DEAFBC

07 September 2017

The Canadian Association of the Deaf (CAD-ASC) announces
Campaign Key Messages for International Week of the Deaf 2017

check out the PDF link: http://bit.ly/2et5KAa
MS WORD (download)

Document text:

International Week of the Deaf – Full Inclusion with Sign Language!

September 18-24, 2017

CAMPAIGN KEY MESSAGES

The International Week of the Deaf (IWD) is the key week of each year that sees a united global advocacy to raise awareness about human rights in the Deaf community on different levels, initiated by the World Federation of the Deaf (WFD). The Canadian Association of the Deaf-Association des Sourds du Canada (CAD-ASC) is affiliated with the WFD as an Ordinary Member. CAD-ASC promotes and protects the rights of Deaf people in Canada who use American Sign Language (ASL) and langue des signes québécoise (LSQ).

WORLD FEDERATION OF THE DEAF 2017 THEME

The World Federation of the Deaf has announced the theme for the 2017 International Week of the Deaf as “Full Inclusion with Sign Language!” The theme describes that full inclusion of Deaf people is possible when Sign language is recognized and used widely within our society. Without the actual recognition, facilitation and promotion of Sign language, the rights outlined in the United Nations Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities and the recently adopted United Nations 2030 Agenda of Sustainable Development Goals cannot be fully achieved.

A full summary of the WFD’s Key Campaign Messages can be found at https://wfdeaf.org/iwd2017-full-inclusion-with-sign-language/

UNITED NATIONS CONVENTION ON THE RIGHTS OF PERSONS WITH DISABILITIES

Canada ratified the United Nations Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities (CRPD) in March 2010, which is an international human rights instrument of the United Nations that protects the rights and promotes equality of persons with disabilities. It refers to our rights outlined in the Convention to address the articles of the Convention that relates directly to Sign languages are as follows:

• Article 2 – Definition
• Article 9 – Accessibility
• Article 21 – Freedom of expression and opinion, and access to information
• Article 24 – Education
• Article 30 – Participation in cultural life, recreation, leisure and sport

CANADIAN ASSOCIATION OF THE DEAF-ASSOCIATION DES SOURDS DU CANADA’S CAMPAIGN KEY MESSAGES:

The theme for the 2017 International Week of the Deaf: “Full Inclusion with Sign Language!” is essential to our human rights of Deaf people in Canada that is clearly outlined in the CRPD that ensures the right to Sign language recognition in Article 21.

CAD-ASC appeals to the Government of Canada to introduce federal accessibility legislation to recognize our two national Sign languages –American Sign Language (ASL) and langue des signes québécoise (LSQ), which shows the value of the linguistic identity of the Deaf community as we integrate into both English and French societies that requires to remove barriers and to ensure equal access, which is an important step towards to become an inclusive and accessible Canada:

• Birth Right: Deaf children to access and acquire ASL and LSQ as their first language;
• Deaf Identity: Deaf people are a cultural and linguistic minority who use ASL and LSQ as their primary languages;
• Accessibility: Deaf people need access to public information and services via ASL and LSQ videos, and qualified Sign language interpreters through public and private sectors; government services, and profit and not-for-profit organizations on education, employment, health care, transportation, immigration, emergency, court, prisons, telecommunications and broadcasting, and others;
• Equal Language: Recognizing ASL and LSQ as an equal language as other spoken/written languages;
• Bilingual Education: is the key to linguistic and cultural identity that provides Deaf students with the opportunities to achieve full citizenship, education and employment;
• Equal Employment Opportunities: removing barriers to allow Deaf people to participate fully in the labour force, including training opportunities, is a requirement to promote greater inclusion for Deaf people to realize their dreams;
• Equal Participation: Deaf people to participate fully in personal, public and political areas along with everyone else, to allow full and equal access to the democratic and electoral system during all levels of government’s election campaign activities and election polls; and
• Lifelong Learning: Deaf people to access education, training and ongoing professional development as a key to gaining, retaining a job, and to be able to make a living.

Please contact the CAD-ASC for more information, and if you want to find out about local or provincial IWD activities, please contact your local or provincial Deaf association.