BY FAITH MASIGA
The Kenya National Association of Deaf (KNAD) held a consultative meeting with the United States Agency for International Development (USAID) Senior Advisor on Disability Inclusion on 19, September 2023 to discuss critical challenges faced by the deaf community.
The stakeholders highlighted a number of challenges including:
Interpreter quality: According to the team, there is a need for rigorous evaluation of sign language interpreters to ensure effective communication.
Support for the KSL Bill: The advocates underscored the importance of strong support for the Kenyan Sign Language (KSL) Bill, a cornerstone for recognizing and safeguarding the rights of deaf individuals.
Seeking Deaf opinions: They want Deaf voices to be actively sought and considered in decision-making processes.
Addressing Statistical Discrepancies: The community urged action on contradictory statistics concerning the deaf population to ensure accurate data for informed policy decisions.
Government engagement: government institutions were encouraged to actively engage with the deaf community, ensuring their involvement in policy development.
Curriculum: The advocates encouraged the adaptation of a curriculum that suits the unique needs of deaf children, incorporating sign language and accessible teaching methods.
Deaf Participation in Sign Language Initiatives: They also want the Deaf’s involvement in creating new signs and sign language projects for cultural relevance and effectiveness.
Media Inclusion: Media outlets were urged to actively include deaf individuals, guaranteeing accessibility to information and entertainment to help solve the challenge of Media Inclusion faced by the Deaf community
Hospital and communication: Communication barriers in healthcare settings must be addressed to empower deaf patients to communicate their medical needs effectively.
The meeting concluded with a call to action to combat the exclusion of deaf individuals and promote diversity and inclusion.