, communication and social skills, meetings and conferences, tips for people who are deaf- blind, dining etiquette, dining techniques, home dining, restaurant strategies and techniques for eating particular foods. This course does not replace training from rehabilitation professionals.
WBU e-Bulletin, July 2014 24 Independent Living: Cooking Accomplished cooks who are visually impaired use their nonvisual senses and adaptive techniques for kitchen success. Often, using nonvisual information effectively, staying organized, and paying close attention to safety issues, as well as considering some adaptive devices, are all that is needed. This mini-course presents safety guidelines, strategies for preparing cold foods, and techniques for stove and microwave cooking. This course does not replace training from rehabilitation professionals.
For more information on these or other Hadley courses visit www.hadley.edu.
RESOURCES
Project Aspiro Profiles In order to show the world that blind people can be employed in a number of professions, we are adding profiles of blind people who have various jobs to the Project Aspiro website. Link here to view the profile of Ken, who works in radio production: http://projectaspiro.com/en/success-stories/Pages/ken.aspx
We welcome more profiles – let us know what it is you do in your working life so we can expand this pool of profiles. We hope to have stories from blind people all around the world. Email Karen Wolffe at: [email protected] with your story. You never know, you might inspire others to pursue a similar career.
RNIB Revised Pre-employment Programme RNIB recently completed a major revision to its pre-employment programme trainer's manual. Two modules - the Introduction (module 0), and Labour Market Realities (module 2), have been substantially rewritten in order to reflect what the RNIB group of charities has learnt about running pre-employment programmes over the last 3 years and to incorporate lessons from other research.
The revised Introduction (module 0) provides advice on designing a programme to fit varying timeframes, resources and budgets. A new section, called 'How to structure your programme', offers practical
WBU e-Bulletin, July 2014 25 advice on how courses can be organised even when there are not enough resources available to deliver the unabridged 15 module programme. The new Introduction also recommends that participants should be selected for the course based on an assessment using our employment assessment toolkit.
Labour Market Realities (module 2) has also been updated, to reflect the wide range of occupational finders that employment professionals typically use with their clients. There is also information about the Skills In Sight online literacy and numeracy assessment tool, and peer mentoring schemes run by RNIB and Action for Blind People. Download a full copy of the revised program at: www.rnib.org.uk/preemploymentprogramme
IFES Releases Manual on Disability and Elections A true democracy requires that the poorest and most marginalized citizens have a meaningful voice in decisions affecting their lives. However, persons with disabilities often among the poorest of the poor and comprising approximately 15 percent of the global population are rarely empowered to participate politically in their countries. A new manual from the International Foundation for Electoral Systems (IFES) on creating inclusion in elections can be accessed as an accessible PDF file here: http://www.ifes.org/~/media/Files/Publications/Books/2014/Equal %20Access_How%20to%20include%20persons%20with %20disabilities%20in%20elections%20and%20political %20processes.pdf? utm_medium=email&utm_source=MyNewsletterBuilder&utm_content= #subscriber_id&utm_campaign=IFES+Releases+Manual+on+Disability +and+Elections+1412029703&utm_term=Download
Books Stories by blind and visually impaired men and women are nothing new. The most well-known deaf/blind person was Helen Keller. She wrote many books. Her autobiography is called “The Story of My Life”: https://archive.org/details/storyofmylife00hele.
The other memoir featured is by French author Jacques Lusseyran “And There Was Light: The Extraordinary Memoir of a Blind Hero of the French Resistance in World War II”
WBU e-Bulletin, July 2014 26 http://www.amazon.com/There-Was-Light-Extraordinary- Resistance/dp/1608682692/ref=sr_1_1? s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1405532649&sr=1- 1&keywords=jacques+lusseyran. These books may also be available from your local library, or through BookShare: https://www.bookshare.org/.
In this edition we are featuring books written by WBU past presidents and other table officers:
Achievements of the Blind - Stories of People Who Changed the World - By Chuji Sashida This is a collection of stories about great non-Japanese individuals, who are blind or partially sighted, and who have made enormous achievements in different sectors of society-- academics, literature, music, politics, and organizational development works. As a researcher, the former president of Asia Pacific Region has been introducing these great figures in a local Braille monthly magazine, some of whom he had worked with personally. The text is available also in DAISY but is only in Japanese language. If you would like to buy a copy, please contact Chuji at [email protected].
Past WBU President William Rowland is the author of “Nothing Abo ut Us Without Us - Inside the Disability Rights Movement of So uth Africa”, and the co-author of Poverty and Disability in Johannesb urg. He co-authored “Changing What It Means to Be Blind, a history o f the WBU” available on our website under WBU Books: http://www.wo rldblindunion.org/English/resources/publications/Pages/WBU-Books.as px, in which each of the past presidents contributed a chapter, or had a chapter written about their tenure. William has also published in South Africa three children's books and a book of poetry in Afrikaans.
