National Week of Deaf People 2023

Today marks the beginning of the National Week of Deaf People (NWDP).

I cherish the National Week of Deaf People because it provides us with an opportunity to celebrate our Deaf community, culture, history, and sign language. It also allows us to recognise the achievements of individual advocates, communities, Deaf businesses, and organisations. I would like to emphasise that today’s theme aligns with the World Federation of the Deaf’s (WFD) focus on the Declaration on the Rights of Deaf Children.

As someone who has a deep passion for working with Deaf children, I understand the unique challenges they face, as I have personally experienced growing up within an amazing Deaf village. Deaf Australia’s webinar tonight, delivered by Elizabeth Reed and Rachelle Stevens, provided invaluable information. As a former teacher aide and a member of the Deaf community, as well as a youth advocate, I urge all individuals to support the rights of every Deaf child. These rights include access to information through sign language, inclusivity in all aspects of life, the right to learn about the Deaf community and identity, the right to have native/fluent Deaf sign language users throughout their educational journey, and protection from language deprivation.

It is also our responsibility to offer guidance and support to parents who have Deaf children, welcoming them into our Deaf community rather than letting them feel isolated in public or lacking information. We should prioritise the insights of those within the Deaf community over biased medical experts who may not fully understand our community and language.

Let’s come together to share and support one another, raising the profile of our language. Our future will be brighter and stronger if we work collectively to overcome these barriers.

#nwdp
#deafchildrenrights
#wfd
#deaf