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COVID 19 - Toolkit

Advancing human rights and sign language worldwide.

COVID-19: Do not leave deaf people behind!

A tool kit for inclusion

This toolkit has been developed in response to the need to ensure that deaf people included in the COVID-19 response. Worldwide, COVID-19 has ravaged through communities and has particularly affected economic and social life. deaf people are no exception, and due to their vulnerability which comes around as a result of communication barriers, they are severely affected.

As the COVID-19 response currently gains traction, it is paramount to ensure the existence of guidelines enabling state and non-state actors, including public authorities, frontline workers and deaf persons themselves to know how to include Deaf people in the response.

The purpose of this toolkit is to:

  1. Facilitate access to information about COVID-19 for the benefit of the deaf
  2. Explain strategies to assist the deaf in advocating for an inclusive COVID-19 response plan.
  3. Influence relevant authorities to mainstream deaf people’s issues as part of the COVID-19 Response.

The guidelines will be utilized by associations of the deaf, Human Rights Groups, Organisations for Persons with Disabilities and the wider Civil Society who will support government and other key actors in the pandemic response to effectively enable the inclusion of deaf persons.

  • Quick Links

    • General information about COVID-19

    According to UNICEF, Corona Virus (Abbreviated as COVID-19) is a new virus that causes a respiratory illness in people and animals and can spread from person-to person through sneezing and coughing droplets. This virus has signs and symptoms similar to the common cold but is dangerous and if not reported early and managed by Health Workers it can cause severe illnesses in humans and can lead to death.

    There are ongoing studies on the origins of Corona virus. However, the current outbreak started in a large animal and seafood market in China, in a city called Wuhan.

    Corona virus is spread from human-to-human when an infected person’s sneeze or cough droplets come into contact with others. It can also spread when a person touches a contaminated surface, e.g. desk, chair, door handle etc. then touches their eyes, nose and/or mouth.

    Everyone is at risk. However, severe symptoms and death appear more frequently among older people. People with underlying health conditions such as lung or heart diseases, renal failure or weak immune systems are noted to be at a higher risk of infection.

    WHO infographic highlighting COVID-19 risk factors for people with disabilities, including access barriers and social distancing challenges.

    People with disability are at a greater risk of contracting coronavirus because of:

    • Physical barriers to access hygiene facilities
    • Need to touch things
    • Difficulty in enacting social distancing
    • Difficulty accessing information

    Most patients who have been infected by COVID-19 have had several symptoms and the most common are:

    • Fever
    • Cough
    • Sore throat
    • Running nose
    • Difficulty breathing
    Infographic listing COVID-19 symptoms: cough, fever, muscle aches, vomiting, diarrhea, new loss of taste/smell. Advises seeking medical care for severe symptoms like trouble breathing.

    Source: https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/downloads/COVID19-symptoms.pdf

    How to avoid getting infected?

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    According to the Center for Disease Control (CDC), there are several ways to not only avoid getting infected by covid-19 but also to protect others from getting infected in case you are COVID-19 positive. They include:

    • Correctly wearing a face mask: All persons 2 years and older should wear masks when in public. Face masks should be worn correctly covering the chin and nose. Make sure you can breathe easily.
    • Social distancing: Stay 6 feet (1.8m) away from others. Avoid close contact with people who are sick. Make sure you are 6 feet of distance between yourself and people who don’t live with you. Also, you are advised to avoid crowded places because being in crowds like in restaurants, bars, fitness centers, or movie theatres puts you at higher risk for COVID-19.
    • Avoid poorly ventilated spaces: Avoid indoor spaces that do not offer fresh air from the outdoors as much as possible. If indoors, bring in fresh air by opening windows and doors, if possible.
    • Wash your hands often: Wash your hands as often as you can with soap and water for at least 20 seconds especially after you have been in a public place or after blowing your nose, coughing, or sneezing. If soap and water are not readily available, use a hand sanitizer that contains at least 60% alcohol. Cover all surfaces of your hands and rub them together until they feel dry.
    • Avoid touching your eyes, nose, and mouth with unwashed hands.
    • Always cover your mouth and nose with a tissue when you cough or sneeze or use the inside of your elbow and do not spit.
    • After sneezing or coughing, immediately wash your hands with soap and water for at least 20 seconds. If soap and water are not readily available, clean your hands with a hand sanitizer that contains at least 60% alcohol.</spán>
    • Get Vaccinated to Protect Against COVID-19: COVID-19 vaccination is especially important for people who may be more likely to get very sick from COVID-19, such as older adults and people with certain medical conditions.

    https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/vaccines/index.html

    https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/vaccines/safety/allergic-reaction.html

    https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/vaccines/recommendations.html

    Testing for the COVID-19

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    There are two kinds of tests are available for COVID-19: viral tests and antibody tests.

