Empowering over 200 deaf participants from Ghana and other Western African countries and advocating for recognition of sign language
114TH WFD BOARD MEETING
The 4-day 114th WFD Board Meeting in Accra, Ghana hosted by the Ghana National Association of the Deaf (GNAD) has concluded. The following are the highlights of what transpired during the board meeting:
- The President of the GNAD made an opening and closing speech during the board meeting
- Representative of the Organising Committee for the XVIII World Congress of the WFD was in attendance to present their progress update as well as discuss about the conference programme.
- The board approved various reports including those from the WFD Secretariat, Regional Secretariat, Expert group, Internal Committees.
- The board approved the WFD 2018 Budget, adopted changes on the WFD Conference and Congress Guidelines, and the changes made to the WFD Internal Rules (IR). The IR will soon be distributed to our Ordinary Members.
- We received a comprehensive and valuable final report from our Ordinary Member Hungary on the 3rd WFD Conference.
- The board adopted the WFD Position paper on Inclusive Education. An International Sign translation will be available in the coming months.
- An Information package about the XX WFD General Assembly, held in conjunction with the XVIII World Congress of the WFD in Paris, France, will be sent to Ordinary Members in July 2018
In addition to the board meeting program, the WFD Board is pleased to have a fruitful meeting with the GNAD. We discussed at length our international relationship as well as explore areas to strengthen it.
Together with the GNAD and the Danish Association of the Deaf (DDL), we are honoured to attend a reception at the Danish Embassy in Accra, Ghana in which the Danish Ambassador to Ghana expressed the shared vision for the recognition of Ghana Sign Language.
THE FABRIC OF THE GHANAIAN DEAF COMMUNITY
To mark the GNAD’s 50th anniversary, a community seminar was organised with attendance of over 200 deaf people from Ghana and other Western African countries including representatives from our country members in Cote d’Ivoire, Burkina Faso, and Nigeria. To honour the anniversary, everyone including the WFD Board Members, was dressed in the same fabric to symbolise unity.
Important topics were presented including the legal perspectives of sign language rights for deaf children and deaf people’ in connection with human rights instruments such as the United Nation Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities, and concepts of inclusive education for deaf children.
OUR GRATITUDE
The 114th WFD Board Meeting would not be successful without the support from various organisations and companies including the GNAD, DDL, and the Danish Embassy in Accra, Ghana.