WBU E-BULLETINVOLUME 15, ISSUE 3JULY 2019

Contact us at:

World Blind Union1929 Bayview Avenue Toronto, Ontario, Canada M4G 3E8

Telephone: 1-416-486-9698 Fax: 1-416-486-8107Email: info@wbu.ngo Website: www.wbu.ngo Twitter: @BlindUnion Facebook: www.facebook.com/BlindUnion

Changing What It Means to be Blind!

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CONTRIBUTIONS TO THE E-BULLETIN...............................................3PRESIDENT’S MESSAGE.....................................................3WBU NEWS.......................................................................5WBU CEO ADDRESSES UN HIGH LEVEL POLITICAL FORUM...............5WBU TREASURER ADDRESSES UN GLOBAL PLATFORM FOR DISASTER RISK REDUCTION..............................................................................6SECURING THE RIGHT TO EDUCATION FOR CHILDREN WITH DISABILITIES.....................................................................................9LATIN AMERICA SMART CITY CONGRESS 2019...............................10PARTNERS FOR REVIEW MEETING HELD IN OAXACA, MEXICO........121ST ASSEMBLY OF THE UNITED NATIONS HUMAN SETTLEMENTS PROGRAM (UN HABITAT)................................................................12M-ENABLING SUMMIT 2019.............................................................13THE URBAN DEVELOPMENT PERSPECTIVE DURING COSP12...........14WBU OFFICERS AND REGIONAL REPRESENTATIVES MEET IN ATHENS.......................................................................................................14WBU SCHOLARSHIPS......................................................................15UPDATES FROM THE REGIONS..........................................17ACCESSIBLE VOTING OR HOW TO REALISE A POLITICAL RIGHT......17WBU-NORTH AMERICA/ CARIBBEAN REGION WELCOMES NEW MEMBERS.......................................................................................19WHITE CANE INITIATIVE IN KENYA..................................................21UPDATES FROM GLOBAL PARTNERS.................................21UN LAUNCHES NEW DISABILITY INCLUSION STRATEGY..................21AIRLINES COMMIT TO IMPROVE TRAVEL FOR PASSENGERS WITH DISABILITIES ..................................................................................23PROFILES OF NEW WBU MEMBER ORGANIZATIONS............23REMINDER: CONTACT INFORMATION.................................28THE WBU REGIONS..........................................................28AFRICA............................................................................................28ASIA................................................................................................28ASIA-PACIFIC...................................................................................28

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EUROPE..........................................................................................28LATIN AMERICA...............................................................................28NORTH AMERICA/THE CARIBBEAN..................................................28WBU TABLE OFFICERS.....................................................28REGIONAL PRESIDENTS...................................................29WBU STAFF.....................................................................29OUR SPONSORS..............................................................30OUR PLATINUM SPONSORS.............................................................30OUR DIAMOND SPONSORS.............................................................30OUR GOLD SPONSORS....................................................................30

CONTRIBUTIONS TO THE E-BULLETIN

We welcome articles from the regions and from members who wish to share their good news with the rest of the world. Our next deadline for content is October 7th, 2019. We accept submissions in English, French, and Spanish in electronic format. Please note that we retain the right to edit submissions due to space limitations. Send your news to: Terry.Mutuku@wbu.ngo

PRESIDENT’S MESSAGE

Dear members of the World Blind Union,

On 24 May 2019, I spoke to the International Transport Forum (ITF) in Leipzig, Germany. The ITF brings together transportation ministers from around the world to discuss all types of transportation, including

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rail, bus, plane and automobile transportation. I discussed emerging autonomous and connected vehicle technology and the need to factor in accessibility and usability at the earliest design stage. I began by asking the audience to replace the mindset of accessibility as an act of charity, something extra that is added after the fact to accommodate a small number of people, with an understanding that accessibility is good business. Today’s drivers will transition to more highly automated vehicles and eventually to completely autonomous vehicles, but little attention is being given to the needs of an entirely new category of potential customers.

The World Blind Union (WBU) represents the estimated 253 million blind and partially sighted people around the world. At present, blind and partially sighted people do not drive. They represent a new market, not simply the existing market of licensed drivers. That means that, if manufactures recognize blind and partially sighted people as a quarter of a billion potential new customers and include their needs into the earliest design of their autonomous vehicles, they will be able to capitalize on this new market.

In my presentation, I made a distinction between accessibility and what I called usability. Accessibility includes the ability to operate all of the vehicle’s controls and functions. It is anticipated that an early use of autonomous vehicles will be by Uber, Lyft and other rideshare companies. Blind and partially sighted people will need to be able to call the vehicle, tell it where to go, and be able to operate all the vehicle’s functions including the temperature, music selection and so on. These are examples of accessibility.

Usability includes being able to find the vehicle when it pulls up. The app may tell the rider that the vehicle has arrived but knowing precisely where the vehicle is important to usability. Other considerations include knowing when the vehicle has arrived at a safe place to disembark. For example, the app may indicate that the destination has been reached when the vehicle is near but not yet at the desired location. The blind or partially sighted passenger needs to know that it is safe to exit the vehicle and that the vehicle is not simply stopped at a traffic light near the desired destination.

