[A2k] World Blind Union submission to 2nd Intersessional

[Mann, David]

The World Blind Union made a general statement during the 2nd WIPO interses=
sional on 21st June.

We had also hoped to comment on specific proposals during the course of the=
 final day, but were not called before the lunch break and had to leave bef=
ore the meeting resumed in the afternoon.

In both cases we were using notes rather than a script, but pasted below is=
 a summary of what we said and what we would have said.

This has also been sent to the WIPO secretariat in the forlorn hope that th=
e Chair might read it!

WIPO Intersessional Meeting on Development Agenda.

Statements by the World Blind Union.

1. Paraphrase of submission made to Intersessional Meeting on 21st June 200=
5, by David Mann, world Blind Union.

There are an estimated 180 million blind and partially sighted people in th=
e World.  Much of this sight loss is preventable, and affordable medicines =
would contribute to prevention.  Prevention would not only benefit the indi=
viduals but support the economic development of the countries in which they=
 live.

We are very disappointed that there is so little reference to disabled peop=
le in most of the papers submitted to the Intersessional Meeting.  Disabled=
 people must be included in WIPO's Development Agenda.

Blind and partially sighted people will contribute to economic development =
if educated and if employed.  Copyright restrictions without appropriate an=
d adequate exceptions hinder the development of the individual and the coun=
try in which s/he lives.  Lack of agreements on the international transfer =
of material modified for access by blind and partially sighted people also =
hinders the economic development of both individual and society.  Poorly de=
signed or poorly applied technological protection measures impede access by=
 those having to use assistive technology, and so also hinder the developme=
nt of both individual and society.

The papers submitted by distinguished delegations contain many proposals fo=
r research or other studies.  These will be worthwhile only if WIPO and its=
 members are prepared to act on their findings and recommendations.

We support research, inter alia, into:

The economic impact of territorial limitations to exceptions to copyright;
The true legal position in respect of the import or export of material crea=
ted under copyright exceptions.

We commend WIPO for its work in re-writing and promoting its "Draft Law" on=
 copyright.  We also commend it for commissioning research into the impact =
of digital rights management schemes in the fields of education and of acce=
ss by visually impaired people.   Again, we trust WIPO and its members will=
 act upon the outcome of the latter.

2.   Contribution prepared for intersessional Meeting on 22nd June, 2005, b=
ut not made because delegation had to leave early.

Referring to the list of proposals collated by the distinguished delegation=
 of Brazil: referring to Item 4 on the principles that should inform techni=
cal assistance, and the items on norm setting, the World Blind Union believ=
es that the Development Agenda should turn to WIPO's parent body and base i=
ts guiding principles on Articles 19 and 27 of the United Nations Universal=
 Declaration on Human Rights. These articles recognise the rights of creato=
rs and inventors on the one hand and the general public on the other.

Article 19.

Everyone has the right to freedom of opinion and expression; this right inc=
ludes freedom to hold opinions without interference and to seek, receive an=
d impart information and ideas through any media and regardless of frontier=
s.

Article 27.

(1) Everyone has the right freely to participate in the cultural life of th=
e community, to enjoy the arts and to share in scientific advancement and i=
ts benefits.

(2) Everyone has the right to the protection of the moral and material inte=
rests resulting from any scientific, literary or artistic production of whi=
ch he is the author.


These principles are echoed in the more recent UN Convention on the rights =
of the Child.

The Development Agenda should also in due course take full account of the U=
N Convention on the Rights and dignity of Disabled People, currently being =
formulated under the auspices of the UN General Assembly.

Turning to the list of proposals tabled by the distinguished delegation of =
Bahrain on behalf of several member countries, we commend to the Meeting in=
 particular Item 4 on national strategies and Item 5 proposing studies into=
 the social, economic and cultural impact of IP systems.  These proposals o=
ffer scope for concrete work addressing real situations.  We recommend they=
 be extended to cover the international impact of IP systems as well.

David Mann
World Blind Union
24th June, 2005

-----------
David Mann
World Blind Union
c/o RNIB
40 Linenhall Street
Belfast BT2 8BA
Northern Ireland

Tel. +44 28 9032 9373
Fax +44 28 9027 8119
e-mail david.mann@rnib.org.uk

To find out more about the World Blind Union, go to
www.worldblindunion.org

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