It all began with a harmless email from south africa:
Dear Deaf,HOH and Hearing Friends
Please see this for your perusal and information on WFD Resolution
Thank you,
Mr Bruno Peter Nkosi Druchen
National Director
DeafSA
20 Napier Road
Richmond
Republic of South Africa
2092
Tel 27 11 482 1610
Fax27 11 726 5873
Sms 082 333 4442
Direct fax 0866345861
Email: nationaldirector@deafsa.co.za
Web: www.deafsa.co.za
'Nothing about US without US'
VISIT: www.wfdeaf.org
www.deafsa.co.za
In which the director was sending Deaf people the wfd resolution:
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CONGRESS RESOLUTION
15TH WORLD CONGRESS OF THE WORLD FEDERATION OF THE DEAF
16-22 July 2007,
The World Federation of the Deaf (WFD), its Members and the participants at the 15th World Congress of the World Federation of the Deaf in Madrid, Spain, 16-22 July 2007,
Reaffirming that deaf people are entitled to the same human rights as all social groups and that diversity is an intrinsic factor in the Deaf Community,
Recognising the importance of children and youth; deafblind; deaf with disabilities; immigrants; Indigenous peoples; Lesbians, Gays, Transgenders and Bisexuals; people in rural areas; religious minorities; senior citizens; and all deaf people as citizens of society with the same rights and obligations as other citizens,
Emphasising that by adopting positive actions, equality among all will be accelerated,
Emphasising that sign language is a human right for all members of the Deaf Community, including those who use assistive devices and implants,
Reaffirming that multi-lingual education in sign language gives deaf and hard of hearing people the best opportunity to achieve full citizenship and enjoyment of all human rights,
Have agreed that WFD and its Members:
· Have an obligation to work together to promote government ratification and implementation of the United Nations Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities thus assuring deaf people full attainment of all human rights on an equal basis with other citizens.
· Must work together as a collective group, and those from developed countries must work in close partnership with those from developing countries.
· Must adopt measures to educate and to sensitise the Deaf Community about the diverse variety of peoples and cultures within the larger Deaf culture.
· Must promote gender-equality programmes and policies to ensure the full development and empowerment of women, and adopt measures that combat violence and abuse against deaf women.
· Have responsibility to preserve, promote and protect sign languages and cultural heritages; and to formulate language policies to empower sign language, including indigenous sign languages.
· Have obligation to co-operate closely with schools and educational authorities to promote deaf children’s right to receive a multi-lingual/multi-cultural education and to implement training programmes to develop healthy identities for all deaf children, their families and CODA children.
· Should also protect the rights of children with cochlear implants and other sensory modification technologies to an education in sign language.
· Are responsible to sanction the employment of Deaf professionals in all fields that have an impact on the lives of Deaf people.
· Must promote the development of appropriate training programmes and qualifications for sign language interpreters, and follow WFD principles of co-operation with interpreters.
· Must incorporate the principles of consistent application of universal design with technological innovations of new products and services.
· Must formulate a statement of Deaf bioethics concerns and priorities, and quality medical and surgical care for deaf people, based on human rights principles.
· Have obligation to establish mentorship and positive leadership programmes for deaf youth, and involve them actively in political decision-making and implementation.
· Have responsibility to promote employment and self-sufficiency through Deaf economic empowerment.
· Are responsible to promote equal access to mental health services for all deaf people.
Programmes and actions developed by WFD and its OMs must take account of all deaf people. Special attention should be given to education in both developed and developing countries in order to eliminate any further disadvantage, which brings as a consequence unemployment, poverty, poor health and the lack of self-determination.
Education for deaf people, especially in developing countries, must be an initiative of Deaf persons from that country in order to include and impart their native sign language(s) and culture.
The linguistic and cultural rights of deaf immigrants must be respected as well as assistance provided in learning the language and culture of their new country.
Sign language interpreters are a fundamental resource in achieving human rights and full access. The term sign language interpreter is a concept inclusive not only of hearing sign language interpreters but also Deaf sign language interpreters and interpreter guides for deafblind people.
Technology and e-learning offer access to information, are vital for structured and informal learning and promote independency. The principles of universal design will ensure full communication access and fulfilment of deaf persons´ human rights.
Equal and appropriate access to mental health services, through sign language and Deaf culture and by the provisioning of Deaf professional staff, is a basic human right of deaf people.
In reference to the growing demographic of an aging population, attention must be given to programmes and services for deaf senior citizens.
Sign languages serve as vital instruments to transmit culture and knowledge. The status and recognition of sign languages around the world will be strengthened through language policies, research and the preservation of and the teaching of sign languages. Sign languages should be a part of all national curricula.
The World Federation of the Deaf (WFD), its Membersand the participants at the 15th World Congress of the World Federation of the Deaf agree to promote and implement this Congress Resolution to all governments and authorities, demanding respect for the realisation of HUMAN RIGHTS THROUGH SIGN LANGUAGES
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Most of us would have thanked Deaf South Africa and the WFD.
But trust this pig Wango to reply at length in the most abusive manner even to the WFD President.
