United Nations takes a big step towards accessibility

For the first time, the United Nations will be able to print material directly in Braille. The credit goes to a donation of a state-of-the-art printer by the non-profit organisation, Services for the Visually Impaired, (S.V.I.), U.S.A., along with the World Blind Union (W.B.U.).
Harold Snider, Executive Director, S.V.I., said the high-speed, heavy-duty embosser would provide the U.N. with Braille production capacity in all six of the organisation’s official languages.
The equipment was used at the seventh session of the General Assembly Ad Hoc Committee on a Comprehensive and Integral International Convention on Protection and Promotion of the Rights and Dignity of Persons with Disabilities, at the United Nations’ headquarters from January 16 to February 3, 2006.
Don MacKay, Chairman of the Ad Hoc Committee and Permanent Representative of New Zealand to the United Nations, declared this as a positive step towards accessibility by the United Nations.
The equipment will ensure the full participation to the session of visually impaired participants, both from governments and disability organisations.
22.06.2006