EBU is continuing in in 2010 the implementation of its 2008-2010 work programme: "Partnership for the social inclusion of people with a visual impairment". The work is focussing on five key areas: the UN Convention of the Rights of People with Disabilities, Employment, Diversity, Working with the European Institutions, and Communication.

Activities include:

• The United Nations Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities (UNCRPD):
  - Legislative database.
  In 2010 EBU will continue to work on its legislative database. Because gathering legislative information has proved to be a long and complex exercise, EBU will focus on fleshing out the right areas already covered in 2008 and 2009 (Articles 9, Accessibility; 24, Education; 27, Employment; and 30, Copyright). Visit the Database Web Page
• Employment:
  - EBU will continue the work initiated in 2008 on the situation of visually impaired people's employment in Europe. In 2010, a study visit will be carried out in the Netherlands to look into their modern system of sheltered workshops. This should have taken place in 2009 but had to be cancelled. Findings will be incorporated in the Hidden Majority report,
  Word format, PDF format
  
• Diversity
  - EBU will pay special attention to the elderly visually impaired in 2010 (blind and partially sighted women were looked at in 2008 and youth in 2009). A survey conducted in 2009 shows that VI seniors are under-represented in the decision-making processes of EBU member organisations (it is assumed that the same goes for civil society at large).

  The EBU Elderly Steering Group is exploring ways and means to remedy this and is looking at "user involvement and engagement" as the way forward. The group held a meeting in Paris on 27-28 February 2010 to take this forth and will produce a concept paper that will provide the basis for the development of an EBU policy in this area.
  

• Working with the European Institutions
  - As in previous years, the EBU Commission for Liaising with the EU will be instrumental in providing information to the EU Institutions on visually impaired people's needs along others by putting together responses to consultations launched by the EC. It will also work to disseminate EU disability policies across its network and facilitate their implementation at national level. The LC has representatives from the 27 EU Member States plus the EFTA/EEA countries, which makes it an ideal forum for exchanging information and for collaborative work.
  
• Communication:
  - As part of the ongoing implementation of its external communication strategy, EBU will:
  • develop a new logo to better reflect the diversity of the visually impaired population. The majority are people with low vision who do not use the white cane and do not feel represented by the current logo featuring a little blind man with a white stick. EBU will look into a new corporate image that is inclusive of all people with sight loss.
  • review the ‘Vision For Inclusion’ brochure. This guide to the European Blind Union was produced in 2003 and needs updating. This will be done bearing in mind two requirements: to give a more positive image of blind and partially sighted people, and focusing more on their abilities and potential. This will help combat preconceived perceptions of visual impairment and discriminatory attitudes and practices on the ground of disability; and to serve as an effective fundraising tool.
  • build a new website. Launched in 1999, the current website remains a powerful information tool, but it looks its age despite improvements made in the last two years and does not meet today's web and graphical design standards.
  • the EBU newsletter will be released every 2 months in 4 languages (English, French, German and Spanish).
  
  
  Visit the Newsletter Index Page