FOR the first time in China, a couple with visual impairments was offered Chinese Braille and large-print versions of marriage registration notices and marriage vows when they registered for marriage in Beijing on March 12. Wang Guang and his wife Zhang Yu both suffer from visual impairment and rely on Chinese Braille to read. When they went to the marriage registration office, staff members opened a convenient channel and provided Braille and large-print versions of marriage registration notices and marriage vows for them. “In the past, when people with visual disabilities registered for marriage, the staff members read the marriage registration documents for them. This time, they read the documents and took the oath by themselves, which gave them a greater sense of experience, happiness and belonging,” said Wang Xing, director of the marriage registration office in Xicheng District. Providing marriage registration documents in accessible formats is part of the efforts to implement the law on construction of a barrier-free living environment, which took effect Sept. 1, 2023, as well as to protect legitimate rights and interests of people with visual disabilities. As the nation’s specific law on building a barrier-free living environment, it clarifies that Chinese Braille shall be used in basic public services. To ensure the quality and authority of marriage registration documents in accessible formats, the marriage registration office has collaborated with the China Braille Press to make Braille and large-print versions of marriage registration notices and vows. (China Daily) | 