by Aqib Rehman and Rohi Jan
The government of Jammu and Kashmir is obligated under the Rights of Persons with Disabilities Act 2016 and the United Nations Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities to ensure that public places are accessible to people with disabilities.
The fourth of January is marked globally as World Braille Day, in commemoration of Louis Braille, the inventor of the tactile reading and writing system, developed in the 19th century. Louis Braille’s life took a dramatic turn when, as a child, he accidentally blinded himself while playing with his father’s tools. Undeterred by this setback, Braille went on to develop a revolutionary six-dot system that transformed reading and writing for the visually impaired.
This day serves as an opportunity for individuals with vision disabilities and policymakers to highlight ongoing efforts to promote accessibility in education, healthcare, and employment. According to experts, raising awareness about the importance of accessibility is crucial in creating a more inclusive society.
The six-dot system, raised on thick paper, allows individuals with visual impairments to read and write with ease. This Braille Lipi has undergone significant advancements with the advent of technology. Braille displays connected to mobile phones and computers have eased access for the visually impaired, enabling them to navigate digital spaces effortlessly. Furthermore, public places, transportation systems, and shopping centres extensively utilise Braille signage to guide individuals with visual impairments, thereby facilitating their daily lives.
The union territory of Jammu and Kashmir, however, remains an outlier in harnessing the potential of Braille technology. A glaring omission is the lack of government institutions dedicated to providing Braille training to visually impaired individuals.
The region’s transportation system is entirely inaccessible, while 100% of public places are devoid of Braille signage, rendering roads and tourist attractions out of bounds for those with visual impairments. The educational institutions in Jammu and Kashmir, including schools, colleges, and universities, fare no better. Tactile paths and Braille symbols are conspicuous by their absence, and the government appears reluctant to take concrete steps towards inclusivity for the visually impaired.
Authors have long highlighted these issues, only to face criticism that they merely identify problems without offering solutions. This criticism, however, does not detract from the pressing need for Jammu and Kashmir to address the systemic barriers that exclude visually impaired individuals from participating fully in society.
The lack of accessibility in Jammu and Kashmir undoubtedly undermines the independence of individuals with visual impairments. Inaccessible infrastructure and societal attitudes not only create physical barriers but also stifle their aspirations for autonomy. However, some measures can be taken to address these challenges.
To tackle the issue of inaccessibility in public places and services, the Jammu and Kashmir government should develop a roadmap to conduct a comprehensive accessibility audit of the entire union territory. This audit involves surveying public places such as bus stops, railway stations, hospitals, and financial institutions to assess the extent to which people with disabilities can access these areas. The audit would examine the presence of Braille signs, tactile paths, ramps, and other assistive features. To obtain a holistic understanding, the audit requires the participation of policymakers, engineers, and individuals with disabilities.
The government of Jammu and Kashmir is obligated under the Rights of Persons with Disabilities Act 2016 and the United Nations Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities to ensure that public places are accessible to people with disabilities. Conducting an accessibility audit would facilitate a barrier-free life for individuals with visual impairments.
Furthermore, visually impaired students face significant challenges in colleges and universities due to inaccessible infrastructure. The scheduling of back-to-back classes in different buildings poses a major obstacle for these students to navigate between buildings without accessible signage. It is essential to conduct an accessibility audit of educational institutions to ensure the inclusion of individuals with visual impairments.
The Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities (CRPD) stipulates that governments must provide Braille training to visually impaired individuals and employ special teachers in schools and universities to promote inclusive education. However, the educational system in Jammu and Kashmir has failed to recognise the significance and necessity of Braille for visually impaired people. For these individuals, letters, numbers, and diagrams remain abstract concepts without Braille and tactile diagrams.
To address this issue, the government must institutionalise Braille and tactile diagrams within the educational system. This can be achieved by establishing training centres for Braille, incorporating Braille as an essential component of teacher education, and providing tactile diagrams. Recruiting special teachers is a crucial step in this process. Special educators at the primary level of education will ensure that visually impaired individuals are introduced to Braille and the world around them through tactile diagrams.
Some argue that special schools for children with visual impairments are the solution. However, this approach is no longer viable, as it violates the principle of inclusion and the right to inclusive education for persons with disabilities. Therefore, institutionalising Braille and tactile diagrams is the only way forward.
The proposal to increase the pension for persons with disabilities from Rs 1,000 to Rs 3,000 has been well-received by individuals with disabilities and non-governmental organisations working on their behalf. While acknowledging the importance of pensions, Jammu and Kashmir need to look beyond this and leverage technological advancements to make the lives of people with vision disabilities easier. As the adage goes, “Do not serve bread to a hungry person; teach him to make one.” By harnessing technology, Jammu and Kashmir can empower individuals with vision disabilities and promote their independence.
(Aqib Rehman is a human rights and diplomacy student at the University of Stirling, UK. Rohi Jan is a research scholar at Jawaharlal Nehru University. The views expressed are personal.)