Here is what he wrote or rather what his concubine Susan wrote (since Peter Wango Opant is illiterate):
OPEN LETTER TO THE WORLD FEDERATION OF THE DEAF – BOARD ELECTED IN
THE HONOURABLE PRESIDENT MARKU JOKINEN
THE HONORARY PRESIDENT EMERITUS LISA KAUPINEN
THE WFD BOARD MEMBERS
THE WFD ORDINARY MEMBERS
Allow me a little spare time in your busy programmes to have the audacity of congratulating you of being elected the representatives of the Deaf rights in the world for the next 4 years. Ahead of you I think there is an enormous task of implementing the resolutions passed by the delegates at the world congress in
Before I proceed further I must also thank the Spanish Deaf Association (CNSE) the host country which made it possible for the delegates from developing countries through sponsorship to attend the congress. History is being made that CNSE is the best organizer of the events WFD ever had. It is my sincere hope that the next host of their congress will emulate the example of
As a delegate to the WFD Congress representing my country’s Kenya National Association of the Deaf I was at the congress throughout the period and followed the events with keen interest. However I did not have much time to meet and have discussion with the organizers of the events as well as the WFD Board. This therefore obliges me to raise the issues that need to be taken into consideration if the Deaf fraternity worldwide needs to succeed.
I have observed some weakness in the organization which I must put forward for any consideration if the board needs to strengthen WFD.
1. NETWORKING/COLLABORATION & PARTNERSHIP
I have observed that WFD has weakness in networking with NGOs and governmental agencies and UN bodies which made it all a Deaf affair throughout the two weeks in
On the side of governmental agencies representing National Association of the Deaf being invited to the congress is very important since they are the implementers of the policies that the Deaf in their respective countries will raise to them. I have observed many UN & NGOs important meetings where policies are implemented. It is the ministers of each ministry to represent the president in the conference then after making policies the presidents of each member country come together for two or three days to meet and discuss the issues and then ratify it for implementation in their respective countries. Why not WFD collaborate with ministries responsible for disability affairs representing the countries where they have ordinary members to ratify the WFD policies for implementation in their countries. If WFD collaborates with ministries concerned then the participation of Deaf delegates to the congress can’t be a problem because each government has funds at disposal, but the only way that hinders it is poor partnership with WFD. If WFD has strong partnership with the governments responsible for disability affairs in countries where they have members then the issue of governmental oppressing the Deaf will be a thing of the past. WFD must drop its habit of telling member countries to do it and work three ties, that is the government responsible for disability affairs and National Association of the Deaf as well as National Council for people with disabilities in the ordinary member countries. Governments of these countries have budgets at their disposal and can attend such functions provided there is strong bonding between WFD and National governments. As is the case now, the bonding is between WFD and National Association of the Deaf. No governmental agencies in developing countries know of the activities of WFD, yet it was formed almost 60 years ago. It is high time now for WFD to wake up and collaborate with governmental ministries responsible for disability affairs in their member countries. This does not mean meeting them face to face but to write to those governments introducing the works of WFD and its policies in empowering the Deaf worldwide, newsletters, brochures, bulletins and any informative materials can be sent. It is sad that what we are fighting for in our countries none of our governmental agencies know of. The policies of the Deaf are not taken seriously by the government leave alone Deaf people with public watching at them. During the International day of the Deaf WFD must dispatch circulars to governmental agencies and National Associations of the Deaf to make the event known by and implemented by all players concerned. I hope WFD board will take these issues at hand.
2. LEGAL SEAT
Another issue that surprised me at the Assembly was the argument on the legal seat of WFD. I wonder how National Associations of the Deaf that are ordinary members can have their legal seats leaving WFD like a sparrow that moves from a cold country when it is cold to a warm country. This has deteriorated the status of WFD in relation to strong collaboration with world bodies that is why WFD is weak in financial status. It is only Nordic countries that are holding the WFD because their governments respect the rights of persons with disabilities. It is high time that WFD have a legal seat and permanent administration that it can call its own where it can have correspondences with UN agencies, NGOs, DPI and National Associations of the Deaf. It is saddening to hear today WFD office is located in
3. FUND RAISING
Another bruising issue is lack of capacity to raise funds to meet some of the budgetary constraints in WFD and most of the activities are supported by the host National Association. This trend must be reviewed and make WFD self reliance. WFD being a world body can in any way appeal for grants from UN agencies to supplement its desired related activities if it has strong collaborations with UN agencies. How can it be that WFD cant get grants from its rank and file and yet tell its ordinary members to role up their sleeves to fund raise for their activities in their National Association yet they have very little capacity to do so except a few with organizational management skills who can manage to raise a little.
4. REGIONAL SECRETARIAT OF WFD
We very much appreciate the establishment of regional secretariats of WFD to coordinate the activities of WFD in the 7 regions of the world. These regional offices are supported by some disability organizations that have the available resources. However, WFD do not have any ability to meditate incase of poor management and coordination of activities. All the problems arose are left to the partner organization supporting that regional office. I wonder how can a regional secretariat be called WFD regional secretariat yet WFD has no ability to solve any error that may arose in collaboration with the partner organization supporting that respective regional office. I hope that the current board will revisit the WFD organizational policy on the establishment of regional offices and make them closer in working partnership and can have a say on issues that arose instead of being used as source of getting information on the ongoing activities from the National Associations of the Deaf in the region.
5. CONCLUSION
We in the Deaf community have an obligation to serve the interest of our Deaf brothers and sisters to the best of our abilities however we be supported by donor countries or not. We must eschew the gospel of preaching how poor and oppressed we are in our respective countries. We must come out with a strong policy that was passed at the WFD Congress in conjunction with our governmental agencies which I have requested to be included in the WFD General Assembly to observe the passing out of the rules for them to ratify as governmental agencies. We must come to the realistic that not all the governments in the world have all the resources at disposal. Even the UN agencies lack the necessary resources to implement their policies but when they come together they explore ways and means on how to get the resources even in urgent matters to offset the harbingers. It is high time now that we make policies at the congress that envisage a decade plan of action with clear strategies on how the actions will be implemented and what will be the role of each member country in conjunction with the ministry concerned. I have been in two WFD congresses now: 1st in
Thank you and God bless you in your endeavors as you strive to make a better world for the Deaf.
Peter W. Opany
