Think tank report highlights China's efforts to secure cultural access for visually impaired

A Chinese think tank report released on Tuesday highlighted China's continuous efforts to secure cultural access for individuals with visual impairment in recent years.

The report, titled "China's Efforts to Safeguard Cultural Rights for the Visually Impaired: Insights from the 'Cinema of Light' Public Welfare Initiative," was released in Chinese and English by the China Foundation for Human Rights Development and the National High-level Think Tank of Xinhua News Agency on the International Day of Persons with Disabilities.

As part of the efforts to enrich accessible cultural products for people with visual impairment, China has published over 500 new Braille books annually since 2021. Public libraries across the country provide approximately 35,200 reading room seats for visually impaired readers and hold a collection of 146.6 million Braille books, according to the report.

The China Braille Press has developed 870 barrier-free films, accessible to visually and hearing-impaired audiences and fully copyrighted. The China Braille Library screens one film every week with live narration by staff, with more than 300 scripts created for voice description, the report added.

INCREASING ACCESSIBLE CONTENT SUPPLY

China has more than 17 million individuals with visual impairment, one of the largest visually impaired populations in the world. Despite the group's size, they have long faced a shortage of accessible cultural products, compared with people with other types of disabilities.

In 2017, the China Disabled Persons' Federation, in coordination with relevant authorities, launched a digital reading promotion project to provide the visually impaired with digital audiobooks and electronic Braille content via digital publishing platforms and accessible reading devices, aiming to address the problems of high costs and long production time in traditional Braille book publishing.

As of October 2024, the project covered 353 public libraries nationwide, with the use of 146,575 smart audiobook devices, according to the report.

Besides official efforts, social groups have also been increasingly participating in the promotion of cultural access for visually impaired individuals in China.

The report analyzed one of the most successful examples, "Cinema of Light." The volunteer project was initiated by faculty and students of the Communication University of China (CUC) in 2017 to produce films with voice descriptions of the visual content.

Zhao Xijing, a teacher at the CUC and participant in the project, said in the report that the project had developed a standardized production process comprised of film selection, script writing, review, proofreading and recording.

Over the past seven years, the project has produced more than 600 films with audio descriptions, according to the report. The productions were selected from a wide range of film genres to meet the diverse needs of audiences of all ages, and feature the use of vivid descriptive language.

Productions of "Cinema of Light" are available in over 2,000 schools for the visually impaired nationwide and other specialized venues across the country, according to the report. They are also freely accessible on cable TV platforms.

With broader participation from all sectors of society, China has established a stronger social foundation for safeguarding the human rights of individuals with visual disabilities, and the efforts to protect their cultural access have been more professional, normalized and sustainable, the report said.

IMPROVING LEGAL SYSTEM

According to the report, China's legal system for the protection of the rights of persons with disabilities is centered on the Law on the Protection of Disabled Persons and supported by a series of laws and regulations on the accessible environment, education, employment and rehabilitation of people with disabilities.

The Law on the Protection of Disabled Persons, enacted in 1990 and most recently amended in 2018, includes a dedicated chapter on cultural life, which emphasizes that cultural, sports and recreational activities should be adapted to meet the different needs of various disabilities.

It also states the government's responsibility regarding the compilation and publication of Braille books and audiobooks, and the establishment of Braille book and audiobook rooms in public libraries.

In 2023, China enacted a law on barrier-free environment creation, providing further support for visually impaired individuals to access cultural life, the report said.

In the law's chapter on barrier-free information exchange, it is stipulated that the state encourages the provision of accessible formats for publicly published books and periodicals and the compilation and publication of Braille and low-vision versions of textbooks for different educational stages.

The law also requires manufacturers of audiovisual, multimedia, mobile smart terminal devices, and telecommunication terminal devices to gradually include voice and large-print features in their products.

China has actively promoted the alignment of its domestic policies and laws with international treaties, the report said. In October 2021, China ratified the Marrakech Treaty to Facilitate Access to Published Works for Persons Who Are Blind, Visually Impaired or Otherwise Print Disabled.

The treaty, which came into force in China in May 2022, enables the non-profit production of accessible format works without copyright holders' permission, reducing the cost of obtaining works for audiences with visual disabilities and narrowing the gap between visually impaired and sighted people in access to newly released films and dramas.

From the supply of accessible products and services to supportive policies and legislative methods, the Chinese government's efforts, along with the participation of various social groups, have demonstrated its commitment to ensuring better cultural inclusion for individuals with visual impairments, the report said.

Following the principles of equality, participation and sharing regarding the welfare of people with disabilities, China has been continuously enhancing access to culture for visually impaired individuals, providing valuable experiences and insights for the world, it added.