Right to Read Conference Champions Access for the Visually Impaired Across Pacific Islands

Disability advocates and government representatives from nine Pacific nations pledged to drive forward uptake of WIPO’s Marrakesh Treaty as well as inclusive reading initiatives during a “Right to Read” Conference for Pacific Island Countries held in Sydney, Australia.

The conference, held from October 30 to November 1, was organized by the World Intellectual Property Organization (WIPO) and supported by the WIPO-Australia Funds-in-Trust Program, with funding from the Australian Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade. 

Blindness and disability associations and representatives from IP authorities from the Cook Islands, Fiji, Kiribati, Marshall Islands, Papua New Guinea, Samoa, Solomon Islands, Tonga, and Vanuatu joined forces to discuss strategies for adopting and implementing the Marrakesh Treaty, which makes the production and international transfer of specially adapted books for people who are blind, visually impaired or otherwise print disabled easier. The Cook Islands, Kiribati, Marshall Islands, and Vanuatu have joined the Treaty, although its provisions are yet to be transposed into national law.  

International disability advocate Ms. Maryanne Diamond, one of the key negotiators of the Marrakesh Treaty, delivered a keynote address, emphasizing the transformative impact of the Treaty for people with print disabilities. "Being a person who has been blind since birth, access to information has been a major challenge for me in every aspect of my life, including education, employment, recreation, community participation, parenting, and more," she said. “It was an honor to witness the adoption of the Treaty: where a balance was found between the rights of rights holders of works and the rights of individuals to access information.”

Conference participants worked together in devising strategies for joining and implementing the Marrakesh Treaty in their respective nations. By discussing legislative adoption and accessible book production, the conference advanced a united vision for equal access to knowledge across the region.

The conference emphasized not only the adoption of the Marrakesh Treaty but also proposed fostering collaborative initiatives including the creation of a connected network among organizations of persons with disabilities across Pacific Islands, the availability of accessible reading materials through WIPO’s ABC Global Book Service, and joint advocacy for stronger legal frameworks in support of people who are print disabled. 

Discussions revealed the resources available from WIPO’s Accessible Books Consortium (ABC), the DAISY Consortium, the International Council for Education of People with Visual Impairment (ICEVI), the Round Table on Information Access, as well as Australia’s NextSense Institute, which generously provided the conference venue in state-of-the art accessible facilities. Participants were introduced to the services provided by Vision Australia, VisAbility, as well as the Blind Low Vision New Zealand. These organizations provide critical resources, from ABC’s vast accessible book catalogue of over one million titles, to technical training, as well as services at a national and local level, that empower small communities to implement their own accessibility measures.

Mr. Ben Clare, Vice President and Secretary of the South Pacific Educators in Vision Impairment (SPEVI), who is visually impaired himself, spoke about the collaborative spirit of the conference. “The conference was fantastic, a gathering of great advocates who I'm sure will take the Marrakesh Treaty further in their respective countries, either by ratification or implementation. Some excellent discussion was had during our sessions,” he said.

In addition, the event included presentations from influential voices such as Mr. Steve Zorzi, Director of International Copyright and Enforcement, Attorney General’s Department, Australia, and ABC Advisory Board Member. “Our Pacific Island friends, while at different stages on the journey to ratify and implement the Marrakesh Treaty, have all shown a passion and strong willingness to ensure their citizens can benefit from access to more books published in accessible formats including large print, braille or audio,” he said.

Alongside the key discussions and initiatives at the "Right to Read" Conference, personal stories from advocates like Ms. Ruci Senikula of the United Blind Persons of Fiji, highlighted the profound impact of accessible books.  "Accessible books transform everyday life for people who are blind or visually impaired," says Ruci. "Growing up, I learned early on to rely on my other senses. For me, accessible format books became vital—they allowed me to remain connected to the world of knowledge and literature, filling gaps that others may take for granted. These resources became my gateway to education, personal growth, and independence, which is why I am passionate about accessible books for all who need them." Her story serves as a powerful reminder of why the conference's mission is so important for ensuring equal access to knowledge across the Pacific Islands.

The conference closed with a shared commitment from all attendees: to create a Pacific region where individuals who are print disabled can fully access books and educational resources. With further initiatives planned, including training sessions and community-building efforts, the “Right to Read” Conference marks a pivotal step toward a more inclusive future for all Pacific Islanders.

Background

According to a 2017 study published in The Lancet, approximately 253 million people are blind or visually impaired world-wide. Nearly 90% of these are resident in developing countries, where the World Blind Union (WBU) estimates that people who are blind have only a one in ten chance of going to school or getting a job. A lack of accessible books remains a very real barrier to getting an education and leading an independent, productive life.

About ABC

The Accessible Books Consortium (ABC) is a public-private partnership led by WIPO that, together with its many partners around the world, has had real impact over the past decade.  Since its inception, the ABC Global Book Service catalogue has quadrupled in size to nearly one million titles thanks to the inclusion of the collections of participating authorized entities. ABC delivered a total of 164,000 accessible digital files from the ABC catalogue to persons with print disabilities through its authorized entities in 2023. In addition, through ABC’s training and technical assistance partners, almost 20,000 textbooks have been made accessible in over 40 low-income countries, improving access to education for thousands of young people. ABC was established in June 2014 to implement the goals of the Marrakesh Treaty.

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About WIPO

The World Intellectual Property Organization (WIPO) is the global forum for intellectual property policy, services, information and cooperation. A specialized agency of the United Nations, WIPO assists its 193 member states in developing a balanced international IP legal framework to meet society's evolving needs. It provides business services for obtaining IP rights in multiple countries and resolving disputes. It delivers capacity-building programs to help developing countries benefit from using IP. And it provides free access to unique knowledge banks of IP information.