    • Viral test: A viral test if done can help tell you if you have a current infection,
    • Antibody test: Might tell you if you had a past infection previously that might have healed unknowingly.

    COVID-19 tests are done at government accredited testing centers that include hospitals, some countries have drive-in testing points where you can drive in and get tested on your way.

    If you happen to test positive for COVID-19, you need to:

    Get isolated from other people: This means separating yourself from other people by staying in a specially reserved area/space where you are not able to get into close contact with other people. An example is staying in a room alone.

    Avoid sharing materials and objects: You need to have the things you use alone. Things like plates, cups, clothes and everyday stuff should not be shared with others. Even money/coins, gadgets like phones, laptops etc shouldn’t be shared before they are disinfected.

    Disinfect surfaces you frequently use: Make sure that where you stay or often spend time such as chairs you sit on, tables and many other things you use often are disinfected frequently.

    Take a lot of fluids and vitamins: This boasts immunity. Having a strong body immunity can help the body fight off the virus in its early stages. Vitamins such as Vitamin C which is found in fruits are very helpful. Take some lemon, oranges and vegetables frequently. These contain a lot of vitamins.

    Contact a health worker who would attend to you to help manage your symptoms: Do this especially when you feel unwell and when you get symptoms such as difficulty in breathing.

    Note that COVID-19 doesn’t have a specific treatment, the health worker assists a patient to manage their symptoms through treating the symptoms with various prescriptions.

    Isolations can normally go along with regular exercise, good eating habits, drinking plenty of water and managing stress for about 10 to 14 days before a test is done again.

    Due to the high number of COVID-19 infections, the World Health Organization has encouraged home based isolation and guidelines for this have been shared with the public.

    Mild and moderate infections could be isolated at home, but when a patient gets into a critical situation such as difficulty in breathing, it is important to seek the attention of emergency health services and get evacuated to a health facility that manages critical cases.

    If you have possible or confirmed COVID-19:

    1. Stay home from work and school. And stay away from other public places. If you must go out, avoid using any kind of public transportation, ridesharing, or taxis.
    2. Monitor your symptoms carefully. If your symptoms get worse, call your healthcare provider immediately.
    3. Get rest and stay hydrated.
    4. If you have a medical appointment, call the healthcare provider ahead of time and tell them that you have or may have COVID-19.
    5. For medical emergencies, call 911 and notify the dispatch personnel that you have or may have COVID-19.
    6. Cover your cough and sneezes with a tissue or use the inside of your elbow.
    7. Wash your hands often with soap and water for at least 20 seconds or clean your hands with an alcohol-based hand sanitizer that contains at least 60% alcohol.
    8. As much as possible, stay in a specific room and away from other people in your home. Also, you should use a separate bathroom, if available. If you need to be around other people in or outside of the home, wear a mask.
    9. Avoid sharing personal items with other people in your household, like dishes, towels, and bedding.
    10. Clean all surfaces that are touched often, like counters, tabletops, and doorknobs. Use household cleaning sprays or wipes according to the label instructions.
    Infographic titled "10 things you can do to manage your COVID-19 symptoms at home," listing steps like staying home, monitoring symptoms, resting, washing hands, and wearing a mask.

    Source: https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/downloads/10Things.pdf

    When someone at home is diagnosed with COVID-19, it is important to offer the needed support so that they can be able to fight off the virus.

    Center for Disease Control has offered some valuable tips on how to support COVID-19 patients at home:

    • Make sure the person who is sick drinks a lot of fluids and rests
    • Help the person who is sick follow their doctor’s instructions for care and medicine.
    • For most people, symptoms last a few days, and people usually feel better after a week.
    • See if over-the-counter medicines for fever help the person feel better.
    • Help them with shopping for their everyday needs as they would not need to go out for such. They will also need to access their medication, and getting other items they may need. Consider having the items delivered through a delivery service, if possible.
    • Take care of their pet(s) such as dogs and cats and limit contact between the person who is sick and their pet(s) when possible.
    • Watch for warning signs
    • Have the patients’ doctor’s phone number on hand or the contact for local emergencies so that in case their situation is getting bad, you can contact them for evacuation and medical attention. Do not attempt to evacuate the patient in critical conditions without putting on protective wear. You might risk your own life.

    Source: https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/if-you-are-sick/care-for-someone.html

    • Prepare their household for the instance COVID-19 is contracted
    • Inform people they trust on what they should do if you become ill
    Infographic titled "#COVID19 and disability" advises people with disabilities to prepare their household and inform trusted individuals. Icon checkmarks for family, household, and friends.