There are many more considerations, but the overarching point is that manufacturers need to work with blind and partially sighted people as

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they design their autonomous vehicles. If they do, they have the opportunity to unlock an entirely new source of customers, blind and partially sighted people.Dr. Fredric K. Schroeder, President, WBU WBU NEWSWBU CEO ADDRESSES UN HIGH LEVEL POLITICAL FORUM

The Chief Executive Officer of the World Blind Union and Representative of the UN Stakeholder Group of Persons with Disabilities, Mr. Jose Viera, addressed United Nations Major Groups and other Stakeholders of persons with disabilities in New York ahead of the UN High-Level Political Forum (HLPF 2019).

Participants at High Level Political Forum in New York

Mr. Viera gave the following recommendations regarding HLPF reviews: The HLPF must “provide political leadership, recommendations

and guidelines”, through global governance and public sector leadership to solve some of the biggest global issues, particularly those of a more systemic nature, such as illicit financial flows, international financial system, hunger, etc.;

Prioritize dilemmas and trade-offs among goals, as well as spill-over effects of policies at global and national levels; countries are good at acknowledging synergies, but it is important to address

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the tensions and avoid trade-offs - this is also key for supporting other countries;

Encourage inter-regional and cross-regional dialogue and exchange with the effective participation of Major groups and other Stakeholders (MGoS);

Prioritize cross-cutting issues and interlinkages among the Goals; Enrich the dialogue with Special Rapporteurs and members of

Expert Committees of Treaty Bodies to ensure alignment to human rights obligations and commitments;

Use indicators, data and evidence to support all dialogues, assessments and analyses including those coming from Human Rights bodies;

Build on regional dialogues to allow for peer learning; Produce a Ministerial Declaration after the HLPF that is not pre-

negotiated, but that reflects the actual dialogues of the HLPF and contains concrete recommendations and action points which can be followed up on at the next HLPF;

Operationalize the principles ‘leave no one behind’ and ‘reach the furthest behind first’ through concrete policies, measures, programmes and budget allocation;

Assessment should be made of the format of HLPF discussions, including the effectiveness of panels, in terms of feeding into recommendations that can and should be made by the HLPF.

Read more WBU TREASURER ADDRESSES UN GLOBAL PLATFORM FOR DISASTER RISK REDUCTION

The sixth Session of the Global Platform for Disaster Risk Reduction (GP2019) took place in Geneva, Switzerland from 13 to 17 May, 2019. It was convened and organized by the UN Office for Disaster Risk Reduction (UNISDR) and hosted by the Government of Switzerland.

The session represented the next important opportunity for the international community to boost the implementation of the Sendai Framework and related Sustainable Development Goals of the 2030 Agenda, as well as commitments of the Paris Climate Agreement.

It was the last global gathering for all stakeholders before the deadline for the achievement of Target E of the Sendai Framework:

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"Substantially increase the number of countries with national and local disaster risk reduction strategies by 2020".

Ms. Martine Abel-Williamson, Treasurer of the World Blind Union addressed the forum:

His Excellencies, civil society colleagues, friends.

Today I speak to you on behalf of the Stakeholder Group of Persons with Disabilities, the focal point for UNDESA, ECOSOC and the GA for all UN Sustainable Development policies, and a member of the UN Major Groups and other Stakeholders coordination mechanism. The Stakeholder Group comprises persons with disabilities and their representative organizations, as well as mainstream development and DRR organizations working on disability inclusion. Since 2015, Member States, UN agencies and civil society have been vocal in their aspirations and commitments arising from the Sendai Framework. But commitment without action is hollow. This week, we have spoken of how to achieve a sustainable and inclusive society for all. The Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities, together with political commitments including the SDGs and the Dhaka Declaration on Disability and Disaster Risk Management tells us how we must and should do this.

The CRPD explicitly states that States are obliged to ensure that all women, men, boys and girls, older persons and indigenous persons with disabilities, living both in rural and urban areas are not left behind in humanitarian emergencies and disasters.

Yet we remain among the most impacted in all crisis-affected communities, as a result of disasters, conflicts and as a consequence of climate change. We are two to four times more likely to die in a disaster. Women with disabilities are three times more likely to experience sexual violence than their peers without disabilities. Multiple and intersecting forms of discrimination also contribute to our marginalization.

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And compounding all of this, we continue to be regarded solely as recipients of aid and beneficiaries of charity, not as actors for change. Our motto is: “Nothing about us, without us”, and the Sendai Framework reflects this as a critical component to achieve inclusive DRR. Yet national DRR strategies continue to exclude us. Target E - the number of national and local disaster strategies to be developed by 2020 – will only contribute to our marginalization if persons with disabilities remain excluded from the design, planning, implementation, assessment and monitoring of these strategies.

Our expertise is critical to your understanding of how to identify and remove the attitudinal, communicational, informational and physical barriers we face, and to inform our collective practice. Removing barriers for persons with disabilities establishes a society which is inclusive for everyone.

