Marrakesh Treaty to Facilitate Access to Published Works for Persons Who Are Blind, Visually Impaired or Otherwise Print Disabled

Treaty Link (English)  |  http://www.wipo.int/wipolex/en/treaties/text.jsp?file_id=301019

Contracting Parties  |

http://www.wipo.int/treaties/en/ShowResults.jsp?lang=en&treaty_id=843

Importance of Treaty

India being a developing nation does not have access to many books, due to price and stringent intellectual property laws of respective countries. By way of this treaty, works across borders could be accessed and exchanged by organizations which serve the needs of the visually impaired, blind, and the print disabled thereby ensuring harmonization with regard to the limitations and exceptions so as to enable operation of such organization trans-border as well as increase overall number of works which are available, hence eliminating replication and help in escalating proficiency.

The treaty also allows for the unlocking of digital locks on e-books for the visually impaired to gain from. In other words, an Amazon Kindle book or iBook with digital rights management (DRM)³ could now be unlocked and printed in Braille without consultation from the right holder(s).

At present, 182 countries have signed the treaty making it the treaty with the largest number of countries to ever sign a WIPO-administration treaty upon adoption. This treaty has the potential to transmute the impaired visions of many into reality.

The need of the hour is to implement these measures thereby making the benefits of the treaty certain in the lives of visually impaired. Only then, can all the objectives laid in the preamble of the treaty which includes providing of growing opportunities for visually impaired persons to partake in the cultural life of their community as being fully recognized.