Day Five – Sign language Rights for Deaf Women
The global gender rate indicates the ratio of women is larger than that of men, thus D/deaf women can be said to represent the majority of the Deaf population. Article of the CRPD specifically recognises that women and girls with disabilities, including D/deaf women, are the risk of being subject to intersectional discrimination. specific measures must be implemented to safeguard gender equality, diversity and equal participation in society and in decision-making processes for all D/deaf people. National governments and all other stakeholders must take measures to ensure the full development, advancement, empowerment and equal participation of D/deaf women in their society and community. D/deaf women must have the opportunity to enjoy their human rights in all spheres of life!
In many countries, D/deaf women have created their own organisations for self-advocacy and education purposes. Today, let us recognise the need to ensure gender equality in our communities and our organisations and celebrate the accomplishments of D/deaf women.
The list of many Deaf women achieved their hard works such as writing, invented science – Teresa de Cartagena (1425-?), Charlotte Elizabeth Tonna (1790-1846), Annie Jump Cannon (1863-1941), Ruth Benedict (1887-1948) and many more Deaf women around the world.
In New Zealand, we do not have any history of the famous D/deaf women before 1925 or 1940. From World War One, we remember Deaf mothers who looked after their children during the wars through hardship, poverty and jobs such as housewife, secretary and treasurer of the Deaf Clubs.
There have been successful changing in the society where several Deaf women achieved their hard works by studying the degree through university, established business and getting a job.
First Deaf woman – Johanna Brens along with Hannah Samuel (a hearing lady), established a Hearing Dogs in New Zealand back in 1998.
Jean’s goal was to preserve our Deaf History, Deaf culture, to understand and the history of sign language. She completed her degrees in Human Service in People with Disabilities, including Mental Health at WINTEC and BA (Bachelor of Arts) in History along with Linguistic and Anthropology at UOW. She is on the Enabling Good Lives – Waikato Leadership and several other advocacy groups such as Health Board, Hamilton City Council, DeafBlind group.
One of the business – Merge NZ established, and it is a self-led company promote, development and provide service through the community via online and workshop in schools and the community.
There is so much to say and can google through websites such as Deaf Women.