There are clear steps that can be taken now by Member States, UN agencies and all relevant stakeholders to achieve this, before, during and after disasters:

• Partner with, consult, empower and actively engage persons with disabilities and our representative organizations to ensure our full inclusion and meaningful participation.

• Collect, analyze and apply data, disaggregate by disability, as well as gender and age, using the Washington Group Short Set of Questions and the UNICEF Child Functioning Module.

• Report on the situation of persons with disabilities using the Sendai monitoring mechanism, as well as the CRPD, treaty body and 2030 Agenda monitoring mechanisms and commitments contained in the Dhaka Declaration.

• Collectively build our technical, financial and human resources to ensure that organizations of persons with disabilities, mainstream organizations, UN agencies, governments, donors, and other relevant stakeholders have the capacity and knowledge to develop and implement DRR strategies that are truly inclusive of persons with disabilities.

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• Utilize our knowledge and experience to enhance the second-generation resilient society with accessible technology and assistive devices.

The inclusive and sustainable world we want will only be built if we work together.

We welcome the efforts to mainstream disability across stakeholder groups and the UN system and urge you to work with us—we have the knowledge and expertise to inform inclusive and accessible approaches that will ensure equality for all persons with disabilities.

We, persons with disabilities are not inherently vulnerable. Society places us in vulnerable situations. Realizing DRR strategies inclusive of persons with disabilities requires a change—and we are ready to work with you to achieve this.

Ms. Martine Abel-Williamson, Treasurer of the World Blind Union

SECURING THE RIGHT TO EDUCATION FOR CHILDREN WITH DISABILITIES

A presentation on inclusive education by Jose Viera, Chief Executive Officer of the WBU and Representative of UN Stakeholder Group of Persons with Disabilities, during a session hosted by the Ford Foundation at the HLPF 2019 held in New York

Inclusive education is central to achieving quality education for children with disabilities and implementing Article 24 of the UN Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities. There are 93 million children with disabilities who are at risk of being left behind due to structural barriers, discriminatory social attitudes, or physical and communication access barriers.

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Jose Viera and other panellists at the Ford Foundation session on Inclusive education

To ensure inclusive education becomes a reality, we require systemic change by using a multi-sectoral approach, adopting child-centred and universal design tactics with reasonable accommodations and tailored supports provided. Such accommodations need to ensure that children have equal opportunities to learn and socialize with their peers, using the same language such as sign language, along with easy read materials, braille, large print, and alternative and augmentative communication systems. Read full presentation on the WBU website

LATIN AMERICA SMART CITY CONGRESS 2019

Latin America Smart City Expo 2019 was held in Puebla, Mexico 2-4 July. The theme of the Congress was "Radical Inclusion, a Space for All".

Among topics discussed were:• Mobility and Urban and Territorial Planning: Quality of life is

enhanced as long as citizens may enjoy better designed public spaces, with improved accessibility and efficient mobility.

• Digital Transformation and Economic Development: Competitiveness determines prosperity in our cities. Therefore, technological innovation, effective legislation and close collaboration must be focused on economic development.

• Security and Resilience: Cities must guarantee the well-being of their citizens through an optimum net of public utilities, and

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the design of well-addressed prevention and citizen participation strategies, which in turn will ensure a better quality of life.

During the Expo, WBU Programme Officer, Accessibility in Smart Cities Initiative, Hannes J. Lagrelius interviewed Mr. Elkin Velasquez, UN-Habitat´s Regional Director for Latin America and the Caribbean. The interview is available on the WBU YouTube Channel. Read more about the Expo at: https://smartcityexpolatam.com/media_partners#. Also visit our website for more resources on Smart Cities.

PARTNERS FOR REVIEW MEETING HELD IN OAXACA, MEXICO

The sixth Partners for Review network meeting took place in Oaxaca, Mexico 21-23 May 2019. Partners for Review is a Transnational Multi-Stakeholder Network for a Robust Review Process of the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development. A total of 83 participants from 30 countries attended the event, representing governments, civil society, supreme audit institutions, foundations, academia and the private sector, as well as the UN and other regional and international organisations.

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WBU CEO Mr. Jose Viera who is also the Representative of UN Stakeholder Group of Persons with Disabilities spoke about "Inclusive national consultation processes before and after HLPF: how to create inclusive processes by reaching the furthest behind".

For more information about the network go to: http://www.partners-for-review.de/ 1ST ASSEMBLY OF THE UNITED NATIONS HUMAN SETTLEMENTS PROGRAM (UN HABITAT)

The first ever Assembly and Stakeholder forum of this UN Body took place in Nairobi, Kenya 25-31st of May. WBU participated as part of our Accessibility in Smart Cities Initiative.

It is estimated that one billion persons with disabilities, many of which are living with a visual impairment, will live in cities in the coming decades. Barriers and discrimination persist in the cities of today. WBU strongly advocates for inclusive and universal design principles so that "no one or no place is left behind." As the only participating global Disabled People’s Organisation working around inclusive and accessible cities the WBU held a key role to raise the voice of the disability community, and to raise the voice of blind and partially sighted persons in particular. Notably the WBU was influential in the formulation of the joint stakeholder declaration presented before the Assembly of UN member states to recognise the importance of inclusion and accessibility in a transformative urban development. Specifically, WBU stressed the critical importance of UN habitat to take effective measures on inclusion, participation and accessibility so that no one, or no place, will be left behind when cities are created, designed and transformed.

During the week in Nairobi the WBU representatives were actively involved in side events and panel discussion. Amongst other things, WBU held several formal speaking slots at events on the themes of public transport, the need for multi-stakeholder partnerships as well as at events on affordable housing and gender equality.

The WBU was represented by our program officer Hannes Juhlin Lagrelius and AFUB representatives Peter Anomah-Kordie and Dandy Mubima.

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Read more about the WBU Smart Cities program on our website.

M-ENABLING SUMMIT 2019

As part of the Accessibility in Smart Cities Initiative the WBU recently participated in the annual M-Enabling Summit in Washington DC June 17-19 on the theme to promote accessible technologies and environments. The plethora of sessions and parallel events WBU took part included amongst others Smart Cities for All, Self-Driving and Autonomous Mobility, Robots for Smart Homes, Accessible Media Platforms Entertainment, International Trends in Digital Accessibility.

WBU was represented at the summit by Hannes Juhlin Lagrelius, Programme Officer, Accessibility in Smart Cities and WBU National members from the US and UK.

THE URBAN DEVELOPMENT PERSPECTIVE DURING COSP12

In addition to the participation by WBU’s CEO Jose Viera and several WBU member organisations we took part in sessions with relevance for the Accessibility in Smart Cities Initiative. WBU aims to engage more actors representing persons with disabilities to collaborate around urban development, and thus COSP was a brilliant platform to enhance this. Most notably we presented our global initiative and its objectives at an event hosted by the Disabled Persons’ International (DPI) and its relevance to digital accessibility and E-governance. In addition WBU, as member of the global network behind the Global Compact on Inclusive and Accessible cities we contributed with interventions on the critical importance of multi-stakeholder partnerships in shaping the accessible and inclusive cities of tomorrow at an event hosted by World Enabled.

WBU OFFICERS AND REGIONAL REPRESENTATIVES MEET IN ATHENS

WBU Officers and Representatives from Regional Unions and WBU Committees met in Athens, Greece from 6-8 May 2019.

Various issues were discussed including: how to strengthen regional unions, the work of women and youth in the regions, building regional

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disability inclusive agenda, how to strengthen collaboration, challenges facing regional organizations, developing organizational capacities, the WBU General Assembly, and much more.

Group photo

WBU CEO and Officers during the meeting in Athens

WBU SCHOLARSHIPS

Eligible candidates are invited to apply for Braille Literacy scholarships offered by the World Blind Union. Preference is given to blind and partially sighted applicants from low income countries.

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The scholarships include:

1. The Pedro Zurita Youth Fund: The idea to establish an international fund to assist blind and partially sighted young people was conceived by Mr. Pedro Zurita, the former Secretary General of the World Blind Union from 1986-2000, who also made the first contribution to the Fund and committed to annual contributions thereafter. The purpose of the fund is to assist young blind and partially sighted people financially to obtain education, training and employment. Blind and partially sighted young men and women not younger than 15 and not older than 30 years old are eligible to apply for the scholarship.

2. The Barbara Marjeram Braille Literacy Scholarship was established in 2008 to commemorate Barbara’s 20-year career at CNIB (Canadian National Institute for the Blind) and to recognize her contribution to Braille Literacy at the world level. Blind or visually impaired girls and woman between the ages of 14 – 30 years from a developing country, who are enrolled in a recognized educational program in their own country are eligible. Applications are also accepted from students enrolled in a recognized distance learning program. Applicants are expected to possess Braille reading and writing skills OR be willing to pursue a course to learn Braille either on location or through an approved distance learning program.

3. The Gerald Dirks Scholarship for the Advancement of Braille Literacy established in 2013 recognizes Dr. Gerald Dirks’ passion and extensive use of Braille throughout his distinguished academic career. Dr. Dirks held the position of Professor in the Politics department at Brock University in St. Catharines, Ontario, Canada, where he combined a successful teaching career with research and writing. The scholarship honours Gerry’s commitment to Braille literacy, inclusive education for blind children and the expansion of employment opportunities for blind adults by furthering these causes within the African Union. The objective is to award one or more scholarships of up to USD $1000 each annually. Blind or visually impaired women and men between the ages of 18 – 35 years from the African Union are eligible.

4. Mary Hochhausen Prize for Music and Braille Literacy was established in 2014 by the Hochhausen family to honour the memory of Mary Hochhausen and to celebrate her joy and love of

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music; her family values; her commitment to education and to community service. The Prize further recognizes her life of service to her community and affiliation with work for the blind in Canada and elsewhere. This scholarship is presented annually to young blind women and men in Africa who have a specific interest in and demonstrated talent for music. Blind or visually impaired women and men between the ages of 18 – 35 years from the African Union are invited to apply.

