Phnom Penh: The Secretary of State of the Ministry of Social Affairs and Secretariat General of the Disability Action Council, Mr. Em Chan Makara, stated that people with disabilities will receive additional benefits from the Law on Copyright and Related Rights.

The Copyright and Related Rights Law, which was required by the 2013 Marrakesh Treaty, requires the publication to be in a variety of formats that may be distributed and utilized by persons with disabilities.

Secretary of State Em Chan Makara made the remarks at a consultation workshop on the draft amendments to the Law on Copyright and Related Rights on the morning of December 26, 2022. This workshop reflects the Ministry of Culture and Fine Arts' commitment to safeguarding works of culture produced by authors, artists, phonographers, and broadcasters.

He said the Copyright and Related Rights Law allows for the publication in a variety of formats so that it can be used by the blind, the deaf, and other publications required by the 2013 Marrakesh Treaty to facilitate access to publications for the visually impaired or other types of disability.

The event was also co-chaired by Long Ponna Sirivath, Secretary of State of the Ministry of Culture.

According to Em Chanmakara, royal government of Cambodia has implemented a number of strategies to foster opportunities for equal participation in social activities by encouraging the publication of documents or information in an accessible format for people with disabilities, as well as encouraging the use of sign language, Braille publications, and printing in large letters to improve access to information for people with disabilities of all kinds. These strategies aim to promote equal rights and educational opportunities for all people.

In addition, the efforts of the Ministry of Culture and Fine Arts to incorporate certain articles of the Marrakesh Treaty 2013 into the Law on Copyright and Related Rights for the Blind and Deaf are essential to facilitate access to publications for the blind and visually impaired.

It should be noted that the Marrakesh Treaty aims to improve access to publication for people with disabilities by eliminating legal barriers related to copyright at the national and international levels.