Here is the information on the books and stories written by Charles Mossop, WBU’s Region President for North America and the Caribbean. "An Act Of Treason" (Short Story: Museitup Publishing, 2014), "The Devil At My Heels" (Novel: Museitup Publishing, 2011), "Jade Hunter" (Novel: Double Dragon Publishing, 2007), and "The Carpathian Shadows" Vol. 1 (Anthology: BooksForABuck, 2007). A third novel, "The Golden Phoenix," (Museitup Publishing) will be released later in 2014, and another short story, "Magistrate Lin and the Eye of the Dragon," (Museitup Publishing) will be released in early 2015. These four books mentioned above are on Amazon now at:
WBU e-Bulletin, July 2014 27 http://www.amazon.ca/s/ref=nb_sb_noss?url=search-alias %3Dstripbooks&field-keywords=charles%20mossop.
Another past President, Euclid Herie authored “Journey to Independence--Blindness, the Canadian Story”, a history of blindness in Canada. This book is available from the CNIB: http://www.cnib.ca/en/about/who/history/timeline/pages/journey.asp x . He also contributed a chapter in “Changing What It Means to be Blind: Reflections on the first 25 years of the World Blind Union.
Dr. Marc Maurer of the NFB (USA) and past Regional President has edited a number of books distributed through the NFB of which “Beyond the Funny Tree”, and “If Blindness Comes” are a couple. He also wrote the preface for the book: “Kenneth Jernigan: the Master, the Mission, the Movement”. NFB publications are available here: https://nfb.org/kernel-books.
We’ve covered it already, but don’t forget John Heilbrunn’s book, SHARED VISIONS—"Just because you can't drive a car". Published by Danish Association of the Blind (Dansk Blindesamfund) The book is available at the following link: http://www.e17.dk/medier/39311.
And finally, last year we covered blind American Christine Ha’s win of the television show/cooking contest MasterChef Season 3. Her cookbook has now been published called “Recipes from my Home Kitchen” and is available at: http://www.amazon.com/Recipes-My- Home-Kitchen-MasterChef/dp/1623360943/ref=sr_1_1? s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1405519254&sr=1- 1&keywords=christine+ha+cookbook.
If you can recommend a good book by a blind author or on the subject of blindness or low vision, please let us know: [email protected].
2014 Important Dates/Conference Notices/Events
July 28 to 31 – Transend 2015 14th International Conference on Mobility and Transport for Elderly and Disabled Persons will be held in Lisbon, Portugal: http://www.transed2015.com/
WBU e-Bulletin, July 2014 28 July 30 to August 3rd - AER International Conference, in San Antonio, Texas, will draw participants from around the world for an intense educational experience for professionals who work with those who are blind and visually impaired. Sessions on assistive technology, education, aging & blindness, low vision, vision rehabilitation therapy, multiple disabilities, and much more will be presented. Ronnie Milsap will kick off the Opening Session! Visit www.aerbvi.org regularly for updates. AER = Association for Education and Rehabilitation of the Blind and Visually Impaired.
August 22 & 23 - The conference "eBooks for Everyone!” An Opportunity for More Inclusive Libraries" will take place in Paris, France. The objective of this conference is to explore the 3- dimensional impact of eBooks. Details are provided on the conference website : http://ifla-lpd2014.braillenet.org
October 12 to 17 – 6th IDP AFRICA FORUM - The Institutional Development Program (IDP) is pleased to announce the 6th Africa Forum will be held in Kampala, Uganda at the Speke Resort Munyonyo. This is a joint program generously sponsored by Sightsavers, Perkins International and the WBU, along with NAPB & CNIB. The theme is: Beyond 2015: Delivering on the Agenda for Persons who are blind in Africa. It will focus on a new development agenda for African blindness services beyond the UN Millennium Development Goals. Registration is now open: http://www.perkins.org/idp/.
October 19 to 22 - The 1st World Summit of Destinations for All will take place in Montreal, Canada and aims to establish an international strategy to develop inclusive tourism. The event will take place at the Palais des congrès. Come and learn more about the innovations taking place in the travel industry to include people with disabilities. http://www.destinationsforall2014.com/en/index
November 2 – International Disability Film Festival by Longmore Institute in San Francisco, USA. This annual competition celebrates cutting-edge cinema that portrays disability culture in all its empowering facets. http://superfestfilm.com/
December 4 & 5 - 12th Edition of the International Conference of REHA FOR THE BLIND IN POLAND – Theme: the World of Touch and Sound. This meeting of blind people and their friends/colleagues will be held in the Palace of Culture and Science in the center of
WBU e-Bulletin, July 2014 29 Warsaw. The main topic discussed during this year's session will be the role of senses in blind people’s lives. Event website: http://www.szansadlaniewidomych.org/
NEWS FROM THE REGIONS Our regions are the bridge between the international level of work and the local level. Policies and treaties constructed at global levels are then carried out by our members in their own countries. Most of the regions have their own websites where they post updates of their work, member activities, and upcoming events in their area.