5. The Hermoine Grant Calhoun Scholarship – for blind and partially sighted women: (currently not available)

All completed applications should be submitted to the World Blind Union either electronically to info@wbu.ngo or mailed to WBU, 1929 Bayview Avenue, Toronto, Ontario, M4G 3E8. Canada. Applications are accepted at any time and scholarships will be awarded prior to June 30 of each year.

Read more about the scholarships and application guidelines on the WBU website.

UPDATES FROM THE REGIONSACCESSIBLE VOTING OR HOW TO REALISE A POLITICAL RIGHT

An excerpt from the latest issue of the European Blind Union Focus NewsletterBy Benedikt Van den Boom, German Federation of the Blind and Partially Sighted (DBSV)

“Actually … how do visually impaired people vote?” In the past year, I heard this question a lot, whenever I mentioned that the German Federation of the Blind and Partially Sighted began to coordinate a new EBU project on just that topic. Not just for sighted people, it is a genuinely interesting question with some unsettling answers about political rights and good reason for hope for the future. In this introduction text for the latest EBU Focus, I would like to give a brief overview of what we found out so far.

Unsettling Answers

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In November 2018, we published the first output of the AVA project on “Accessible Voting Awareness-Raising”, a status report on accessible voting. For this report, we surveyed 24 EBU member organisations, reviewed electoral legislation in 45 European countries and updated older EBU documents on the issue. In terms of content, we looked at the five ways that blind and partially sighted people use to vote in elections all over Europe: Voting with an assistant, voting with a tactile device, voting by mail, voting in advance and voting electronically. Of course, these methods are designed quite differently in each country and we noted several obvious problems.

The UNCRPD clearly states that visually impaired citizens should be free to choose their assistant for the voting process, but only a minority of countries apply this rule. In Cyprus or Greece for instance, one has to vote with an election official. In Lithuania or Poland, in reverse, one can vote with anyone but an election official. In Ireland, the visually impaired voter, who would like to rely on an assistant, could even be denied the right to vote, if there is not enough time to check the eligibility of their assistant of choice. EBU members, providing expert input to our report, even noted that election officials did not know about the right to vote with an assistant in countries such as Denmark, Sweden or the Netherlands.

Tactile devices, so-called stencils that are superimposed on the ballot to identify its content, are equally associated with problems. In several countries, for instance in Slovakia, the ballot is so crammed that no stencil could be developed. In Germany, pioneer of stencil voting in Europe, local election officials can modify the ballot at will, so that a generalised stencil loses its usability. In Austria, not all possible voting options show up on the stencil, so that visually impaired voters end up with less political participation rights than other citizens. A particularly startling case is Malta, where the stencil was only labelled in Braille. But since Braille literacy is very low on the island, no one ended up using the tactile tool. Only after several years did the Maltese election commission add an audio file, so that visually impaired voters can know, what is written on the ballot and on the stencil respectively.

Electronic voting, in turn, is mostly problematic because of its absence. While almost 80% of EBU experts would like to have some form of electronic voting in their home country, less than 10% of all countries offer voting machines or even an interface to vote over the internet.

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Even in those countries with electronic voting, however, there are implementation problems. In Belgium not all voting machines conform to the necessary accessibility requirements, such as non-visual output or acoustic confirmation. In Kazakhstan, the voting machines require a bar code scan and touch screen navigation, rendering them completely inaccessible. Continue reading….

WBU-NORTH AMERICA/ CARIBBEAN REGION WELCOMES NEW MEMBERS

WBU North America/Caribbean Regional meeting was held in Trinidad on 31 May 2019. The meeting was hosted by the Trinidad and Tobago Blind Welfare Association (TTBWA).

Five new organizations from the Caribbean joined the WBU membership including: Jamaica Society for the Blind; Guyana Society for the Blind; the Bahamas Alliance for the Blind and Visually Impaired (BABVI/The Alliance); St. Lucia Blind Welfare Association (SLBWA) and the Barbados National United Society of the Blind.

WBU members attending the North America/ Caribbean Regional meeting

WBU President, Dr. Fred Schroeder welcomed the new members on behalf of the World Blind Union. "We are extremely delighted to

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welcome you to our community of over 500 organizations from around the world. Together, we continue to promote human rights, particularly for the blind and partially sighted women and youth around the world; to build the capacity of our members to be stronger advocates for accessible technologies, accessible books, accessible health services, accessible and safer shared spaces, information sharing and collaboration, among other initiatives. This is only possible because of our strong movement comprised of individuals and organizations like yours", he said.

The WBU provides members with opportunity:• To connect to the global movement of organizations of and for

the blind;• To take part at regional and international events, such as our

global General Assemblies;• To have access to regional and international networks and

training programs;• To have access to a wide network of organizations involved in

the field of vision impairment and blindness;• To have access to information and resources to support your

advocacy and organizational development efforts;• To share in advocacy efforts undertaken by the WBU at the

international and regional level and be able to influence policies and programs within such bodies as the United Nations;

• To become part of our growing movement that is united and actively changing what it means to be blind!

For more information about membership, visit the WBU website.

Meanwhile the WBU Human Rights Officer, Jessica Jacobie, emphasised the importance of reinforcing advocacy in the region and highlighted WBU's efforts in encouraging members to push for ratification of the UN Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities (UNCRPD), the Marrakesh Treaty and participate in their governments' agenda on achieving the Sustainable Development Goals (SDG’s).

The next regional meeting will take place in September 2019 at the Hadley Institute for the blind and visually impaired, USA, where elections of new leaders will be conducted.

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WHITE CANE INITIATIVE IN KENYA

The White Cane Initiative: Kenya Chapter is a project initiated to provide technical assistance and support to blind persons in disadvantaged areas to enhance their independence, and empowerment.

According to the National Bureau of Statistics (Kenya), about 1.5 million people are visually impaired in Kenya, two thirds among them are totally blind. Lack of adequate mobility aids such as white canes is a major challenge. A significant number of visually impaired persons are dependent on family members and friends for assistance.

In response to this crisis, Global Cane Outreach and You Cane Give Initiative donated 115 white canes and 100 solar audio bibles to newly visually impaired persons in Kenya during a white Cane campaign held from 7- 14 March, 2019. You Cane Give Initiative in partnership with Aira, used the Horizon Smart Glasses to document the event in real-time as a test-run of the visual-aid products. Aira connects blind and low-vision people to highly trained, remotely located agents.

To support the You Cane Give Initiative through donations such as White Canes which will be refurbished and restored, financial support; and any other support, please contact: James A. Boehm (Executive Director- You Cane Give Initiative) at youcanegive@gmail.com or Paul Mugambi (Mugambi Paul Initiatives) at shamgpaul@gmail.com (Source: African Union of the Blind, AFUB)

UPDATES FROM GLOBAL PARTNERS

UN LAUNCHES NEW DISABILITY INCLUSION STRATEGY

The United Nations launched a new Disability Inclusion Strategy on June 12, during the 12th Session of the annual Conference of States Parties to the UN Convention of Rights of Persons with Disabilities (COSP).

The UN Secretary-General, António Guterres said that the strategy aims to raise the standards of the UN’s performance on disability

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inclusion across the board, and action to bring about the unified and transformative change we need. Disability inclusion is not only a fundamental human right, it is central to the promise of the 2030 Agenda on Sustainable Development, he said.

United Nations Secretary-General, António Guterres (Photo: courtesy of the UN)

“When we fight to secure those rights, we move our world closer to upholding the core values and principles of the United Nations Charter. When we remove policies or biases or obstacles to opportunity for persons with disabilities, the whole world benefits”.

The Secretary-General emphasized that despite the strong commitment expressed by the international community for inclusive and sustainable development, persons with disabilities continue to face significant challenges to their full participation in society; including negative attitudes, stigma, discrimination and lack of accessibility in physical and virtual environments.

"Our shared duty is to tackle prejudice and misinformation and find new approaches and tools to work for and with persons with disabilities. The present report aims to advance our efforts to remove barriers and empower persons with disabilities to make positive changes in their lives and communities. This is the first report on progress on disability inclusion in the context of the 2030 Agenda."

Read more on the UN News website

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AIRLINES COMMIT TO IMPROVE TRAVEL FOR PASSENGERS WITH DISABILITIES

The International Air Transport Association (IATA) 75th Annual General Meeting (AGM) unanimously approved a resolution to improve the air travel experience for the estimated one billion people living with disabilities worldwide.

According to a press release from IATA, the AGM confirmed the commitment of airlines to ensuring that passengers with disabilities have access to safe, reliable and dignified travel, and calls upon governments to use IATA’s core principles for accommodating passengers with disabilities.

These principles aim to change the focus from disability to accessibility and inclusion by bringing the travel sector together with governments to harmonize regulations and provide the clarity and global consistency that passengers expect. The 75th AGM, hosted by Korean Air brought 1000 industry leaders to Seoul on 1-3 June 2019. Read full Press Release

Over the years, the World Blind Union has raised concern over stringent restrictions and bureaucratic procedures imposed by some airlines which make travel more difficult specifically for blind and partially sighted persons using guide dogs. The WBU has persistently called on airlines to respect and guarantee blind air travellers' safety, dignity, and comfort. WBU therefore welcomes the new resolution and calls on airlines to abide by the IATA principles of ensuring accessibility and inclusion for all. Read more

PROFILES OF NEW WBU MEMBER ORGANIZATIONS

Bahamas Alliance for the Blind and Visually Impaired (BABVI)

On the 10th March 1997, The Bahamas Alliance for the Blind and Visually Impaired (BABVI) was officially formed and registered, with its constitution as a voluntary, non-profit organization in the Commonwealth of the Bahamas. The mission of BABVI is “To actively promote effective measures for the preservation of sight, and for the education and training, rehabilitation, employment and well-being and to do all things to facilitate the integration of the blind and visually

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impaired in the Bahamas society.”

Objectives of the Alliance include: to promote and ensure that work is being done for sight preservation, employment, education and training of blind persons; partnering and advising the government on these issues and related matters; to work with other organizations for and of the blind, to spread the message of sight preservation and to promote activities that will benefit this organization in and outside the Bahamas; to encourage and assist with the forming of further organizations in the Bahamas that will be beneficial to the blind and visually impaired and to collaborate and affiliate with international organizations that will assist with the advancement of the Alliance and its mission.

