1.3 billion people are visually impaired – UN

A recent report released by the United Nations has revealed that about 39 million people around the world are blind,  while 1.3 billion people live with some form of near vision impairment.

This was announced on the eve of the first-ever official World Braille Day which aims to underscore the importance of written language for human rights.

January 4 was declared by the General Assembly in November 2018, as a means of fully realising the human rights of visually-impaired and partially-sighted people.

UN said “Braille provides a tactical representation of alphabetic and numerical symbols so blind and partially-sighted people are able to read the same books and periodicals printed as are available in standard text form.’’

Six dots represent each letter, number, even musical and mathematical symbols, to allow the communication of important written information to ensure competency, independence and equality.

It is also a means to bring written language to the forefront as a critical prerequisite for promoting fundamental freedoms.

It is also a means to bring written language to the forefront as a critical prerequisite for promoting fundamental freedoms.

The World Health Organisation reported that people who are visually impaired are more likely than those with full sight to experience higher rates of poverty and disadvantages which can amount to a lifetime of inequality.

The UN Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities cites Braille as a means of communication; and regards it as essential in education, freedom of expression and opinion, access to information and social inclusion for those who use it.

To foster more accessible and disability-inclusive societies, the UN launched its first-ever flagship report on disability and development in 2018.

UN Secretary-General António Guterres also enjoined the international community to take part in filling inclusion gaps.

Guterres  further said “Let us reaffirm our commitment to work together for an inclusive and equitable world, where the rights of people with disabilities are fully realised.”

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