    Look for emergency warning signs for COVID-19. If someone is showing any of these signs, seek emergency medical care immediately:

    • Trouble breathing
    • Persistent pain or pressure in the chest
    • New confusion
    • Inability to wake or stay awake
    • Pale, gray, or blue-colored skin, lips, or nail beds, depending on skin tone

    Please call the nearest health service provider for any other symptoms that are severe or concerning to you.

    Access to COVID-19 information from the government

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    Deaf people face a multitude of barriers in accessing information due to lack of accessible information channels in the national sign language that can enable them access information such as news on television. The pandemic has further exposed the vulnerability of deaf people as they are unable to access vital information such as updates and briefings from the government, simple facts on COVID-19 as well as how to protect themselves. Very few initiatives such as the availing of videos in national sign language as well as sign language insets have been adopted albeit in limited cases.

    To help address access to information in the COVID-19 response plans, guidelines are needed to support various actors such as government, frontline workers and leaders of deaf people.

    • Ensure public health information and communication is accessible
    • Undertake targeted measures for people with disabilities
    WHO graphic on COVID-19 and disability: Governments should ensure accessible public health info and take targeted measures for people with disabilities.

    Using national sign language to provide COVID-19 information to deaf people

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    Sign language is one of the basic ways through which information on COVID-19 can be conveyed to deaf people, with majority of deaf people now proficient in national sign language and able to communicate relatively well, Information about COVID-19 needs to be channelled to deaf people via the national sign language

    • Provision of signed information such as basic facts about COVID-19 needs to be basically done by deaf people proficient in a national sign language. This makes it easier to convey the message in a way that the deaf community can understand.
    • Noting the emergence of new vocabulary as a result of the pandemic, national sign language also has to adapt to the new signs and it’s quite challenging to get the deaf community to understand the new signs such as COVID-19, Facemask, sneezing that have never previously been documented. It is therefore the role of sign language linguistics experts such as national sign language instructors to identify the signs and document them as well as utilize them in uniformity within the deaf community to encourage learning.
    • Deaf people can access basic information in national sign language in visual ways for the best possible results; illustrated videos add more value and enrich the ability of deaf people to understand the message. A video about how covid-19 spreads should have illustrations that show various set-ons such as handshakes, sneezing among others.
    • Print materials such as posters can also contain national sign language. And can be useful in reaching deaf people in rural areas who do not have access to smartphones or electricity to watch videos. Posters need to also be designed in such a way that they provide a few captioning and photographic enhancement so as to help both the literate and illiterate deaf people understand the message.

    Sign Language Interpreters

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    Sign language is one of the basic ways through which information on COVID-19 can be conveyed to deaf people, with majority of deaf people now proficient in national sign language and able to communicate relatively well, Information about COVID-19 needs to be channelled to deaf people via the national sign language

    • Sign language interpreters are trained professionals and can be reached through their interpreting associations in country or national associations of the deaf.
    • The WFD mentions that sign language interpreters are properly trained with deaf community participation, certified according to a neutral certification mechanism in which deaf people are represented, and are paid in accordance with their professional status.
    • Should a program be for over an hour, it is preferable to have two interpreters available.
    • Transparent face masks should be used by the interpreters since deaf people also need to recognize facial expressions.
    • The interpreter’s dressing and background colour texture ought to be not too bright.
    • Interpreters can also be involved in video and teleconferencing to support deaf participants during live events.
    • Sign Language interpreters are paid according to rates provided by the National Association of the Deaf.

    Television as a vital channel for accessing information requires national sign language interpretation as well as does press conferences. A deeper look into how to make TV and press conferences accessible is explained below.

    Most TV broadcasts offer sign language interpreter insets.

    • Normally it’s important that an inset covers at least 25% of the screen to aid visibility. A smaller inset would make it hard for viewers to be able to see the interpreter clearly.
    • Interpreters on TV insets need to sit against a neutral background to improve on visibility of the national sign language. Most television utilizes a darker background with string lighting that can help visibility.
    • The interpreter working on TV or in a video conference needs to be relatively comfortable preferably seated on an armless chair and should not be having accessories such as earrings, bungles among others as they destruct viewers and impede access to clear information.
    A collage of press conferences with officials speaking alongside sign language interpreters, featuring different settings and backdrops.

    Interpreters working during press conferences find themselves in a tricky situation where they have to make sure the media captures them while at the same time maintaining social distance. In most instances, the cameras have ended up cutting out the interpreters.

