[Final text as proof read by John Wall and Colin Low.
22 January 2008]
In the European national context, visually impaired people are often offered
certain books in alternative formats only in their abridged version.
It is apparent that people with a visual impairment have access to books in
suitable formats such as recorded and in braille, to a significantly smaller
extent and generally at a much higher price compared with sighted persons.
The 8th General Assembly of the European Blind Union, convened in Antalya,
Turkey, on 24-26 October 2007, resolves that:
visually impaired people have the right to read all works transcribed into any
format which is accessible to them in their entirety
and therefore the Assembly
- calls for action by the EBU Board (together with the appropriate thematic body
as well as national organizations of the blind) aimed at authors' and
publishers' associations at European and national level to convince them to
apply at least the same copyright exceptions given to public libraries, to the
centres for the production and distribution of books for the blind, the
partially sighted and other persons with a reading difficulty. Every effort
should also be made towards achieving equality with regard to availability and
pricing of books in relevant accessible formats.
The General Assembly furthermore urges associations of the blind and partially
sighted within Europe to be on the look-out for the appropriate application of
the principles of the EU Copyright Directive and to keep themselves updated on
national legislation that incorporates it, asking for severe sanctions in case
of non compliance.
One of the most significant achievements by the disability movement on the
international scene is the adoption of the UN Convention on the rights of
persons with disabilities.
However, from adoption at UN level there is much to be done before the
Convention can ensure progress and compel enforcement so as to improve the
situation of and opportunities for persons with disabilities in industrialized
as well as in developing countries.
The Convention has to be signed by a number of countries, a first step which has
taken place to a large degree.
Countries have to adapt, change and modify their legislation, practice,
administrative rules and bodies in order to prepare the ground for ratification
which, from the perspective of the individual with a disability, is the decisive
step towards true implementation of the principles contained in the UN
Convention.
Ratification should then take place, preferably by more than the minimum number
of twenty states, so as to bring the Convention into force and, finally, the
optional protocol giving individual citizens a right to complain to the
monitoring body must also be adopted and ratified. This last step is necessary
to ensure that individuals and their organizations may file complaints if the
human rights of persons with disabilities are violated, and it is also of
paramount importance to ensure that the Convention is observed internationally
and that the principles and intentions of the UN Convention are carried out at
national level.
With this complicated, lengthy but important process in mind, the 8th General
Assembly of the European Blind Union, convened in Antalya, Turkey, on 24-26
October 2007, resolves that
European countries and the European Union should take the initiative and be an
example to others by adopting all necessary measures to implement the UN
Convention and its optional protocol and to make the rules operational in as
many European countries as possible;
the EBU Board should ensure that a conference is held midway through the term to
review progress and serve as an opportunity to exchange experiences of
implementing the intentions and principles of the UN Convention and its
protocol;
the EBU Board should make it a priority to assist in preparing and publishing to
all EBU members written material informing them about the Convention and its
protocol, which may serve as a basis for training and educational activities so
that members will be able to promote and lobby for the national ratification and
implementation of the Convention and its protocol and
the EBU, through its relevant political and other influential bodies, should use
its best endeavours to ensure that the Convention and Protocol are treated and
promoted like all other UN Human Rights instruments as regards their
geographical extent and conceptual interpretation, including the establishment
of administrative and monitoring measures.
At General Assemblies of the EBU since 1987, resolutions have repeatedly
highlighted the importance, benefits and the sensible use of resources achieved
by ensuring gender balance in national delegations and an increased presence of
visually impaired women in commissions and in EBU's governing bodies. With the
indisputable fact in mind that the EBU is composed of national and other
members, is financed through and finds its resources from within the national
blind movements, the desired changes at EBU level must first begin as national
initiatives.
The continuous respect for, and functioning and strengthening of, EBU is closely
geared to respect for the sovereignty of its national members. It is therefore
necessary to find methods to achieve the desired goal of accelerating gender
balance without violating the sense of ownership by national members and
national self-determination. Strong sanctions may be counter-productive.
The need to improve gender balance is, as stated, of paramount importance as a
characteristic of a contemporary, modern international body.
Key words in today's discourse are: Equal opportunities, equality and equity,
networking and participation based on interchange and dialogue. Those principles
should be determinative in attaining the above goals.
Based on existing network initiatives and the trend, although too slow, towards
a gender balanced EBU, it is resolved
that the 8th General Assembly of the European Blind Union, convened in
Antalya, Turkey, on 24-26 October 2007, charges the Board to ensure that
(1) a formal network of women within EBU be established;
(2) a woman member of the EBU Board be appointed to formally link up with the
network;
(3) 3-5 other active women are appointed to form a steering committee to support
and coordinate the network;
(4) one woman from each member country is appointed to maintain and safeguard
national influence and receive information from the work of EBU;
(5) the steering committee has the right to contact other commissions and
working groups within EBU, to promote their gender work and bring back
information to the network.
(6) Furthermore, the Board may consider how a subsidy policy might be developed
that favours gender balanced national delegations and, moreover, how best
practice initiatives in specific countries have led to improved representation
at international meetings.
Education of blind children is an issue which enjoys very high priority. The
cultural emancipation of the blind worldwide has been made possible by the
revolutionary invention of the braille writing and reading system. The
introduction of computers and speech synthesizers is bringing about dramatic
changes in the upbringing and education of students with a visual impairment.
In some countries important events were arranged to commemorate, in 2002, 150
years since the death of Louis Braille. Moreover, it is noted with excitement
that numerous events are being planned for the commemoration and celebration of
the bicentenary of the birth of Louis Braille in 2009. Finally, competitions
like the Onkyo Braille Contest are an excellent way to promote braille and
highlighted the many personal reasons for guarding, using and promoting braille.
With this in mind, the 8th General Assembly of the European Blind Union,
convened in Antalya, Turkey, on 24-26 October 2007, resolves
that the EBU Board, together with the Commission dealing with educational
matters, should be charged with developing a concrete workplan and promotional
material, the release of which should coincide with the celebration taking place
in 2009. This plan, and the proposed material, should highlight and make
recommendations aimed at ensuring that the following requirements are in place
in all EBU member countries:
1) Acceptance that correct and thorough knowledge of the braille reading and
writing system is an important foundation for the independence and freedom of
all persons who are blind or severely partially sighted, that is, whose residual
sight does not enable them to read.
2) That blind persons have at their disposal appropriate braille training
material and proficient braille instructors who, free of charge, can offer
training on various levels.
3) All people with a severe visual impairment have the right to learn braille
and use it, whether embossed on paper or made available in conjunction with
modern ICT technology.
4) The above EBU bodies, as well as the Technology and Liaising Commissions,
should be aware of the potential promotion of braille on pharmaceutical products
and other consumer product packaging as a useful opportunity and a good reason
to become acquainted with and even conversant with braille.
As society has changed, and the extended family is no longer the norm in most
European societies, there are strong reasons to believe that interaction between
the young and the elderly has decreased.
Many elderly people feel that there are aspects of society which put
participating in it out of their reach due to such things as increasing
dependency on high technology, and the vast youth culture that shapes the young
in ways difficult to grasp if you are not a part of it.
At the same time, the EBU and national organizations must appreciate the
knowledge and experience that elderly blind and partially sighted people can
contribute.
Many young people find that they cannot make their voices heard due to a lack of
knowledge and experience of the decision-making processes of society, or they
feel uncertain about how to approach the labour market, which education they
should choose or how they can manage a family as visually impaired persons.
At the same time all organizations must face the fact that its young members,
when properly trained, are needed as a future natural replacement. They can
offer inspiration and act as an asset towards innovation and creativity.
These problems can be combated and potential utilized through an increase in
contact between people of both sexes and of different ages. Consequently, EBU
urges its member organizations to do their utmost to create accessible venues
that accommodate people of all ages regardless of sex. Mentor programs, joint
workshops and champions for youth and the elderly should also be put in place.
Ensuring that different age groups are represented in official bodies of the
organization makes for greater diversity, and diversity is the fuel of dynamics.
With the above in mind, and in the spirit of diversity, the 8th General
Assembly of the European Blind Union, convened in Antalya, Turkey, on 24-26
October 2007, resolves that
the EBU urges all member organizations to:
Incorporate the perspectives of life-long learning and inter-generational
cohesion into all activities
Work towards age and gender balance within official bodies
Set up mentor programmes, inter-generational workshops that facilitate training
and debate, and generally work towards establishing venues where people of
different ages and both sexes meet and exchange experiences.
Likewise the EBU Board is charged with ensuring that an equality and diversity
forum will precede the 9th General Assembly so that a specific focus can be
given to the needs, challenges and strengths stemming from the young and the
elderly sections of the blind movement, as well as the necessary and
indisputable need for equal participation and opportunities between the sexes.
Children are the building bricks of tomorrow in our society and in our
organizational work.
