Dr Sam Taraporevala Director, Xavier’s Resource Centre for the Visually Challenged (XRCVC) Chair, Committee on Copy Rights and Publisher Relations, DFI. Print Access: The Indian Story

 Technology has made print access POSSIBLE.  Does the current law in India make it PERMISSIBLE?  Today of all printed works published, only 0.5% is ACCESSIBLE.

 Discrepancy in the conventional copyright laws that hamper the print disabled community has been recognized.  Over 50 countries have made appropriate changes to their respective copyright laws.  UN Convention on Rights of Persons with Disability, 2006 has guaranteed equal access to persons with disabilities.  WIPO Draft Treaty for Improved Access for Blind, Visually Impaired and other Reading Disabled Persons, 2008 is under consideration.

 Laws that guarantee Equal Access o Constitution of India o Persons with Disability Act, 1995 o National Policy for Persons with Disability, 2006 o India is also a signatory to the UNCRPD 2006 upholding equal rights to persons with disability.  Is the Indian Copyright Act, 1957 in sync with the above?

 The Unique Indian Story - Ground reality of lack of centralized government library systems. - Widespread nature of the print disabled population with varying needs. - The reality of the NGO sector having always been the traditional service provider to the group. Indian Efforts to Secure Right to Read and Eliminate the Book Drought

 The Legal Story  The Ground Zero Efforts Indian Efforts to Secure Right to Read and Eliminate the Book Drought

 The Publication Access Coordination Committee (PACC) – an umbrella organization and the Centre for Internet and Society (CIS) submitted representations to the Copyright Office, Government of India for appropriate amendment to the Copyright Act in  These expanded its scope as the National Access Alliance (NAA) which has been lobbying with the government and the parliamentary standing committee.  The NAA has made suitable representations with all relevant government machineries to ensure an appropriate amendments to the law. The Legal Story

 NAA has been working towards a clause which will be: a. Format Neutral. b. Does not discriminate between disability groups and persons with disabilities with varying skills. c. Is end user focused and d. Does not impose a cumbersome licensing system for fair use making the remedy worse than the disease. The Legal Story

 DAISY Forum of India (DFI) launched in April A network of over 80 organizations.  DFI – Bookshare.org partnership has set up a strong Publisher Contact Programme.  Some of the Publishers who are already on board- Oxford University Press, SAGE Publications, Cambridge University Press, Sheth Publishers, S. Chand & Co Ltd, Zubaan Books, Pratham Books, Himalayan Publishing House, Other India Press, Sahitya Academy, Tata McGraw Hill etc. Ground Zero Efforts

 DFI member organizations have launched the Right to Read campaign in various parts of the country through the last year: Chennai, Kolkata, Mumbai and Bangalore. Over 50 publishers and 600 authors have expressed their support for this campaign.  DFI working towards a strong Catalogue system through Inclusive Planet to achieve maximum efficiency. Ground Zero Efforts

 The Government sensitized and informed about the need of the print disabled.  The social sector in the country on the way to creating a robust dissemination and delivery system.  The publisher partnerships beginning to bear fruits.

 Speed up the appropriate amendment to the copyright law in India and have the concerns of the print disabled met.  Work towards a global treaty.  Meet diverse needs through speedy content generation.  To work towards a trusted intermediary system.

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