    • It is important to brief the media teams beforehand on the importance of capturing the sign language interpreter on the video set together with the speaker.
    • An interpreter could stand in such a way that the camera is able to capture both the speaker and the interpreter clearly.
    • Social distance can be maintained by either having the interpreter proportionally extending behind the speaker at a video angle of 45 degrees this can enhance visibility.
    • Where necessary, the interpreter can be inset on a television broadcasting the press conference
    • Interpreters normally cannot work effectively when they wear face masks while doing their jobs. It is important to either utilize face-shields or transparent face masks that can expose lip movement as its part of sin language communication.
    Left: South Korean official speaking at a podium, with a sign language interpreter. Right: Costa Rican official speaking, accompanied by a sign language interpreter.

    According to the WFD/WASLI Guidelines on Providing Access to Public Health Information in National Sign Languages during the Coronavirus Pandemic, which is reproduced below, the key points are:

    • In all situations it is critical that professional sign language interpreters or translators with national-level qualifications are hired.
    • Information should be available through all media channels and on all platforms. If the sign language version is only available through some channels (i.e. narrowcast), or only through web-based platforms, there is a risk that deaf people will miss out on crucial updates at critical times.
    • An interpreter should be physically present and visible on camera alongside whomever is speaking in making new announcements. This will ensure deaf people can access information through a variety of media outlets as other members of the public do.
    • It is the responsibility of public authorities to ensure that Information on the Coronavirus is made available directly in the national sign language(s) of the country, preferably created in that sign language (rather than a translation from a written or spoken text).

    Communication with health service providers

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    Associations of the deaf and leaders of deaf people are a vital part of ensuring inclusion of deaf persons in the COVID-19 response. This is because the deaf community is entwined and its leadership offers a crucial support when it comes to accessing information. In instances where the deaf community requires certain information, usually, it Is easier to relay it via the representative organisations as that signifies its validity and deaf people would easily accept it as the right information

    • Basically, hospitals and health centers would have an accessible desk with either a sign language interpreter or a health worker with good knowledge of sign language. The sign language interpreter could either be onsite or remote through Video Relay Services (VRS). The desk can be part of the disability assistance section of the hospital and can provide information to the deaf people who access the hospital for COVID-19-related services.
    • There should be charts and posters in sign language for deaf people in the health centers
    • Note taking: The health provider could use notes for communication should sign language be a problem. For those who can lip read, the health worker should speak slowly.
    • Health service providers should have contacts for the National Associations of the Deaf and for sign language interpreters who can be contacted in case emergency support is needed.

    With limited interaction in an isolation centre, it becomes hard for deaf people to be able to fully get assistance at the isolation units.

    • Involving a sign language interpreter can always be possible with the aid of a virtual video calling set-up where an interpreter can provide interpretation to the deaf patient without necessarily being physically available. This can reduce the chances of interpreters being unclear due to the need of putting on personal protective wear and also for doctors/health workers to effectively manage the deaf patient.
    • Text messaging/chats using phones can also be used.
    • Ensure COVID-19 health care is accessible, affordable and inclusive.
    • Deliver telehealth for people with disability.
    WHO infographic on COVID-19 and disability: Health workers should ensure accessible, affordable care, and deliver telehealth for people with disabilities.

    The role of representative organisations of deaf people in ensuring accessible and proper information

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    Associations of the deaf and leaders of deaf people are a vital part of ensuring inclusion of deaf persons in the COVID-19 response. This is because the deaf community is entwined and its leadership offers a crucial support when it comes to accessing information. In instances where the deaf community requires certain information, usually, it Is easier to relay it via the representative organisations as that signifies its validity and deaf people would easily accept it as the right information

    • Associations of deaf people working at the national level to the lower community-based associations can convey information to the deaf community however it is important to take serious consideration of verification of information before dissemination.
    • A sign language message can easily be distorted when it moves from one messenger to another and it is important to ensure that the messenger understands the message clearly before transmitting it as it ensures quality.
    • The most advisable means for associations of deaf people to pass out national sign language messages is via video. Videos can be produced or a video conference organized to disseminate the information. This means reshaping the same video via social media does not do any distort.
    • Leaders of deaf people can be part of disability COVID-19 Task Forces so that they are able to obtain first-hand information to rely to their members.

    In this era of disinformation where the wrong information has often been shared, associations and leaders of the Deaf as well as people who wish to convey vital information about COVID-19 should make efforts to ensure that the information being shared is verified information. Since sharing unverified and misleading information can continuously put deaf persons at risk of COVID-19 infection, it is encouraged to utilize websites and sources that share verified information such as:

    • World Health Organization
    • National Ministry of Health
    • National Ministry of Information and Communication
    • Center for Disease Control.

    Various verified resources are also available for use and are accessible in both print and electronic. Do find out from your local health facility or ministry about such resources and they could be helpful if translated for deaf people to use.

