WFD expresses sympathies to Deaf victims in Haiti
20 January 2010
World Federation of the Deaf expresses its deepest sympathies and solidarity to all Deaf victims and their families that have been affected by the earthquake. WFD strongly urges international aid organisations to ensure that Deaf people have access to immediate rescue and recovery efforts, and that they are fully involved in the reconstruction process.
Deaf people are extremely vulnerable in emergency situations as they are easily left out from information. This is why it is important to provide aid delivery and information in Haitian Sign Language.
WFD urges its members and individuals to donate money to help the deaf victims and community in Haiti. If you wish to participate in the Haitian relief effort, you are encouraged to donate to reputable organisations and to ask these organisations to take into account deaf people’s needs and accessible communication in aid supply.
WFD is currently establishing contacts with its partners in the region in order to find out more about the situation of Deaf and hard of hearing Haitians. WFD is seeking best ways to help the local Deaf people, for instance through direct donations to the local deaf association or cooperating with international aid organizations to ensure that donations are used to support deaf people who are affected by the earthquake.
Press release
10 December 2009
Finance Committee of the Parliament of Finland proposes a grant to World Federation of the Deaf
Finance Committee of the Parliament of Finland proposes a grant of 50 000 euros to be allocated from Finnish state budget to support activities of the World Federation of the Deaf. The Finance Committee report outlines that the World Federation of the Deaf is one the most significant international non-governmental organisation that has its headquarters in Finland. It is an international umbrella organisation, which has a consultative status within the United Nations and its specialised agencies as well as in the Council of Europe. The Finance Committee considers activities of the World Federation of the Deaf important and emphasises that Finnish government has outlined respect for rights of persons with disabilities and implementation of these rights as one focus area in its international human rights agenda. The Finnish Parliament will approve the state budget in a plenary session in December.
If the Finance Committee proposal is accepted by the Parliament plenary , the grant will support WFD’s monitoring activities in regard to the UN Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities (CRPD). Monitoring process of the convention will eventually start next year, when initial two years have passed from the convention’s entry into force. Next year, World Federation of the Deaf focuses its activities on developing CRPD strategies as well as supporting national deaf associations that are involved in the first CRPD reporting and monitoring round. Involving civil society and deaf organisations in bringing the convention into reality is most vital to the successful implementation of the convention and its five articles that specifically protect Deaf people’s rights.
More information:
Laura Pajunen
Development Officer
World Federation of the Deaf
E-mail: laura.pajunen@kl-deaf.fi
Tel: + 358 9 5803 537
GSM: + 358 400 175 877
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