Emphasize sign language as critical prerequisite to full realization of human rights for deaf people: World Federation of the Deaf on IDSL
With UN proclamation of International Day of Sign Languages (IDSL) on September 23, from this year as a part of the International Week of the Deaf (IWDeaf) which was being observed by the World Federation of the Deaf (WFD) since 1958, the spirit for the celebration is upbeat.
"Emphasize sign language as a critical prerequisite to the
full realization of human rights for deaf people. Early access to sign language
and services in it (sign language), including quality education available in
sign it, is vital to the growth and development of the deaf individual and
critical to the achievement of the internationally agreed development
goals," stated the WFD on its website.
The theme of the IDSL decided by the
United Nations this year is "With Sign Language, Everyone is Included!" and the
recommended hashtags for both the IDSL and IWDeaf are:#IWDeaf2018. A call has
been made to recognise the sign languages as equal to spoken languages by
treating it as a natural language that is structurally distinct from spoken
languages.
On the occasion of IDSL, the WFD has
urged, "Reach out to and influence as many governments as possible to
legally fulfil their obligations. Promote deaf people as unique in having both
perspectives of disability and linguistic minority and that sign language and
deaf culture strengthens multilingualism and are means of promoting,
protecting, and preserving diversity of languages and cultures globally."
In India, various important disability acts have
been as follows: the Mental Health Act (1987) and the Person with Disabilities
Act (1995) besides the establishment of institution through Acts such as the
Rehabilitation Council of
India (1992) and the National Trust for Welfare of
Persons with Autism, Cerebral Palsy, Mental Retardation, and Multiple
Disabilities Act (1999). Also, there exists the document on 'Declaration on the
Rights of Mentally Retarded Persons' which as legal importance.