    Normally, there are deaf people with additional disabilities that include the deafblind as well as those with mild hearing difficulty. These persons need special attention when disseminating information.

    Normally, depending on the magnitude of deafblindness, a deafblind person can access special assistance to access information. One of the ways is to provide a tactile interpreter who can assist in interpreter for a deaf bind person whose vision is completely or moderately impaired and is also unable to hear. A tactile interpreter utilizes a special skill that involves holding on the hands of the deafblind person and signing what is being said that helps the deaf blind person to understand.

    In a situation where a deafblind person has a slight visual difficulty and knows national sign language, they can sit closer to the signer or interpreter so they can see clearly. There is also a need to provide enough lighting that would help him/hear see clearly. This makes observing the standard operating procedures such as social distancing difficult, and thus there is need for frequent COVID-19 testing by those involved.

    Please consider the following advices for creating accessible social media content for people with deafblindness:

    • Provide transcripts: Type up a transcript and put it in the comment section (even if the video has captions). Some are unable to read the caption’s text size or read fast enough.
    • Keep social media posts short: No more than 3-4 sentences.
    • Do not put hashtags within the post. Put them in the comment section.
    • Be descriptive: Include an image description for images or video description for videos. If lengthy, put the description in the comment section but note within post that descriptions are provided in the comment section.
    • Start the social media post with what you are sharing.
    • https://disabilityrightsfund.org/creating-accessible-socia-media/

    Uganda – Ministry of Health Guidelines

    World Health Organization

    World Federation of the Deaf

    World Federation of the Deafblind

    Advocating for an inclusive COVID-19 response

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    Advocacy as we all know is about influencing. And to make the COVID-19 response inclusive to deaf people requires stakeholders to be persuaded to understand the need for including deaf people and the gravity of the situation in case deaf people are not included in the response plans.

    1. The most important is having a team that can do the work effectively and targeting the right decision makers.
    2. It is also important to have an advocacy message that clearly captures the plight of deaf people especially when it comes to accessing information during the pandemic.
    3. Influencing and persuading the right decision makers starts with gathering the right facts and information, this information could be case stories, data, media related articles that provide the information that would be able to help decision makers understand the magnitude with which the impact of the exclusion of deaf people, and challenges being faced in the response.

    In attempts to influence COVID-19 programs, the following steps can be followed:

    1. Select an issue for advocacy
    2. Gather data/information about the issue – in other words, analyse the issue.
    3. Develop aims/objectives of the advocacy issue justifying why it is important to include deaf people’s issues in COVID-19 response,
    4. Identify targets,
    5. Identify allies and opponents,
    6. Develop action plans,
    7. Implement the plan and monitor and evaluate progress.

    Always make a plan to monitor your advocacy work. Monitoring means following up to see that you are on track to achieve your advocacy goal. Take considerate look-out to changes that might take place and review your plans. For example, the government might decide to re-open schools for a few classes. You must be ready to re-strategize and see how to move on with the advocacy.

    Finally, do an evaluation to see if your advocacy was successful, put together a report and disseminate to the stakeholders. It could become a case-study and an important tool for other partners to utilize in future.

    Issue/problem for advocacy:

    Exclusion of deaf people in COVID-19 budgeting

    Data/information gathered about the issue:

    • The government allocated the Ministry of Education funds to implement homebased learning for children as a result of closure of schools due to COVID-19 restrictions.
    • The home-schooling involves access to learning via materials delivered through the District Education Departments, radios and television.
    • Most deaf children are unable to access learning via TV as there are no interpreters and most families are too poor to access TV sets. Also, radios are completely inaccessible to deaf people and materials that the ministry distributes are not easy to use for deaf children.
    • Consequences: Deaf children are not able to access learning and are left behind as their hearing peers advance and cover the syllabus. It will then result to deaf learners failing in their final examination while hearing peers pass. In the long run, deaf learners are unable to progress with their careers and that basically increases dependence and poverty among families of deaf people.

    Aims and objectives:

    The aim should be to enable government effectively budget for inclusion of deaf learners in the home based learning plan by enabling stakeholder meetings and deliberation, identification of various strategies for inclusion and financing their implementation as well as monitoring and evaluation of the strategies.

    Target for advocacy:

    Ministry of Education

    Partners/allies:

    National DPOs, District Local Leaders, Members of Parliament etc

    The action plan:

    Activities to disseminate the advocacy message are:

    1. Press-conference on date xx-xx-xxxx. The responsible is person A.
    2. Stakeholder meetings on dates xx-xx-xxxx and xx-xx-xxxx. The responsible is person B
    3. Press-briefings and publications to be published on date xx-xx-xxxx. The responsible is person C with support from person A.
    4. Meeting with the Ministry of Education or District Education Department (in case you are advocating in the local level) on date xx-xx-xxxx. The responsible is person D with support from person C.

