KARACHI (NPTV/UN): It is crucial to produce essential information in Braille (named after its inventor in 19th century France, Louis Braille) and audible formats for those millions of individuals who can’t see.
Since 2019 World Braille Day, is observed to raise awareness of the importance of Braille as a means of communication in the full realization of the human rights for blind and partially sighted people. According to WHO 1 billion human beings have a near or distance vision impairment that could have been prevented or has yet to be addressed. UN maintains that people all over the world who find it difficult to get a job, participate in the community, access health care & edification. Poverty, violence, neglect and abuse ultimately force them to suffer from a marginalized existence.
Braille is a tactile representation of alphabetic and numerical symbols using six dots to represent each letter and number, and even musical, mathematical and scientific symbols. Braille is used by blind and partially sighted people to read the same books and periodicals as those printed in a visual font. Braille is essential in the context of education, freedom of expression and opinion, as well as social inclusion, as reflected in article 2 of the Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities.
Persons with vision impairment are more likely than those without to experience higher rates of poverty and disadvantage. Not meeting their needs, or fulfilling their rights, has wide-reaching consequences: vision loss often represents a lifetime of inequality, poorer health, and barriers to education and employment.
The Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities, adopted in 2006, has advanced the rights and well-being of persons with disabilities. The Convention considers Braille essential for education, freedom of expression and opinion, access to information and social inclusion. The 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development, adopted in 2015, further pledges that no one will be left behind in the aim to ensure that all human beings can enjoy prosperous and fulfilling lives.
In November 2018 (Resolution A/RES/73/161), the General Assembly decided to proclaim 4 January as World Braille Day, recognizing that the full realization of human rights and fundamental freedoms relies on an inclusive written promotion.
Newspakistan.tv/UN
Professor at Iqra University, writes on UN activities, health and social issue.
