IGF 2020 OF #14 Copyright and inclusion

Information

Session

Time:

Wednesday, 4 November, 2020 - 12:10 to 13:10 UTC

Room:

Room 3

About this Session:

WIPO is deeply involved in promoting the "Inclusion" of people with disabilities. Beyond helping countries to implement the Marrakesh Treaty, WIPO leads an ambitious set of initiatives under the Accessible Books Consortium (ABC), already changing the lives of thousands of people with a visual impairment around the world.

Organization's Website:

https://www.wipo.int

Areas:

Inclusion

Approach:

Digital Cooperation
Disability
Inclusion

Round Table - U-shape - 60 Min

Description:

This session will showcase current initiatives aimed at providing access to content and information to the wider possible audience, including notably persons with disabilities. We will talk about:

how the Marrakesh Treaty to Facilitate Access to Published Works for Persons Who Are Blind, Visually Impaired or Otherwise Print Disabled is being ratified and implemented at an unprecedented speed around the world;
the Accessible Books Consortium (ABC) and how its activities (Global Book Service; accessible publishing; capacity building) are changing the lives of thousands of blind and people with visual impairment in both developing and developed countries;
the research undertaken on access to copyright protected works by persons with disabilities.

Organizers:

World Intellectual Property Organization

Speakers:

Mr. Scott Labarre, World Blind Union - “The Marrakesh Treaty and its impact on inclusion”

Ms. Monica Halil, WIPO - "the Accessible Books Consortium (ABC)"

Ms. Aria Indrawati, Mitra Netra Foundation - “WIPO ABC Capacity building programs: the experience of Indonesia”

Mr. Rafael Ferraz, WIPO - "SCCR Study on Access to Copyright Protected Works by Persons with Disabilities"

Mr. Christian Vogler, Gallaudet University - “People with disabilities and access to content: challenges and solutions”

Onsite Moderator:

Paolo Lanteri

Online Moderator:

Victor Owade

Rapporteur:

Paolo Lanteri

SDGs:

GOAL 4: Quality Education
GOAL 9: Industry, Innovation and Infrastructure
GOAL 10: Reduced Inequalities
GOAL 17: Partnerships for the Goals

Background Paper

Report

1. Key Policy Questions and related issues:

How can existing IP regulation (notably the WIPO Marrakesh Treaty) support access to content for people with disabilities?

What the challenges faced by people with disabilities to access content?

2. Summary of Issues Discussed:

The Marrakesh Treaty to Facilitate Access to Published Works for Persons Who Are Blind, Visually Impaired, or Otherwise Print Disabled’ was signed on the 27^th of June of 2013 and in few years made it possible to exchange accessible books among member countries. It represents one of the best examples of an ambitious, pragmatic and impactful multilateral treaty that the international community was able to agree upon in recent years.

The Accessible Books Consortium (ABC), is a public-private partnership led by WIPO. The platform brings together all key players to implement the objectives of the Treaty. ABC offers three services which are; ABC Global Book Service, Capacity Building ad Inclusive Publishing.

it was also explained that there’s no one way to be deaf, so people use different modalities to communicate depending on their conditions and concrete situation. There are many different ways to access content and many software tools which don’t support all formats. Often publishers don’t invest in alternate formats

3. Key Takeaways:

The WIPO Marrakesh Treaty (2012) has already reached 75 contracting parties covering 101 countries and it is having major impact allowing free cross-border exchange of books for the benefit of blind or people with visually impairement.

People with disabilities (other than visual) do not have a similar instrument, however technological development offer some promising responses.

4. Policy Recommendations or Suggestions for the Way Forward:

What policy sector(s) does this fall under? (leave blank if not sure):

Social-cultural

Issue and Recommendation:

keep the issue of access of content by people with disabilities high on the agenda of policy makers - eliminate barriers and address market failures

Who should take it?:

IGF, IGOs, and national governments

6. Final Speakers:

Mr. Scott Labarre, World Blind Union - “The Marrakesh Treaty and its impact on inclusion”

Ms. Monica Halil, WIPO - "the Accessible Books Consortium (ABC)"

Ms. Aria Indrawati, Mitra Netra Foundation - “WIPO ABC Capacity building programs: the experience of Indonesia”

Mr. Rafael Ferraz, WIPO - "SCCR Study on Access to Copyright Protected Works by Persons with Disabilities"

Dr. Christian Vogler, Gallaudet University - “People with disabilities and access to content: challenges and solutions”

Moderator: Paolo Lanteri

9. Group Photo:

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IGF 2020 OF #14 Copyright and inclusion

Information