    Monitoring and evaluating the advocacy work:

    • After each activity, evaluate the impact of the activity, are there any need to adjust your strategy?
    • If the government decides to re-open schools for a few classes, what are our reaction to it?
    • A meeting once (or twice) a month will be held to monitor the advocacy work, the participants in the meetings will be person A, person B, person C, and person D.

    Using the UN Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities (UNCRPD) and the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs)

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    The UNCRPD is an international human rights legislation adopted in 2006 by the United Nations General Assembly. It is the first international convention/law focusing on the rights of persons with disabilities. It explicitly mentioning sign languages and recognizing them as full languages. The Convention does not create new rights. Its aim is to show that persons with disability have the same rights as others. The purpose of the Convention is to promote, protect and ensure the full and equal enjoyment of all human rights and fundamental freedoms by all persons with disabilities.

    • The Convention talks about non-discrimination, including denial of reasonable accommodation and advocates for full and effective participation and inclusion in society.
    • The Convention is an important advocacy and awareness tool for the various stakeholders involved in the COVID-19 response. All service providers should be encouraged to comply with the provisions, and the governments having ratified the Convention must follow its principles and provisions. It should be used as a reference to take all appropriate measures to promote fair opportunities for deaf people. It can further be used in undertaking coordinated action to inform/sensitize and advise politicians, the public and service providers on the capacities and the needs of the deaf as well as reminding government officials of their obligations under international law. The Convention must also be used by government officials to allocate resources (budget) to support deaf people.
    • The CRPD should be used to remind government officials of their duties and promises. It addresses nearly every aspect of inclusion of persons with disabilities.
    • Article 5.3 of the Convention recognises the obligation of State Parties to provide reasonable accommodation which includes National Sign Language and Sign Language Interpreters for deaf people.
    • Article 9 of the Convention recognizes the rights of persons with disabilities, including deaf people, to independently participate in all areas of society. Therefore, governments must provide professional and accredited national sign language interpreters to deaf people who make the request, including when accessing health services.
    • Article 21 of the convention clearly articulates the requirement for sign language to provide deaf people with accessible information, combined with the obligation of governments to provide information in the national sign languages as well as giving opportunities to deaf people to reach government officials in the national sign languages.
    • Article 25 clearly disposes that access to health should be equitable and without any discrimination and that it is the role of the state to provide reasonable accommodation to enable persons with disabilities accessing health services.
    • The Convention’s articles can be used to enable deaf people’s access, on an equal basis with others, to services, information on COVID-19 and activities.

    National Associations of the Deaf should collect data on the number of deaf people by using national and global statistics and evidence of exclusion from COVID-19 programs and activities. This can take the form of stories and lived experiences of deaf people. This information will be used to support the advocacy work.

    The 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development that includes 17 Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) builds on the principle of leaving no one behind. The parts related to education, growth and employment, inequality, accessibility of human settlements, as well as data collection and the monitoring of the SDGs mentions disability and the need for inclusion. The goals are relevant to ensure the inclusion of deaf people in development. Some of the goals relevant to deaf people include:

    • Goal 3: Good Health and Well-being which means having access to health information through national sign language and sign language interpreters at health care centers.
    • Goal 4: Equitable quality education and promotion of lifelong learning opportunities for all. Online learning for the deaf as a result of covid-19 restrictions implies availability of accessible learning materials in national sign language.
    • Goal 10: Reducing Inequality to ensure equal opportunities for deaf people to access relevant services.
    • Goal 17: Partnerships: National Associations of the deaf should work with government and relevant organizations/agencies to achieve the Goals.

    National Associations of the Deaf should raise awareness of the existence of the SDGs and the Convention, how they can be implemented and by whom by develop comprehensive plans designed to achieve implementation. National Associations of the Deaf should also document examples of good and bad practices in terms of availability and implementation. Also important is to have coordinated forums or networks of partners.

    Forming alliances with other stakeholders

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    Building alliances is an important part of advocacy and a COVID-19 inclusion advocacy plan should have key actors working together to influence the decisions that can lead to the inclusion of deaf persons in the response plan.

    Building alliances is an important part of advocacy and a COVID-19 inclusion advocacy plan should have key actors working together to influence the decisions that can lead to the inclusion of deaf persons in the response plan. It is important for deaf associations and their leaders to take the lead in doing the advocacy work, but it can also have more success if various stakeholders such as local leaders, health workers, Disabled People’s Organisation leaders and mainstream civil society organisations join hands in influencing the status quo.

