Malaysian disability rights activists have urged Malaysia to ratify the Marrakesh Treaty to empower and facilitate access to published works for persons who are blind or partially sighted.

While neighbouring nations such as Cambodia, Indonesia, Thailand, and Singapore are among the more than 67 countries that have ratified the treaty, Malaysia has not acceded to the agreement yet.

The Marrakesh Treaty was adopted by the World Blind Union (WBU) and World Intellectual Property Organisation (Wipo) on June 27, 2013, and it came into force on Sept 30, 2016. The treaty is in line with Articles 21 and 24 of the UN Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities.

Signatories to the treaty will enjoy special access to publications in Braille and in large print, audio and digital formats, and other reading materials without the threat of copyright infringements, thus reducing the disparity in access to education for the blind...