Under the patronage of His Highness Prince Mired bin Ra’ad, Chief Chamberlain and President of the Higher Council for the Rights of Persons with Disabilities, the Council and the Friendship Association for the Blind today organized the launch ceremony of the “Interpretive Guide to the Marrakesh Treaty to Facilitate Access to Published Works for the Benefit of the Blind, Visually Impaired, or Otherwise Print-Disabled Persons,” at the main theater of the National Library Department.
The preparation of the guide was funded by the Council and implemented by the Friendship Association for the Blind under a signed agreement, with work starting in October 2024.
The cooperation aims to provide an interpretive reference clarifying the provisions of the Marrakesh Treaty and its implementation mechanisms for publishing entities, stressing the importance of making books and publications available in accessible formats that guarantee the right of persons with visual disabilities to access knowledge, while safeguarding authors’ rights.
The guide was developed through several stages, including forming a technical committee consisting of the Friendship Association for the Blind, the National Library Department, the Council, the Publishers Union, and the Jordanian Writers Association, in addition to consulting various stakeholders in publishing, printing, libraries, and universities.
Mrs. Ghadeer Al-Hares, Assistant Secretary-General for Technical Affairs, representing His Highness, stated that the Marrakesh Treaty is a landmark international development in facilitating knowledge. It aims to allow the conversion and distribution of published works into accessible formats such as Braille, audio, or large print, marking a significant step in strengthening the right to read for persons with visual disabilities within a legal framework that respects authors’ and publishers’ rights.
Jordan ratified the Marrakesh Treaty with the World Intellectual Property Organization (WIPO) on June 26, 2018, with the treaty entering into force in Jordan on September 26, 2018. The National Library, the Higher Council, and the Friendship Association were tasked with monitoring its implementation in partnership with relevant entities. This guide represents one of the first steps toward implementing its provisions, aiming to produce a practical interpretive manual to clarify the treaty’s articles and implementation mechanisms for publishing entities.
Speakers including Mr. Firas Al-Darabe’ah, Dr. Ahmad Al-Louzi, and Mr. Ra’fat Al-Zaytawi emphasized that the treaty and the guide embody a civilizational response to guarantee knowledge without barriers and to ensure persons with visual disabilities can enjoy their fundamental right to reading and information on an equal basis with others.
The guide, they explained, provides a unified, practical reference with clear steps for implementation and role distribution among institutions. It guarantees the production and distribution of published works in accessible formats while balancing authors’ rights with disability rights to knowledge access.
The launch is thus a key national step toward entrenching the principle of equal opportunities, enhancing the cultural and educational participation of persons with visual disabilities, and enabling them to enjoy their right to read and learn like everyone else.