Georgia: The Georgian Parliament has ratified the Marrakesh Treaty, by which countries recognize the right of equal participation of persons with disabilities in cultural life.
The Ministry of Health presented the ratification documentation to the Parliament of Georgia, which worked on the issue in close cooperation with the Sakpatent.
The contract shall apply to blind, visually impaired, or other impairments who are unable to access artistic and literary works on equal terms with others.
With the approval of the document, it is possible to produce texts of a work in Braille, audiobook or other format for the benefit of blind or low-sighted individuals, without the need for consent from the author or the copyright holder and without any associated fees.
These copies will be intended solely for the use of the beneficiaries and will not be sold commercially, ensuring that the rights of the authors and copyright holders are respected.
The Marrakesh treaty is recognized by more than 90 countries around the world. It is one of the legal mechanisms for the implementation of the UN Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities, which states, according to Article 30, the participating states recognize their right to equal participation in the cultural life of persons with disabilities, and also take all measures to provide cultural materials in an accessible format.
In addition, the intellectual property protection legislation of countries, in this regard, should not create insurmountable barriers. Accordingly, the Treaty of Marrakesh, to protect the legitimate interests of persons with disabilities, allows proportional restrictions on copyright and arbitrary rights.
It is noteworthy that the number of people with visually impaired people in Georgia exceeds 9000, among them up to 2000 minors. By ratifying the Marrakesh Treaty, Georgia will have access to similar materials manufactured in participating countries. Accordingly, more than 800,000 printed pieces of format for blind people will be available in the country.