Children are entitled to enjoy a special place in the work of international
organizations, and in human rights instruments such as the UN Convention on the
Rights of Persons with Disabilities and, likewise, within the blindness movement
itself through the WBU children's Committee. It should also be recalled that, in
the Millennium Development Goals, a commitment has been made to achieve a
substantial increase in the provision of basic primary education. This goal is
directly targeted at children and aims at increasing their opportunities and
improving their chances of enjoying prosperity in adult life. This goal should
benefit all children, including children with disabilities, and, more
specifically, visually impaired children.
In the European environment today, those speaking on behalf of children with a
visual impairment are their parents, and those active within the professional
environment such as teachers, represented through ICEVI, pedagogues, developers
of technology and other professionals. Children cannot speak for themselves.
The challenges, needs and other issues relating to children with visual
impairment have not so far enjoyed vast attention within the EBU, although
bodies dealing with education and rehabilitation have at times offered some
attention.
The 8th General Assembly of the European Blind Union, convened in Antalya,
Turkey, on 24-26 October 2007, resolves the following in order to introduce
change and proactive development within this field:
1. For the Board, together with the Commission on Culture and Education, to
develop a plan on how and when to embark on this new policy area. The plan
should also indicate how to generate necessary resources. It should be
considered how children's issues could become a cross-cutting issue which in the
future could be dealt with by all relevant EBU bodies.
2. In due course to establish co-operation with ICEVI with a view to developing
a framework and necessary instruction toolkits for organizations of the blind in
countries where mainstream (inclusive) education of the blind is non-existent or
only exists to a small extent.
3. In close co-operation with ICEVI Europe, to identify ways and means of
establishing a comprehensive mapping exercise and, if deemed necessary, research
to establish reliable information about visually impaired children's needs and
the extent of respect for their fundamental rights in all relevant areas, from
early intervention until the end of their formal education.
4. To initiate specific activities aimed at developing, emancipating and
empowering children and youth, be it in camps, through excursions or in other
ways that create independence and a framework for excitement. The Children's
World Congress arranged by the WBU in collaboration with ONCE, Spain, is a good
example which could serve as inspiration for further similar events.
5. The Board is charged with submitting to the 9th General Assembly a report on
the accomplishments so far and recommendations for future action.
The General Assembly of the EBU is considered the prime and most important
event when it comes to meetings, exchange of political points of view,
developing strong and powerful policies, making friends, networking, electing
leaders and bringing together all EBU's available resources with the explicit
intention of improving organizational capacity across Europe as well as the
lives of visually impaired citizens throughout the Union.
Our Turkish host, the Turkish Federation of the Blind (TFB), has, without
sparing any effort throughout the past two years, utilized enormous resources to
plan, organise and now implement the event in which we have all taken part.
The 8th General Assembly of the European Blind Union, convened in Antalya,
Turkey, on 24-26 October 2007, resolves that it be put on record that the
Union itself, all participants, delegates, observers and guides, express their
deepest and most heartfelt thanks to the host, TFB, for the excellent work that
has led to this successfully arranged and conducted Assembly. Everybody
involved, including the Planning Committee and the organization, including its
leadership under the able chairmanship of Hasan Tatar, having generously offered
financial and manpower resources, coordination and auxiliary staff, guides,
interpreters and volunteers, did their utmost to create an outstanding framework
for the Assembly.
A word of appreciation is also extended to Turkey's Publicity Fund under the
Prime Minister's Office for financial support, as well as the EU representation
in Ankara, who supported the youth project financially, The Turkish Republic
Cooperation Agency which supported the air travel of delegates from six less
wealthy countries, and the Marinal Transport Administration of the Istanbul
Municipality who provided the gifts in the delegates' bags. Finally a word of
thanks to the governor and mayor of Antalya who arranged for transport and other
important services.
The staff and management at the Dedeman Hotel made our stay most enjoyable and
rendered excellent, friendly service at all times.
The Assembly furthermore wishes to acknowledge and pay tribute to the dedicated
work carried out over the past four years by the leadership of EBU:
President Lord Colin Low
First Vice-president Mr. Alexandre Neumyvakin
Second Vice-President Prof. Tommaso Daniele
Secretary General Mr. Vaclav Polasek
Treasurer M. Julien Aimi
Board members:
Wolfgang Angermann
Birgitta Blokland
Vassil Dolaptschiev
Ann-Christin Fast
Xavier Grau Sabaté
Yannis Vardakastanis
and Chairpersons of all commissions, committees and working groups.