AFRICA http://www.afub-uafa.org
AFUB has learnt with profound shock of the sudden death of Mr. Moses Masemene. This happened on Tuesday, 29/04/2014 after short illness. Moses, one of the founders of the Lesotho National League of Visually Impaired Persons (LNLVIP) was once AFUB Regional Officer of Southern Africa. In Lesotho, he once served Government as Minister of Justice; and also Minister of Labour and Employment. By the time of his demise, Moses had gone into private legal practice. We wish to pass on our heartfelt condolences to the Masemene family, LNLVIP, the disability fraternity in Lesotho, and the Government of Lesotho. The Union of blind and partially sighted persons on the African continent wishes to acknowledge and celebrate Moses' achievements.
ASIA http://www.abunion.org
We thank India for being the first country in the world to ratify the Marrakesh Treaty.
ASIA-PACIFIC http://wbuap.org/index/
The coming World Blind Union Asia Pacific Mid-Term Regional General Assembly, hosted by the Hong Kong Blind Union, will be held in Hong Kong on 21-24 November 2014 at Cyberport. The theme of the event is “Make the Right Real in the 3rd Asian and Pacific Decade of
WBU e-Bulletin, July 2014 30 Persons with Disabilities, 2013-2022”. Alongside the Assembly, an exhibition on assistive aids for visually impaired persons will be staged. Registration is now open. Details can be found at the event’s official website at www.wbuapga2014.org.
We congratulate WBU Immediate Past President, Maryanne Diamond on receiving one of her country’s highest honors. Maryanne was awarded Officer of the Order of Australia on June 9th for her distinguished service for her leadership in many national and international projects that have benefitted blind and visually impaired Australia citizens and others around the world. This is a well-deserved honor.
EUROPE http://www.euroblind.org
RNIB's next Employment Practice and Research Network event is to be held in London on 29th September 2014, and will be based around the theme of improving statutory employment support for unemployed blind and partially sighted people - for example, the Work Programme.
The Centre for Economic and Social Inclusion have carried out a study into how we can develop a comprehensive and integrated offer to ensure that disabled people and those with health conditions are able to access the right support at the right time to prepare for and ultimately find work. The full report will be published in July, and this EPRN networking event will be an opportunity to discuss their findings in detail, and look at them in the context of employment for blind and partially sighted people.
Details of this half-day event will follow in the coming months, but in the meantime please hold the morning of 29th September in your diaries and share with any colleagues you think may be interested. For further information please contact [email protected].
LATIN AMERICA http://ulacdigital.org
Latin American presence in OAS and UN meetings
WBU e-Bulletin, July 2014 31 The National Advisory Commission for the Integration of Persons with Disabilities (CONADIS), Argentina, its Advisory Committee and the Federal Council of Disabled People, also from Argentina, have designated Dr. Mariano Godachevich as an Expert to the OAS (Organization of American States) Committee for the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination against Persons with Disabilities.
The above-mentioned committee consists of one representative nominated by each State Party and it provides an appropriate space to study the progress in the implementation of the Inter American Convention for the Elimination All Forms of Discrimination against Persons with Disabilities and to exchange experiences in this field.
ULAC feels that Mariano’s wide expertise and solid technical training in this area, together with his permanently shown commitment to the benefit of persons with disabilities in the region, are the keys that opened this new opportunity in his professional career.
During the 7th session of the UN State Parties Conference held at the beginning of June, nine members of the Committee on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities were elected. A Latin American member with visual impairment, Carlos Parra, Director of the National Institute for the Blind of Colombia, has been incorporated to this team.
We at ULAC are very happy with his election and we are sure that he will contribute to the excellent work of the Committee, adding his efforts to those of Ana Peláez, from Spain, María Soledad Cisternas from Chile and Silvia Quan from Guatemala.
Pablo Lecuona, Director of Tiflolibros - Primera Biblioteca Digital para Ciegos de Habla Hispana http://www.tiflolibros.com.ar reported that Tiflolibros, the digital library for Spanish speaking visual impaired people, received an award from FRIDA (the Regional Fund for Digital Innovation in Latin America and the Caribbean) for contributing to the development of the Information Society in Latin America and the Caribbean, identifying good practices that can be duplicated elsewhere in the region. http://programafrida.net/projects/projects/view/440 (this link is in Spanish).