    Advocacy as a collective effort can become successful when alliances are formed and the shared values among the key actors are clearly articulated. National Associations of the Deaf can build the capacity of partners to comprehend the legislation and policies and cause its application or implementation. Effective advocacy work should lead to influence the thinking and actions of the targeted audience.

    It is useful to divide your audience into the following groups:

    • Stakeholders: Individuals and groups who do or will have an interest in what you advocate or want to change.
    • Decision makers: Key individuals that will bring about the change you want to achieve
    • Influencers: People who can influence decision makers. Influencers can act on your behalf or against you.

    Identify key stake holders, e.g. by using a simple stakeholder mapping tool shown below:

    Graph categorizing stakeholders by influence and interest: "Handle with care," "Top priority," "Low priority," and "Need help to participate," based on combinations of influence and stake.

    Rank your stakeholders depending on their influence first then again rank them depending on their interest in the issue you want to involve them.

    Once you are done, you are able to identify ways of how to deal with each of the 4 categories:

    1. Those with low interest but have high influence – make effort to handle them with care, they are an important stakeholder and will need to have them on board.
    2. Those with low influence but more interest – they shouldn’t be a big priority in your work
    3. Those with high level of influence and Interest – those are the key stakeholders and allies, they are the ones to work closer with and priorities them.
    4. Those with high interest but have Low influence – they are as important as you however they need help to participate in the advocacy though not a priority.

    Tools for advocacy

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    Below is examples of advocacy activities:

    • Using the mass media (e.g. press conferences, television and newspapers),
    • Social media platforms (Facebook and twitter)
    • Meetings, personal face to face visits socially distanced,
    • Video, written correspondence, electronic communication (letters, petitions, statements, etc.)
    • Use of influential persons
    • Peaceful demonstrations

    It is crucial to insist on the importance of deaf people delivering the message in sign language rather than having a hearing person doing it on behalf of the deaf community, or a deaf person speaking. This would thwart the whole advocacy of having accessibility though sign language.

    Some of the steps to follow when organizing a press conference include:

    1. Schedule a press conference and start planning
    2. Prepare a press release. Define your message(s) that you are trying to get out to the audience. It should be summarized in 3-5 points.
    3. Schedule the date and time. The best time is the mornings so that you do not miss out on afternoon/evening news on the same day.
    4. Pick a convenient and accessible venue free from noise and with good lightning. At the venue, professional and accredited national sign language interpreters must be present. Press conferences organized by National Associations of the Deaf should be delivered in the national sign language and the best way to successfully convey your message in sign language is to have sign language interpreters.
    5. Brief your team/participants so that they have knowledge to articulate the issues. Avoid inflammatory language, dress appropriately and be straight to the point/stick to the truth. You can also include a powerful testimony from a deaf person affected by COVID-19.
    6. Invite all influential media houses – newspapers, television, radio. Have a contact/mailing list for follow-up.
    7. Develop a press kit with information to give to reporters including your biographies, press release, photos and background information.

    Source: https://ctb.ku.edu/en/table-of-contents/participation/promoting-interest/press-conference/main

    These are some samples for inspiration, they should be edited to match the advocacy issues and target groups for the advocacy work:

    • Sample advocacy letter to Ministry of Health (view PDF)
    • Letter from WFD to WHO (view PDF)
    • Sample advocacy statement (view PDF)

    COVID-19 vaccine: Are deaf people among the key targets?

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    While the vaccine rolls out worldwide, the governments are putting in place mechanisms to ensure that the vulnerable access the vaccine first as a mandatory step to control the spread of the virus.

    It is necessary to understand the vulnerability of deaf people to help inform such decisions. However, it is not only about being able to access the vaccine first but also be able to access it when the right time comes.

    It should be notified that vulnerable deaf persons can be in prioritised categories such as deaf people with risky health complications, deaf elders, deaf persons working in the frontline, etc. With the necessary guidance and identification made inclusive, it will be possible for the vaccination process to reach them all at the right time thus deaf persons not being left behind.

    The WHO published some considerations and actions for COVID-19 vaccination which should be followed by stakeholders to ensure equitable access to vaccination for people with disabilities including:

    1. Providing captioning and national sign language interpretation to ensure accessible information and communication.
    2. Information telephone lines should include options for video-calling, video-relay, and text messaging.
    3. Consulting National Associations of the Deaf to identify barriers to accessing vaccination.

