The African Federation of the Deaf-blind has urged Malawi government to implement the Marrakesh treaty as a way of ensuring access of information to people who are deaf and blind in the country.
The federation’s president Ezekiel Kumwenda argued that Malawi needs to implement the treaty as it is one of the countries that signed the agreement.
Kumwenda disclosed a need to have vital information in braille writing as a way of ensuring that people who are deaf and blind have access.
He further suggested to have newspapers and books in braille writing for people who are visually impaired.
“If implemented we are to have access to vital information, there are a lot of issues happening that the blind and deaf miss, such as adverts in newspapers, HIV/Aids information,” said Kumwenda.
Marrakesh treaty is an agreement on copyright adopted in Marrakesh, Morocco, on 28 June 2013.
The treaty allows for copyright exceptions to facilitate the creation of accessible versions of books and other copyrighted works for visually impaired persons.
The treaty also sets a norm for countries ratifying the treaty to have a domestic copyright exception covering these activities, and allowing for the import and export of such materials.
