TEHRAN –Observed annually on January 4, World Braille Day highlights the importance of Braille in empowering visually impaired individuals, promoting their inclusion, and ensuring that no one is left in the dark.

Celebrated since 2019, the day is observed to raise awareness of the importance of Braille as a means of communication in the full realization of the human rights of blind and partially sighted people.

It serves as a vital reminder of the work still to be done. Despite technological advancements, many individuals still face significant hurdles in accessing inclusive education and public services.

Even under normal circumstances, persons with disabilities—one billion people worldwide— are less likely to access health care, education, employment, and to participate in the community. They are more likely to live in poverty, experience higher rates of violence, neglect, and abuse, and are among the most marginalized in any crisis-affected community.

For the visually impaired, life under lockdown has posed several issues in terms of independence and isolation, especially for people who rely on the use of touch to communicate their needs and access information.

The pandemic has revealed how critically important it is to produce essential information in accessible formats, including in Braille and audible formats. Otherwise, many persons with disabilities could face a higher risk of contamination due to a lack of access to guidelines and precautions to protect and reduce the spread of a pandemic. COVID-19 has also emphasized the need to intensify all activities related to digital accessibility to ensure digital inclusion of all people.

Braille is a tactile representation of alphabetic and numerical symbols using six dots to represent each letter and number, and even musical, mathematical, and scientific symbols. Braille (named after its inventor in the 19th century, France, Louis Braille) is used by blind and partially sighted people to read the same books and periodicals as those printed in a visual font.

According to the United Nations Educational, Scientific, and Cultural Organization (UNESCO), for a person with visual impairment, Braille is the key that unlocks the door to the world. It is the foundation of literacy and education, providing a tangible way to engage with literature, science, and music.

It is essential in the context of freedom of expression and opinion, as well as social inclusion, as reflected in Article 2 of the Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities.