- Armed conflicts and humanitarian crises:
In situations of risk and humanitarian emergencies, deaf people are among the most vulnerable due to lack of information and communication in their national sign languages. Deaf people are often the last ones to be informed about the humanitarian crises and/or armed conflicts threatening them, and many of them often suffer serious injury or casualties, while not being able to find and/or to call upon the humanitarian assistance entitled to them. Article 11 of the CRPD mandates the States Parties to take all necessary measures to ensure their protection and safety. This includes, among others, providing full access to all information and communication related to humanitarian aid, emergency responses, safety and assistance protocols, evacuation procedures and support in their national sign language as well as have access to humanitarian aid, basic services including social and psychological support, education, healthcare and transportation in their national sign language(s).
- Natural or human-made disasters and crises:
Natural disasters and other mass emergencies affect large numbers of individuals. Such events can include fires, earthquakes, floods, mudslides and avalanches, among others. These events can occur with or without warning. During times of natural disasters and other mass emergencies, deaf people must be provided access in their national sign language to emergency services, such as police, fire and ambulance services, receive information about the nature of the emergency, its location and severity as well as receive information about what action the individual or community must take, such as evacuating and be able to share information such as their own and their family’s whereabouts and safety. In preparation for natural disasters and mass emergencies, individuals and communities must also be provided with information on preparedness for natural disasters. The Sendai Framework for Disaster Risk Reduction 2015-2030 provides concrete actions to Member States to the United Nations to reduce disaster risk and these must be disability-inclusive.
Human Rights Instruments:
- Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities (CRPD)
- Article 11 on situations of risk and emergencies, in conjunction with Article 21 to provide information in national sign languages
- Sendai Framework for Disaster Risk Reduction 2015-2030
- paragraph 7, 19(d), 30(c) and 36(d) on the inclusion of deaf people in humanitarian crisis responses by providing accessible information and communication in media, as well as in humanitarian infrastructure such as refugees camps, hospitals and schools.
- The 2019 UN Security Council Resolution 2475 on Protection of Persons with Disabilities in Conflicts
- More specifically Articles 5 and 7 fostering the rights of deaf people to have access on an equal basis with others to basic services provided in the context of armed conflicts, including accessible education and information and communication in the national sign language to ensure meaningful participation of deaf people through their representative organisation(s) in humanitarian actions.
- The 2019 UN Disability Inclusion Strategy (UNDIS) which mainstreams disability inclusion throughout all UN agencies. This includes the obligations of providing humanitarian-related information in both International Sign and national sign languages
Resources
- Guidelines for the Protection and Safety of Deaf People in Armed Conflict
- Global Survey on persons with disabilities and disasters
- Raising hands for the future: the WFD call the UN agencies, the Inter-American Human Rights
- Global Report on Health Equity for persons with disabilities
- Statement on the Right of Deaf People to Equal Treatment in the Context of Global Covid-19 Pandemic
- Access to Higher Education for Deaf Students during the COVID-19 Pandemic
- Joint Statement responding to the Safeguarding and Protection Needs of Deaf Children and Youth during the COVID-19 Pandemic
- Statement on Educational Rights for Deaf Learners During the COVID-19 Pandemic and Beyond
- Statement on Accessible Communication for Deaf and Hard of Hearing people during COVID-19 Pandemic
- Joint Statement on Access to Health Services & Interpreter Occupational Health During the Coronavirus (COVID 19)
- System and the government of Haiti to take actions to stop Human Rights Violations Against Deaf People in Haiti