Some of the programs and activities offered to members include: sighted guide, adjustment to blindness and mobility skills training; computer and braille literacy training; peer counseling services; home visitation and moral support for newly blind persons; healthy lifestyle and fitness club; participating in disability awareness forums; attending and participating in national events as well as school visitations to spread the message of eye health.

Over the next few years, BABVI is actively seeking ways to partner with Corporate Bahamas and civic organizations to meet the following goals: ensure that all members are equipped with white canes, lap tops and other assistive devices; ensure that all present and future members receive adjustment to blindness and mobility training; provide training opportunities for sighted persons in various community centers to be able to teach adjustment to blindness; purchase a vehicle to assist members with transportation needs; secure a building for the Center for the Blind, among other goals.

Guyana Society for the Blind

The Guyana Society for the Blind (GSB) has been in existence since the early 1950s. In 1955 the organisation became a legal entity through an Act of parliament of then British Guiana. GSB is considered the premiere organisation of and for persons who are blind and visually impaired in Guyana. The organisation operates on a national scale with the headquarters located in Georgetown. Additionally, there are two inactive chapters in rural Guyana.

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Presently GSB has a national membership of approximately one 150 persons who are blind and visually impaired. However only about 70 of these can be considered active members who frequent the organisation and participate in the organisation’s activities.

Over the years from 1955 to present, the organisation has evolved and the programmes and services offered have gone through a transformation. From the 1960s to the 1990s the organisation offered various forms of sheltered employment for members. These were in the areas of basketry, fibre mattress making and chair caneing. In addition to the sheltered employment, GSB provided various blindness services to its members and the wider community. These included the teaching of braille and adjustment to blindness services.

At present the organisation has shifted its focus to the empowerment of persons who are blind and visually impaired through education and skills development. The following are some of the programmes and services presently being offered at GSB: information technology courses; Caribbean Secondary Education Certificate (CSEC) classes; teaching of craft; distribution of white canes; basic mobility skills training; braille classes; dominoes club; audio book club and women’s club.

As with most non-profit organisations in Guyana, access to financial resources has been a major challenge for the organisation. Due to lack of stable funding, the programmes and services are significantly dependent on the private sector and donor agencies funds.

St. Lucia Blind Welfare Association (SLBWA)

The St. Lucia Blind Welfare Association (SLBWA) incorporated in 1972 is the sole organization in St. Lucia dedicated to addressing the needs of blind and visually impaired persons on island. SLBWA’s core functions are to provide education and training, ensure access to social services and employment opportunities for clients while providing prevention of Blindness services. In consultation with Caribbean Council for the Blind and Visually Impaired (CCBVI) the organization leads advocacy efforts locally, regionally and internationally.

As a new national member of WBU, SLBWA eagerly anticipates the following: consolidation of strategic alliance between WBU, CCBVI and

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relevant stakeholders, to ensure acceptability, availability, accessibility and affordability of services to clients; increased access to adjustment to Blindness/rehabilitation services, information technology and life skills training for direct and in-direct benefit of the blind and VI community in St. Lucia; maximizing strength, influence and networking capacity of WBU to increased access to modern technology at an affordable price which will increase level of independence and inclusion of our blind and VI clients as well as amplifying advocacy efforts on behalf of our St. Lucian blind and visually impaired community to create greater, faster, lasting positive changes on the local, regional and international landscape. Trinidad and Tobago Blind Welfare Association (TTBWA) The Mission of Trinidad and Tobago Blind Welfare Association is to ensure increased opportunities for persons who are blind and visually impaired through advocacy and delivery of quality services.

The Trinidad and Tobago Blind Welfare Association started off as The Trinidad and Tobago Institute for the Blind on May 18th, 1914 at 116-118 Duke Street, Port of Spain. This was the first organization that offered Services to persons who are blind in the Caribbean with the exception of Jamaica.

The Association was started by Mr. James Augustus Alves On May 18th 1914. It was incorporated by the Parliament of Trinidad and Tobago on June 13th 1947 (Act No. 14 of 1947). On January 31st, 1951 The School for Blind Children opened its doors for students who were blind. This was a boarding school for local students as well as those from the Eastern Caribbean and Guyana, since they did not have any School to meet the needs of their students who were blind. Soon after, the Southern branch of the Association also opened its doors for clients at the Young Men's Christian Association (Y.M.C.A) in San Fernando. This was then followed by the opening of Tobago branch at Fairfield Complex, Bacolet Tobago.

In the early days, TTBWA provided teaching of Braille and Typing. Those who chose to be enrolled in the workshop learned Basketry, Seagrassing and Chair Caning. Today the Association offers training in braille literacy, typing, computer training in assistive technology, craft, training, dance, cooking and orientation and mobility just to name a

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few. After one 105 years of continuous service to persons who are blind, the Association stands proud of its successes in working for the blind.

