Category: Deaf History

This year’s theme is “Transformative solutions for inclusive development: the role of innovation in fuelling an accessible and equitable world “.  Quote from the website https://www.un.org/development/desa/dspd/2022/10/international-day-of-persons-with-disabilities-2022/ There is another website that contains the disability strategy https://www.un.org/en/content/disabilitystrategy/ The upcoming awareness day on the 3rd of December is the International Day of People with disabilities. Every year we, people with…

Going through photos and newspaper clippings at work today as I ponder the planning of a list to do while preserving the Waikato Deaf Society Inc here. I came across these two photocopies in the folders by late L. Wood. I remember these two ladies – the late Olive Rae and Elanie Wallace over many…

Last week I was looking through my diary as November and December are nearer the end of the year. My memory served me to recall the conversation with the secretary of the Waikato Deaf Club (Waikato River Deaf Society – note this name will be formalised to the former name as the Waikato Deaf Club…

Jacek is deaf with cerebral palsy and speech impaired, and he will be turning severy-two years old early next year. Yesterday (Saturday 1st of October 2022) was a rainy, bleak day, and my job as a deaf community worker/support worker for Jacek for over ten years since his mother passed away. I thought about where…

“For more than a century, deaf communities around the world have organised into representative associations to advance their human rights. These organisations need funding, capacity building, and empowerment to carry out the principle of “Nothing About Us Without Us”. Today, support your local, national and international organisations of deaf people!” https://vimeo.com/731115344/accaa6b0b1 Many D/deaf people and…

“Deaf communities are diverse, intersectional communities. Today, we celebrate our richly diverse deaf communities and the many ways of living and being in the world that our diverse deaf communities share. Among these identities are gender, age, sexuality, linguistic preferences, ethnicity, socio-economic background, disability, and religion. Governments and deaf communities must recognize and promote the…

“On this International Day of Sign Languages, we celebrate our collective efforts- deaf communities, governments, and civil society representatives- to recognize and promote the different national sign languages around the world. Together we sign onto a declaration of support for sign languages as an essential human right for deaf people, and sign for human rights!”…

“The past year has shown us new needs and new ways of guaranteeing the well-being of deaf people in situations of crisis. Under the circumstance of different crises, including infectious diseases, climate change, natural disasters, and armed conflicts, deaf people all over the world experience language deprivation, socioeconomic disadvantages, and audism. Today, we emphasise the…

“Full access to health-related information and services is a basic precondition for the enjoyment of our most fundamental rights. Yet, deaf people face barriers, stigmatisation and discrimination when accessing health and health-related information, services and strategies. Accessible information on health needs and health care in the national sign languages is still needed. The Covid-19 pandemic…

“As of 2011, the International Labour Organisation (ILO) states that approximately 80% of persons with disabilities, including deaf people, are of working age. Reports we have from around the world show underemployment and unemployment is high within deaf communities. Accessing a fair and inclusive labour market with equal working conditions and salary as their peers…