Disabled persons speak out on Marrakech Treaty

Correspondent | Tuesday November 22, 2016 17:25

SAFOD is a leading Southern African disability-focused network engaged in the coordination of activities of organizations of persons with disabilities in the Southern Africa region.

The organisation was formed in Zimbabwe in 1986 as a federation of Disabled Peoples Organisations (DPOs) with a strong presence in 10 countries, including Botswana.

In each of these countries, SAFOD coordinates its activities through national federations of DPOs. In Botswana, SAFOD works with BOFOD as its official national affiliate. Both SAFOD and BOFOD advocate for the rights of persons with the disabilities in line with the United Nations Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities (UNCRPD).

Both SAFOD and BOFOD have, over the years, been concerned with the fact that Botswana is the only country in SADC that is yet to ratify the UNCRPD, thereby painting a gloomy picture (whether wrongly or rightly so) within the region in as far as promoting the rights of persons with disabilities is concerned.

However, news that the Botswana Government is now the first in the SADC region to ratify the Marrakesh Treaty has given us renewed hope and belief with regards to her commitment to ensuring that persons with disabilities enjoy their rights. Adopted on June 27, 2013 in Marrakesh, the Treaty seeks to substantially improve the lives of millions of visually impaired people around the world.

The Treaty requires Contracting Parties to introduce a standard set of limitations and exceptions to copyright rules in order to permit reproduction, distribution and making available of published works in formats designed to be accessible to Persons Who Are Blind, Visually Impaired, or Otherwise Print Disabled, and to permit exchange of these works across borders by organisations that serve those beneficiaries.

The Treaty achieved the deposit of 20 instruments of ratification or accession by eligible parties needed for entry into force on June 30, 2016.

The Treaty date of entry into force was three months later, on September 30, 2016. So far, a total of 24 countries, including four countries from Africa (Mali, Tunisia, Botswana, and Liberia) have ratified the Treaty.

Although the Treaty focuses mainly on the rights of Persons Who Are Blind, Visually Impaired, or Otherwise Print Disabled, we believe that the ratification of the Marrakesh Treaty by Botswana signifies a significant positive step towards not only promoting the rights of persons with disabilities in general, but also creating a good ground for ratifying the all-encompassing international human rights instrument for persons with disabilities, which is the UNCRPD itself.

 

Mussa Chiwaula

Director General,

Southern Africa Federation of the Disabled (SAFOD)

 

Shirley Keoagile

Executive Director,

Botswana Federation of the Disabled (BOFOD)