The Association was accepted by the World Blind Union as a new member in November of 2018. The Association is also prepared to make its contribution to ensure that persons who are blind are given the opportunities to lead successful lives. It plans also to conduct training programs for trainers in the teaching of braille, orientation and mobility, information technology, life skills and how to access international grants through the preparation of projects that will benefit the blind. Future plans also include conducting workshops to train persons who are blind on how to advocate for themselves and the community. Once the Association builds its capacity in training the trainers, it could then offer these services to the wider Caribbean region.

Barbados National United Society of the Blind

The mission of Barbados National United Society of the Blind (NUSB) is “to give light where there is darkness, strength where there is weakness, through education, motivation, and mutual respect.”

NUSB hopes to improve the understanding the situation of the visually impaired and anticipates that membership to the WBU will ultimately result in a closer relationship with other territories, access to a wealth of information and resources and greater opportunities to realise its goals.

Contact information of these new WBU member organizations is available on the WBU website.

REMINDER: CONTACT INFORMATION

Friendly reminder to members: Please check your contact information on our website to ensure that it is up to date at: Member Regions and Organizations: http://www.worldblindunion.org/English/about-wbu/membership/Pages/Member-Regions-and-Organizations.aspxShould you change your contact information any time please update us. You can contact Ianina at ianina.rodriguez@wbu.ngo

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THE WBU REGIONS Our regions are the bridge between the international level of work and the local level. Policies and treaties constructed at global levels are then carried out by our members in their own countries. Most of the regions have their own websites where they post updates on their work, member activities, and upcoming events in their area.

AFRICAhttp://www.afub-uafa.orgASIA Website is currently unavailableASIA-PACIFIC http://wbuap.org/index/EUROPE http://www.euroblind.orgLATIN AMERICA http://ulacdigital.orgNORTH AMERICA/THE CARIBBEAN Website is currently unavailable

WBU TABLE OFFICERS Dr. Fredric K. Schroeder, Presidentpresident@wbu.ngo Mr. Fernando Riaño 1st Vice Presidentfriano@ilunion.com

Ms Donatilla Kanimba2nd Vice Presidentdonakanimba@gmail.com

Ms. Martine Abel-Williamson Treasurermartine.the1@xtra.co.nz Mr. A. K. MittalSecretary Generalmittal24ak@gmail.com

Mr. Arnt HolteImmediate Past President arnt.holte@blindeforbundet.no

REGIONAL PRESIDENTS

AFRICA (AFUB)Mr. Yaw Ofori-Debra yawdebra2015@gmail.com

ASIA (ABU)Mr. Santosh Kumar Rungta nfbsec.g@gmail.com

ASIA PACIFIC (WBU-AP)Ms. Michiko Tabata tabacchi@par.odn.ne.jp

EUROPE (EBU)Mr. Wolfgang Angermann ebupresident@euroblind.org

LATIN AMERICA (ULAC)Mr. Volmir Raimondi

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presidencia@ulacdigital.org

NORTH AMERICA/CARIBBEAN (WBU-NA/C)Mr. Charles Mossop charles.mossop@cnib.ca

WBU STAFF Mr. Jose VieraChief Executive Officerjose.viera@wbu.ngo

Ms. Terry Mutuku Communications Officerterry.mutuku@wbu.ngo

Ms. Jessica Kashia Jacobie

Human Rights OfficerJessica.Jacobie@wbu.ngo

Ms. Ianina Rodriguez Administrative Assistant Ianina.rodriguez@wbu.ngo

Mr. Benjamin DardGlobal Accessibility Advisor Benjamin.Dard@cbm.org Mr. Hannes LagreliusProgram Officer, Accessibility in Smart Cities InitiativeHannes.Lagrelius@wbu.ngo

OUR SPONSORS

Members listed below provide funds beyond their membership fees to support the work of the World Blind Union. We are grateful to these members and organizations for their valued contributions.Our Platinum Sponsors Canadian National Institute for the Blind (CNIB) http://www.cnib.ca CBM International http://www.cbm.org/ National Federation of the Blind, USA https://www.nfb.org/ Organización Nacional de Ciegos Españoles (ONCE)

http://www.once.es/new/ Sightsavers International http://www.sightsavers.org Vanda http://www.vandapharma.com/index.html Vision Australia http://www.visionaustralia.org/

Our Diamond Sponsors Lighthouse San Francisco http://openhub.ch/en/content/swiss-

federation-blind-and-visually-impaired Swiss Federation of the Blind and Sight Impaired (SFB)

http://openhub.ch/en/content/swiss-federation-blind-and-visually-impaired

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Norwegian Association of the Blind and Partially Sighted (NABP) https://www.blindeforbundet.no

Our Gold Sponsors National Industries for the Blind (NIB)

http://www.nib.org/about-us/mission Danish Association of the Blind (DAB) https://blind.dk/internationalt German Federation of the Blind and Partially Sighted (DBSV).

https://www.dbsv.org/dbsv-in-english.html

*****The World Blind Union is registered in Canada as a charitable organization in order to raise funds for our work. Donations from individuals or groups are always appreciated and can be made via the “Donate Now” button on our website: http://www.wbu.ngo.

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