Facilitating Access to Copyright Works for Visually Impaired Persons

This site is a platform for initiatives in the intellectual property (IP) field aimed at facilitating access to information and cultural content by the blind, visually impaired, and other reading-impaired persons (VIPs).

An objective of the IP system is to promote creativity and culture, while returning value to creators and providing widespread, affordable access to content for the public. Digital information technologies add a new dimension to the need for balance between protection of rightholders on the one hand, and the needs of specific user groups to benefit from reasonable exceptions to rights, on the other. Such users include more than 160 million VIPs around the world. Comments, suggestions and input are welcome.

WIPO Launches On-line Forum on Access to Copyrighted Works by VIPs

An on-line forum to promote an exchange of ideas and to build consensus on international measures to improve access to copyright-protected works in formats suitable for visually impaired persons and others with print disabilities (VIPs) was launched by WIPO this week. The Forum, which will remain open at least until June 20, 2010, is designed to stimulate debate, enhance understanding, and broaden awareness of the question. WIPO Press Release PR/2010/642.