Category: Deaf History

Saturday 23rd September 2023 “Today, we share the WFD’s vision of a world where deaf people everywhere can sign anywhere. A world where deaf people are seen as a part of the natural range of human diversity, and national sign languages are celebrated and used everywhere as part of national societies. The WFD calls upon…

Friday 22nd September 2023 “The legal recognition of national sign languages is an important step towards achieving basic human rights for all deaf people. 60% of State Parties to the CRPD still have not achieved legal recognition of their national sign languages. Legal recognition is a process that allows for greater awareness of deaf people’s…

Thursday 21st September 2023 “Deaf communities worldwide work to ensure policies and programs reflect the lived realities of deaf people’s lives. Today, we call upon national governments, international institutions, research centres, and policymaking bodies to centre deaf people in their work. There is still a significant lack of data on deaf people’s lives and less…

Deaf communities are experts on D/deaf lives. CRPD Article 4.3 makes it clear that governments have an obligation to consult with organisations of D/deaf people and D/deaf with disabilities people on all matters related to D/deaf people and D/deaf with disabilities people. Note that CRPD stands for Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities. …

Day Two Around the world, millions of deaf people still lack access to fundamental human rights. The WFD has inaugurated a 60+ country project intending to build capacities in deaf communities across the Globe, particularly in the 60+ UN Member States that do not have national associations of deaf people. Join us in supporting deaf…

The theme is ‘A World Where Deaf People Everywhere Can Sign Anywhere!” Each day, a different theme will be from Monday to Sunday. Let’s explore each piece and reflect on this theme: How would you improve, implement, and allow us to be more inclusive and adapt a better quality of our lives in the communities? …

Matariki A brief blog  Over the years, numerous festivities, legends, and public holidays revolve around astronomy. For instance, in Ancient Greece, the Pleiades constellation is referred to as the Seven Sisters, while in Japan, it is known as Six Stars. Witnessing how various cultures interpret and honour celestial entities uniquely is captivating. “Matariki is the…

Sharing information about Helen Keller Day – 27th June “The best and most beautiful things in the world cannot be seen or even touched – they must be felt with the heart.” Every year, Deafblind people and children celebrate the special day – Helen Keller Day- a commemorative holiday to celebrate the birth of Helen…

Last Thursday, 8th December 2022, I finished the EGL (Enabling Good Lives) Leadership Waikato meeting. Many of the representatives of their groups talked about their experiences and how we can persuade other people to learn about us, to listen to us – Disabled people, D/deaf people and D/deaf with disabilities people as this voice of…

2022 Theme: Dignity, Freedom, and Justice for All  In its preamble, the UDHR highlighted the “recognition of the inherent dignity and of the equal and inalienable rights of all members of the human family is the foundation of freedom, justice and peace in the world.” Our hope is to increase knowledge of the UDHR as a…