Visually Impaired People have Access to Information about COVID-19 on Braille
Through ActionAid Palestine’s(AAP) programme of “Civil and Democratic Participation of Palestinian youth”, AAP in partnership with Palestinian Center for Policy Research & Strategic Studies (MASARAT) supported a youth -led initiative titled with “ We Challenge and Combat Together” which allows people with Visual Impairment (PwVI) to have access to accurate and detailed information about COVID-19 by designing and printing Braille pamphlets. Supporting this initiative is part of AAP and MASARAT’s work with youth during crisis of COVID-19 to increase youth participation in combating the spread of virus by engaging them in supporting the marginalized groups and identifying the priorities and issues that they will work to develop their community.
Leaders of this initiative in both Gaza and West Bank seek to highlight impediments hindering PwVI from accessing detailed information in health quarantine centers and other community and organizational facilities. They also aim to stop the spread of fake news and misinformation to enable PwVIs to get facts and advice from trusted sources, such as the ministry of health or World Health Organization. Braille pamphlets include details of safety measures PwVI should follow to increase their self-protection from being infected with this virus.
The coordinator of this initiative Wafa’a Abu Duriqah expressed her appreciation to the importance of this unique initiative which addresses the needs of the most vulnerable youth in the filed of the right to information. Wafa’a said: “as the more people access and act upon the information that healthcare leaders and public health officials are providing, the better we can all cope with the rapidly evolving situation. It also increased the integration of the needs of PwVIs in services provided during COVID-19 crisis”.
Wafa’a continued: “Working in this initiative enabled our group to build more partnerships and relations with organizations working with people with disabilities It also enhanced our skills of networking and communication with PwVI deepening my understanding to their needs”.
Background Information
ActionAid
ActionAid is a global federation working for social justice and gender equality and eradicate poverty. ActionAid works worldwide to empower people living in poverty and exclusion with focus on women’s rights .ActionAid works directly and closely with communities, civil society organizations, women movements and social groups and movements and other allies to tackle root causes of poverty and oppression. ActionAid deliver grassroots programmes to utilize efforts of global struggle movements working for a just, fair and sustainable world. Based on human rights-based approach and women rights’ principles, ActionAid seeks to fairly re-distribute powers through solidarity, empowerment, awareness campaigns and creating alternatives to ensure that everybody enjoys the right to a life of dignity, and freedom from oppression.
ActionAid in Palestine (AAP) is a part of that federation which started its work in Palestine in 2007 to strengthen the resilience of Palestinian People as ActionAid believes that they should enjoy their rights to freedom, justice and self-determination. AAP implements a number of programs through its engagement with communities and women and youth groups seeking to empower them and enhance their influential civil and political participation to understand their rights and undertake collective activism to address the protracted rights violations resulting from the prolonged occupation of Palestine. AAP works simultaneously to enhance their leadership capacity and knowledge to practice their citizenship in holding authorities and other duty bearers to account.
For more information, please contact
Riham Jafari
Coordinator of Advocacy and Communication in Gaza Strip and West Bank
Mobile:
+972 (0) 595242890
Office:
+972 (0) (2) 22 13 137
Email: