'Knives, pins safety tools for blind women'

Facing safety challenges, visually impaired women across the state are forced to carry folding knives and safety pins.

A survey on the condition of working women with visual impairment conducted by Karnataka State Government Employee's Association for the Blind also stated that the government has not trained them in navigation and smart mobility technology such as the smartphone app Eye-D, electronic canes, Google Map and other navigational aids.

Out of the 87 women affiliated with the association, 4 of them took part in the survey. “We’re going to submit the report (of the survey) to the Administrative Training Institute in Mysuru, which in turn will submit the report to the state Chief Secretary,” the organisation’s president Ramesh said.

“The survey’s intended to check what needs to be done in terms of welfare and empowerment of visually impaired women in the state. Through the survey, we’re also asking the state to train them in using the safety and mobility aids,” Ramesh added.

The survey found that in the absence of technology training, visually impaired women resort to primitive aids like folding knives, safety pins and even the stylus they use to punch the Braille code for self-defence.

While most of them use technology, those unfamiliar with modern aids are willing to get trained at the earliest. “Mobility training is vital for all blind people to navigate freely,” he said.