    WFD has developed a position paper on the right to access to treatment containing key messages for deaf persons not being left behind. (view PDF)

    1. COVID-19 vaccinations are available in free or low-cost targeted programs to all people including persons with disabilities and support networks of their choice;
    2. Persons with disabilities, and support networks of their choice have priority access to vaccinations; including personal assistants, family care-givers, and persons working in disability-related services;
    3. Sites where vaccinations are delivered are physically accessible and live guidance and assistance is provided for those who need it. Free or low-cost targeted programs for accessible transportation must be provided where necessary;
    4.  Specific outreach is conducted to ensure that persons with disabilities know of the availability of vaccinations, and all information campaigns are inclusive and accessible to persons with disabilities, including gender and age appropriate;
    5. All information systems related to vaccinations must collect data disaggregated by age, gender and disability, and web-based services should also be fully accessible, while ensuring respect for private life and the confidentiality of health-related information;
    6. Receiving a COVID-19 vaccination must be based on free and informed consent of persons with disabilities. Autonomy and legal capacity of all persons with disabilities including persons with intellectual disabilities, persons with psychosocial disabilities and autistic persons must not be undermined with justifications such as public good or best interest of the person;
    7. International organizations and government must ensure that persons with disabilities and their representative organizations meaningfully participate in policy-making and planning on distribution of COVID-19 vaccinations and related processes;
    8. Organizations of persons with disabilities must be properly resourced to become partners in the roll-out of information campaigns, for instance by reaching out to the most marginalized people and ensure their messages are clear, inclusive and accessible.

    Source: https://www.internationaldisabilityalliance.org/access-to-COVID-19-vaccination

    Addressing exclusion of deaf persons in daily life

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    Deaf people depend mostly on physical gatherings to get information and interact with each other in sign language.

    The COVID-19 regulations have prevented most of these physical social interactions. Hence it is important that the National Associations of the Deaf or the local deaf clubs are providing virtual events to avoid deaf persons becoming isolated and deprived from their social interactions in sign language as many of deaf persons are the only deaf person in their families and the other family members are not fluent in sign language.

    Some deaf people are dependent on care provided by other people to be able to carry on their lives. There is a need to have a plan to ensure that the care will continue uninterrupted minimising the negative impact on deaf people, who are dependent on the care.

    Infographic titled "#COVID19 and disability" with advice for people with disabilities, suggesting to plan for continued care and consider increasing caregiver pool. WHO logo is included.

    National governments have allowed some events to happen during the pandemic. Some of the events that could take place include sports and games, scientific meetings, scientific weddings, online churches, outdoor activities such as walking in a park or gather outdoor instead of inside the deaf club, and so on.

    While several Standard Operating Procedures, such as social distancing, wearing face masks, sanitizing frequently, and/or frequent test for COVID-19, have enabled safety in running events and activities that are considered less risky, the consideration of deaf persons participating in such events is still lacking. With additional guidance to event organizers that can be provided for inclusion, events can become accessible to deaf persons too:

    • Organizers of physical events need to note that deaf people require enough space to be able to view interpreters clearly and also enable them to limit movements during the event.
    • Maintaining social distance is practically easier; however, to ensure that visibility of a sign language interpreter is clear, organizers must ensure that the sitting arrangements for the deaf during the event are closer enough to the sign language interpreter.
    • Another way to handle such a situation is to have more than two sign language interpreters signing simultaneously in different positions at the event in case deaf persons are sitting separately.

    Deaf people are encouraged to remain at home and minimize unnecessary movements and thus they could use video conferencing via Zoom/WhatsApp/Skype to communicate with peers if it is a viable solution.

     

    The Standard Operating Procedures set in place by the governments to help mitigate the spread of COVID-19 are an important asset in the response against COVID-19. Deaf people need to be oriented and informed about these guidelines, however the guidelines need to also be inclusive and capture key issues that enable deaf persons to enjoy their rights while at the same time be able to help them avoid contracting the virus.

    Standard Operating Procedures are reviewable guidelines that can be amended and changed to fit the situation and therefore, undertaking advocacy to enable such guidelines be amended in case they do not suit deaf people should be taken into consideration and effectively executed.

    1. Find a place with a good internet
    2. It is preferable to use a laptop/desktop computer with webcam so that you are able to view many participants in one screen.
    3. Ensure that the place where you are is well lit and with a background that does not distract.
    4. Use the gallery view to see the faces of all people.
    5. If you are sitting, make sure to sit on the edge of a chair with your upper body straight and your shoulders relaxed. Leaning back looks like slouching. When speaking, look directly into the camera instead of the screen.
    6. The webcam should be on the same level as your eyes and waist so that your signs are seen clearly.
    7. Ultimately, the frame should cover the entire chest of the deaf person up to at least the elbows
    8. Avoid many people signing at the same time. When one person is signing or presenting something, the others can switch off their videos
    9. The colour of your clothes should bring in a contrast with the skin colour.
    10. Avoid being in front of a window to avoid backlight.

    Statement on the right of deaf people to equal treatment

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    Read the statement (view PDF)

     
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