“Jorge Taramona Miranda” Award The Latin American Union of the Blind (ULAC) has just opened the reception of nominations for the “Jorge Taramona Miranda” Award.
WBU e-Bulletin, July 2014 32 With this honour, every four years, ULAC rewards a person that may be either blind or sighted, for his or her relevant permanent services to blind and partially sighted people in the region.
National Latin American delegations to the IX ULAC General Assembly are invited to submit their proposals. To find the specific requirements visit: http://www.ulacdigital.org/convocatorias.htm.
The recipients of this honour up to now are Antonio Vicente Mosquete, Dorina Nowill, Pedro Zurita, Pedro Rosell Vera, Enrique Elissalde, Yolanda de Rodríguez, Hernando Pradilla Cobos and Ángel Aguirre.
NORTH AMERICA & THE CARIBBEAN
Dr. Marc Maurer is stepping down from his post at the NFB as President for over 20 years. During his tenure Marc also played a leadership role in the WBU, being a member of the Executive for many years, and served as President of Vice President of the region. We hope Marc enjoys his retirement and that he continues to mentor the countless young people he inspired while working at NFB. Click here to watch/listen to the YouTube video featuring his accomplishments during his tenure: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=j- E1Vp7l_MQ&feature=youtu.be.
We congratulate Mark Riccobono who has become the new President of NFB and look forward to working with him in the years to come. Before this position, Mark served as the Executive Director of the NFB Jernigan Institute for several years.
The region’s WBU President, Charles Mossop was honored June 24th at a gala banquet in Vancouver sponsored by the R. C. Council for International Education. Charles received the 2014 Lifetime Achievement Award for working in International Education, Training and Development.
The Capti Narrator App wins an FCC award for accessibility As Capti Narrator https://www.captivoice.com/capti-site/ is a valuable tool for people with print disabilities, last week it was distinguished with the FCC (USA Federal Communications Commission) Chairman’s Award for Advancing Accessibility at the M-Enabling Summit in Washington, D.C. “I’m glad that these awards can help spark the
WBU e-Bulletin, July 2014 33 development of new and creative technologies that furthers the important goal of making communications accessible for all Americans,” said Chairman Wheeler.
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9. Lockley S. Special considerations and future directions in circadian rhythm sleep disorders diagnosis. In: Kushida C. (ed.) The Encyclopedia of Sleep. Volume 3. Waltham, MA: Academic Press; 2013:138-149.
WBU e-Bulletin, July 2014 34 10. Lockley S, Arendt J, Skene D. Visual impairment and circadian rhythm disorders. Dialogues in Clinical Neuroscience. Volume 9(3). 2007.
WBU OFFICERS Mr. Arnt Holte, President [email protected] Dr. Fredric Schroeder, 1st Vice President [email protected] Mr. Enrique Pérez, 2nd Vice President [email protected] Mrs. Rina Prasarani, Secretary General [email protected] Mr. A. K. Mittal, Treasurer [email protected] Ms. Maryanne Diamond, Immediate Past President [email protected]
REGIONAL PRESIDENTS AFRICA (AFUB) Mr. Jace Nair [email protected] ASIA (ABU) Mr. Santosh Kumar Rungta [email protected] ASIA PACIFIC (WBU-AP) Ms. Michiko Tabata [email protected] EUROPE (EBU) Mr. Wolfgang Angerman [email protected] LATIN AMERICA (ULAC) Mr. Volmir Raimondi [email protected] NORTH AMERICA/CARIBBEAN (WBU-NA/C) Mr. Charles Mossop [email protected]
WBU STAFF Dr. Penny Hartin, Chief Executive Officer [email protected] Ms. Marianne McQuillan, Manager, Fund Development & Communications
WBU e-Bulletin, July 2014 35 [email protected] Ms. Ianina Rodriguez, Administrative Assistant [email protected] Dr. Victor Cordeiro, Advocacy Coordinator [email protected]
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: www.worldblindunion.org.
The members listed below provide funds, beyond their membership fees to support the work of the World Blind Union. We are grateful to these members for their valued contributions.
OUR PLATINUM SPONSORS . CBM International http://www.cbm.org/ . Canadian National Institute for the Blind (CNIB) http://www.cnib.ca . Organizacion Nacional de Ciegos Españoles (ONCE) http://www.once.es . Norwegian Association of the Blind and Partially Sighted (NABP) http://www.blindeforbundet.no . Royal National Institute of Blind Persons (RNIB) www.rnib.org . Sightsavers International http://www.sightsavers.org . Vision Australia http://www.visionaustralia.org.au/
OUR DIAMOND SPONSORS . Royal New Zealand Foundation of the Blind . Swiss Federation of the Blind and Sight Impaired (SFB) . National Industries for the Blind (NIB) . Vanda Pharmaceuticals Inc. (Vanda)
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