India ratifies Marrakesh Treaty on visually impaired

India Wednesday became the first country to ratify the Marrakesh Treaty that facilitates access to published works for blind, visually impaired or otherwise print disabled people.

A statement from the human resource development ministry said Dilip Sinha, the Permanent Representative of India to the UN, handed over the Instrument of Ratification to Francis Gurry, director general of the World Intellectual Property Organisation, at a ceremony held at its headquarters in Geneva.

"The main goal of the Marrakesh Treaty is to create a set of mandatory limitations and exceptions for the benefit of the blind, visually impaired and otherwise print disabled (VIPs)," the statement said.

"It addresses the book famine by requiring its contracting parties to adopt national law provisions that permit the reproduction, distribution and making available of published works in accessible formats - such as Braille - to VIPs and to permit exchange of these works across borders by organisations that serve those beneficiaries."

Once the Marrakesh Treaty comes into force, it will facilitate access to published works for the millions of blind, visually impaired and otherwise print disabled people in India.

This would help establish equal rights and opportunities for them in education and employment.