Reports on the Living Situation of Deaf People

International-Level Reports
The Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities
Information about Deaf People in Africa
Information about Deaf People in Latin America
Information about Deaf People in Asia
Information about Deaf People in Europe

International-Level Reports

Deaf People and Human Rights

http://www.wfdeaf.org/human-rights

Description: The World Federation of the Deaf released this report on the human rights situation of Deaf people in 93 countries in January 2009. Available in both English and Spanish in either Word format or PDF format. Also available in international sign language. Also see reports for individual regions such as Eastern Europe, Africa, Asia, Arab region, etc.

Deaf People in Developing Countries

Description: This web site, available in both English and International Sign Language, is targeted at deaf people in developing countries. This web site has a list of non-governmental organizations (NGOs) that support developing countries; and governments that support developing countries.

International Disability Rights Monitor (PDF format, 3.5 Mb)

Description: This 465-page report provides a comparative analysis of the living conditions of, and legal protections for, people with disabilities in 52 countries. Includes discussion of issues related to deaf people. Countries include: Argentina, Australia, Canada, China, Czech Republic, Egypt, El Salvador, France, Germany, India, Iran, Israel, Italy, Japan, Mexico, the Netherlands, Nicaragua, Pakistan, Poland, Russia, Taiwan, the United Kingdom, and Zimbabwe. Also includes an overview of conditions in the sub-Saharan Africa region and in the European Union.

National Sign Languages and Language Policy

http://www.springerlink.com/

Description: This article by Jan Branson and Don Miller provides an overview of government sign language policies in various countries and their history. It was published in the Encyclopedia of Language and Education in 2008.

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The Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities (CRPD)

Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities (CRPD)

http://www.un.org/disabilities/documents/convention/convoptprot-e.pdf

Description: The CRPD is the first international human rights treaty to protect the human rights of people with disabilities and deaf people. Sign language is covered in several different articles of the CRPD, including Article 1 (Purpose), Article 2 (Definitions), Article 3 (General Principles), Article 9 (Accessibility), Article 21 (Freedom of expression and opinion, and access to information), Article 24 (Education), and Article 30 (Participation in cultural life, recreation, and sport). The CRPD protects the rights of both signing and non-signing deaf and hard of hearing people to have access to information and communication in whatever modalities is most effective for them. Learn more about which countries have signed or ratified the CRPD at http://www.un.org/disabilities.

Disabled Peoples International (DPI) Ratification and Implementation Toolkits

http://www.dpinorthamericacaribbean.org/Convention%20on%20the%20Rights%20of%20Persons%20with%20Disabilities%20Ratification%20Toolkit.pdf

Description: The International Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities (ICRPD) ratification toolkit can guide activists, advocates, and allies through the process of persuading their national government to sign and ratify the CRPD. Advocates can also use the implementation toolkit as a guide to ensuring that their country fully implements the CRPD after ratification. Available on-line for free in English, Spanish, and French, and in html, Word, and PDF formats.

Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities: Questions and Answers (Word format, 119 Kb)

http://www2.ohchr.org/english/issues/disability/docs/Q&A.CRPD.doc

Description: This 10-page document explains the Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities (CRPD) and the Optional Protocol. It summarizes some of the human rights the CRPD is meant to protect. It also describes how the CRPD can be implemented and monitored and how the CRPD was first developed.

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Information about Deaf People in Africa

Report on Continental-Wide Sensitization Workshop on HIV/AIDS for Deaf Population in Africa (PDF format, 143 Kb)

http://tinyurl.com/Africa-HIV-Deaf

Description: This report provides information about the challenges of educating deaf people in Africa, including deaf women, about HIV/AIDS and the strategies being used to reach them. Summarizes the results of a workshop on HIV/AIDS for deaf people across Africa.

State of Disabled People’s Rights in Kenya (2007) Report

http://www.yorku.ca/drpi/files/KenyaReport07.pdf

Description: This This report discusses the human rights situation of people with disabilities in Kenya. Includes some brief references to deaf people throughout the text. Analyzes national and regional Kenyan legislation on disability; government programs and policies; and case law. Also summarizes the results of interviews with people with disabilities, and some deaf people, from three selected regions within Kenya including Nairobi, Rift Valley, and Nyanza.

Double burden: a situation analysis of HIV/AIDS and young people with disabilities in Rwanda and Uganda (PDF format, 282 KB)

Description: This 76-page report discusses the situation of young people with disabilities in Rwanda and Uganda in relation to HIV/AIDS. Includes some references to the situation of young deaf people in relation to safer-sex education programs. Published by Save the Children UK in 2004.

Silent cry for justice

https://www.standardmedia.co.ke/mobile/article/2000009315/silent-cry-for-justice?pageNo=1

Description: This is a news article about deaf people in Kenya in the STANDARD on 10 May, 2010.

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Information about Deaf People in Latin America

IDRM: Regional Report of the Americas (PDF format, 9.8 Mb)

Description: This report documents the living situation of people with disabilities in 24 countries throughout the American continents. Includes references to the situation of deaf people throughout. Available both in English and in Spanish. The International Disability Rights Monitor Research network in the Americas is currently in the process of updating this 2004 report.

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Information about Deaf People in Asia

IDRM: Regional Report of Asia (PDF format, 4.7 Mb)

http://idrmnet.org/images/CIR_IDRM_Asia_05.pdf

Description: This 218-page report discusses laws affecting the rights of people with disabilities in Cambodia, China, India, Japan, the Philippines, Thailand, and Vietnam. Includes some references to deaf people throughout.

Pacific Sisters with Disabilities: at the Intersection of Discrimination (PDF format)

https://pacificwomen.org

Description: This 90-page report summarizes the situation of women with disabilities in 22 countries and territories in the Pacific region. Discusses the impact of discrimination on the ability of Pacific women with disabilities to access education, health care, and information, or escape violence. Includes a few, very brief references to deaf people and sign language.

Sign Languages in Asia

http://www.newsigns.jp/fsle

Description: Every month, this website posts three new signs for the signed languages in nine different Asian countries including China, India, Indonesia, Malaysia, Mongolia, Philippines, Sri Lanka, Thailand, and Vietnam.

Information on Deaf People in Europe

IDRM: Regional Report of Europe (PDF format, 5.8 Mb)

Description: This 687-page report summarizes the situation of people with disabilities in 14 European countries. Discusses the extent to which people with disabilities are included in society. Includes many references to deaf people throughout the document.

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