The General Assembly of the United Nations, in November 2018 (Resolution A/RES/73/161), proclaimed January 4 as World Braille Day, with recognition of full realization of human rights and fundamental freedoms as they rely on an inclusive written promotion – marking the birthday of the creator of this system, Louis Braille. World Braille Day is considered an international day that celebrates awareness of the significance of braille as a medium of communication in actual realization of the human rights for blind and visually impaired people.
According to the United Nations, “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.” It was named after its inventor in 19th century France, Louis Braille. Braille is adopted by blind and visually impaired people to read the same books and periodicals as those in visual font prints. The significance of Braille is apparent in the context of education, opinion, freedom of expression and social inclusion.
Louis Braille created Braille writing system after becoming blind at 15.
Reported by the World Health Organization (WHO), blind and visually impaired people are more likely to experience higher rates of poverty and disadvantages than those with complete sight; these disadvantages and high rates of poverty has a tendency of leading to a lifetime of inequality, barriers to education and employment, and poorer health. It was further stated that about 39 million people are blind across the world with over 250 million people having one form of visual impairment or another.
Therefore, World Braille Day was proclaimed to make written language a prerequisite for the promotion of fundamental freedoms. Louis Braille created the writing system after becoming blind at the age of 15 – after a childhood accident. Since its invention over the years, there have been a series of adjustments until the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) in 1949 adopted the initiative for the promotion of a survey of problems targeted at establishment of Braille Uniformity.
Nigeria’s three major ethnic languages are written in Braille.
In Nigeria, there are numerous braille alphabets. Unified English Braille has been adopted for the English Braille. However, there are other languages written in Braille – the three major ethnic languages in Nigeria – are Hausa, Igbo and Yoruba. These three language alphabets are founded on English readings, adding letters to these languages. The Hausa braille is presumed to be adopted in Niger too, judging from the fact that Ethnologue 17 asserts that Zarma is written in braille in the country although it does not use the same alphabet as Nigerian Hausa.
Several upgrades have been made with the aim of aiding easy accessibility to Braille for people with visual impairment. There have been inventions of devices like the Pocket Frame to make taking down notes easier but Braille of today, in a modern world where tech solutions have been created to revolutionize it, has become unaffordable. Currently, the most popular and most affordable Braille Display device is Orbit Reader 20 and it is sold for a minimum of N500,000.
Visually impaired people are required to learn the usage of a computer.
Additionly, there have been arguments that a laptop can be gotten with installation of a free screen reader for half the price of an Orbit Reader 20 of N500,000. The argument emphasizes that examiners cannot read Braille so blind and visually impaired people are required to learn the usage of a computer as visually disabled people. Regardless, the argument affirmed that it is necessary to learn Braille in this century but another upgrade that considers the realities of the 21st century is needed to motion Braille to the next level.
Related Link
United Nations: Website
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Braille requires a 21st century upgrade – Braille helps blind people to read same books as those printed in visual fonts. – Express your point of view.
Thanks to the a man named braille that prevented the use of braille when he was 15 to help him with reading and since it has been used world wide to aid the blind while reading
I often thought of how the blinds learn how to read and write but now it is all from Brasille help with it books who has made writing and reading a we reality.
It will be a great thing if we can adopt the use of braille for blind people. It will help make them feel better and be able to read again to an extent.
Braille requires a 21st century upgrade. Wow, this is very good support the the blind people. They need more if they is. The blind deserve every support and love
I often wonder how do the blinds get to learn how to read and write but I know the source and the kinds of books they read. Thanks to Braille who has made this a reality. It is truly impactful in the lives of the blinds who will be forever grateful for such inventions.
World Braille Day is recognized as a global holiday that honors the importance of braille as a means of communication in the actualization of the rights of the blind and visually impaired.
It is very good that January 4 is World Braille Day, a day to celebrate the accessibility of written information for people with print disabilities.
For those who are blind or visually impaired, World Braille Day is a day to recognize the value of braille as a means of expression and the contribution it makes to the fulfillment of their human rights.
Each letter and number in the alphabet and numerals, as well as musical, mathematical, and scientific symbols, are represented by a series of six dots in Braille.
When seen from the perspectives of education, opinion, the freedom to express oneself, and social inclusion, the significance of Braille is readily apparent.
Several changes were made before UNESCO (the United Nations Educational, Scientific, and Cultural Organization) in 1949 supported the idea to promote a review of issues with the goal of establishing Braille uniformity.
Learning Braille is essential in this century; nevertheless, in order to go to the next level, Braille will require an additional upgrade that takes into account the realities of the 21st century.
The Pocket Frame and other technologies have been developed to make taking notes in Braille easier, but in today’s technologically advanced world, Braille has become prohibitively expensive.
The United Nations assembly is really trying in better the life’s of people across the globe through introduction of different developmental initiative programs either in the health sector, education and every aspect of life endeavour.
This is a very good support platform the the blind. To go to the next level, Braille will require an additional upgrade that takes into account the realities of the 21st century.
This is a wonderful work reading will be easily for the blind now the blind also can Read and be educate thanks to Braille the blind will not be left beside in education
On World Braille Day, persons who are blind or visually impaired can celebrate the importance of braille as a form of expression and the contribution it provides to the realization of their human rights.
Braille requires a 21st century makeover. Wow, this is fantastic assistance for the visually impaired persons. They require further if this is the case. The blind are deserving of all of our love and support.
World Braille Day celebrates braille as a form of expression and its role in human rights for blind and visually impaired people.
It was always a mystery to me how blind people learn to read and write, but thanks to Brasille’s books, that question is finally answered.
Thanks to Braille, reading is now accessible to people who are blind, ensuring that they do not fall behind their sighted peers in education.