WBU FAQ SHEETS ON UN AND HUMAN RIGHTS INSTRUMENTS
UNITED NATIONS CONVENTION ON THE RIGHTS OF PERSONS
WITH DISABILITIES (UNCRPD)
ARTICLE 29: Participation in cultural life, recreation, leisure and
sports
1. What are the key elements of this article?
 GOVT should recognise the right of persons with visual disabilities
to participate in cultural life;
 Enable them to Enjoy access to cultural materials in accessible
formats such as Braille, large print, audio, DAISY, electronic,
tactile and embossed formats;
 Enable them to enjoy access to television programmes, films,
theatre, and other cultural activities, in accessible formats such as
audio description of visuals and caption in large print;
 Enable them to enjoy access to places for cultural performances or
services, such as theatres, museums, cinemas, libraries and
tourism services, and, as far as possible, enjoy access to
monuments and sites of national cultural importance.
 Enable Persons with visual disabilities to have the opportunity to
develop and utilize their creative, artistic and intellectual potential,
not only for their own benefit, but also for the enrichment of
society.
 Ensure that laws protecting intellectual property rights do not
constitute an unreasonable or discriminatory barrier to access by
Persons with Disabilities to cultural materials.
 Recognise and support of their specific cultural and linguistic
identity, including Braille as a distinct script;
 Promote the participation of persons with visual disabilities in
recreational, leisure and sporting activities;
 Promote their participation in both general and disability specific
sporting activities;
 Facilitate training and availability of resources for recreational and
sporting activities;
 Ensure that Persons With visual Disabilities have access to
sporting and recreational and tourism venues;
 ensure that children with visual disabilities have equal access to
participation in play, recreation, and leisure and sporting activities,
including those activities in the school system;
 ensure that persons With visual disabilities have access to
services from those involved in the organization of recreational,
tourism, leisure and sporting activities;
2. What are the specific needs of persons with visual
disabilities?
 Information on recreation, tourism, leisure, sports and cultural
activities in accessible formats such as Braille, large print, audio,
DAISY, electronic and other formats;
 Accessible cultural materials in embossed or tactile form;
 Modified and adapted sporting materials;
 Guidebooks, books, leaflets and other materials in accessible
formats;
 Accessible tourism venues with railings, braille markings, tactile
maps, guiding path, warning block, audio signals;
 Training of sports and recreation program personnel to use
modified and adapted devices and train persons with visual
disabilities;
3. What should GOVT do to ensure the right to participation in
cultural life, recreation, leisure and sports?
 Amend or enact legislation to end discrimination on the basis of
visual disability in participation of cultural life, recreation, leisure
and sports;
 Support disability specific sports activities for persons with visual
disabilities;
 Promote the participation of persons with visual disabilities in
general sports and recreation activities;
 Abolish discriminatory cultural practices on the basis of visual
disability;
 Provide information on cultural activities, recreation, sports and
leisure activities in accessible formats;
 Promote access to tourist places, museums and other monuments;
For more details, Contact:
Dr. Penny Hartin
CEO-World Blind Union
E. penny.hartin@wbuoffice.org
W. www.worldblindunion.org