Deaf Sign Language Rights
Universal Declaration of Linguistic Rights

PLENARY ON DEVELOPING COUNTRIES
Excerpts from the plenary presentation
Source: WFD News December 2003
by Henry Mejia Royet

Without education there are no jobs; without education there is no peace; without education there is no leadership; without education no wealth is generated. And without sign language there is no education for Deaf people; this means no development for Deaf people.

For this reason the world’s Deaf community is struggling to have sign language acknowledged and accepted, because it is the only way in which Deaf people can develop as human beings, and it is the only way in which hearing people will stop looking at Deaf people as poor, sick, and disabled people. More and more countries have enacted laws that acknowledge sign language; however, there is still a struggle in some countries to move these laws from paper to actual enforcement. It is very common in developing countries to acknowledge sign language but at the time of enforcing it, the government says that there are no funds. This means that strengthening sign language cannot be carried out because there is no government funding for these expenses.

It is important to work for two main goals;

1. To make society and governments sensitive to what sign language means for the development of Deaf people.
2. To get the legal means, both domestic and international, to enforce these laws.

At present, in the whole world, but particularly in developing countries, governments and non-governmental organizations (NGOs) have been promoting work in the area of human rights. In addition, international agencies have funded the strengthening of NGOs working in this field. This is a unique opportunity for the Deaf community to benefit from such projects. It is important to completely understand the importance of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights and the Universal Declaration of Linguistic Rights. Although the latter is not a mandatory instrument, it has moral strength and exercises the same pressure as the former; therefore, it is important to enforce it.

Mexico has submitted a proposal to the United Nations, which has acted n it by establishing an ad hoc committee for a Comprehensive and Integral International Convention to Promote and Protect the Rights and Dignity of Persons with Disabilities. If it is adopted, it will become a mandatory instrument for signatory countries and will include the obligation of these countries to acknowledge sign language and to guarantee the mechanisms for the Deaf community to have equal opportunities.

Recently in Colombia the United States Agency for International Development funded a domestic project to train Deaf leaders in human rights. The project was designed and is being implemented by the National Deaf Federation of Colombia (FENASCOL). Among the other projects, FENASCOL is working on the Universal Declaration of Human Rights and the Universal Declaration of Linguistic Rights.

Working together Deaf people will gain respect for their rights, particularly for linguistic rights. (WFD)

Henry Mejia Royet is the founder and former president of the Atlantico Local Association of the Deaf (1976-1983), co-founder and former president (currently general director) of FENASCOL, and former director of the WFD Regional Secretariat for South America. Mr. Mejia Royet has had a role in supporting the passage of national and local laws that benefit Colombian Deaf people. He authored volumes 1 and 2 of the Colombia Sign Language (CSL) books and is currently involved in the production of six other CSL books.