International Braille Day

Context: In commemoration of International Braille Day, various National institutions and Comprehensive Regional Centers under the Department of Empowerment of Persons with Disabilities organized extensive awareness programms focused on Braille literacy.

About:

• International Braille Day is observed on 4th January annually to promote awareness regarding the significance of Braille as a communication medium for individuals who are visually impaired or partially sighted.
• This day commemorates the birth anniversary of Louis Braille, the French educator who invented the Braille script in 1809.

Braille Script Description:

Communication for the Blind:

• Braille serves as a tactile reading and writing system primarily used by individuals who are blind.
• Dot Arrangements: - It is composed of arrangements of dots forming letters of the alphabet, numbers, and punctuation marks.

Development History:

• The creation of Braille can be traced back to the late 1820s, credited to Louis Braille, a young Frenchman.

• Braille originated from the modification of a system called night writing, initially designed for military applications.

Disabled population in India:

Statistics:

According to the 2011 Census in India, out of a total population of 121 crore, around 2.68 crore individuals are classified as 'Disabled,' constituting 2.21% of the total population. Of the 2.68 crore, 1.5 crore are males, and 1.18 crore are females. A majority (69%) of the disabled population resides in rural areas.

Constitutional Frameworks for Disabled in India:

Article 41 of the Directive Principles of State Policy (DPSP) mandates the state to make effective provisions for securing the right to work, education, and public assistance in cases of unemployment, old age, sickness, and disablement. The subject of 'relief of the disabled and unemployable' is specified in the state list of the Seventh Schedule of the constitution.

Right of Persons with Disabilities Act 2016:

• The Right of Persons with Disabilities Act 2016 is a replacement for the Persons with Disabilities (Equal Opportunities, Protection of Rights and Full Participation) Act, 1995.
• The term "Person with disability" is described as an individual with long-term physical, mental, intellectual, or sensory impairments. These impairments, when interacting with barriers, impede their full and effective participation in society on an equal basis with others.
• The act introduces the term "Person with benchmark disability," representing an individual with not less than 40% of a specified disability. The specified disability may or may not be defined in measurable terms. Certification by the appropriate authority is required for this classification.
• - Disability is defined based on an evolving and dynamic concept, reflecting a recognition of the diverse nature of impairments and their impact on societal participation.