PH Adopts Treaty to Benefit the Blind 

Permanent Representative to the United Nations and Other International Organizations in Geneva Ambassador Evan P. Garcia hands over the Instrument of Accession of the Philippines to the Marrakesh Treaty to WIPO Director Francis Gurry in Geneva on 18 December 2018. (Geneva PM photo)

GENEVA 18 January 2019 — The Philippines deposited its Instrument of Accession to the Marrakesh Treaty with the World Intellectual Property Organization (WIPO) in Geneva on 18 December 2018, paving the way for the country to strengthen regulations and implement more activities that will give the blind and others with visual difficulties greater access to copyrighted material.

The “Marrakesh Treaty Facilitate Access to Published Works for Persons Who Are Blind, Visually Impaired, or Otherwise Print Disabled” allows works protected by copyright to be freely reproduced in accessible formats such as braille, audio, and large prints.

It will enter into force in the Philippines beginning 18 March 2019.

Stressing that the Marrakesh Treaty is essentially a human rights treaty, Permanent Representative of the Philippines to the United Nations and Other International Organizations in Geneva Ambassador Evan P. Garcia underscored the significance of efforts that helped promote and ensure social inclusiveness.

“The Marrakesh Treaty is very important because it will expand the ability of those who are disadvantaged, like the blind, to be able to access knowledge,” Ambassador Garcia said.

WIPO Director-General Francis Gurry hailed the deposit, noting that ongoing projects like the Accessible Books Consortium, which aims to increase the number of books in accessible formats, would continue to provide benefits to the blind, visually impaired, and print-disabled.

“Positive moves like the Marrakesh Treaty prove, without doubt, that multilateralism can work. It is important for all of us to keep the spirit of multilateralism as we forge ahead with other forms of international cooperation,” Ambassador Garcia added.

Originally signed by the international community in June 2013 during a Diplomatic Conference in Morocco, the Marrakesh Treaty entered into force only after three years in September 2016, becoming one of the fastest treaties to receive global acceptance. END

For more information, visit www.genevapm.dfa.gov.ph or https://www.facebook.com/PHinGenevaUN/

World Intellectual Property Organization Director General Gurry, Permanent Representative to the United Nations in Geneva Ambassador Evan P. Garcia, and Deputy Permanent Representative Ma. Teresa Almojuela discuss the Marrakesh Treaty. (Geneva PM photo)