The WFD notes with concern the emergence of military escalation and unrest across the Middle East that pose a serious risk for deaf communities. We have received confirmed reports from one of our Ordinary Members of refugees needing temporary shelter at a deaf school, and other reports from elsewhere in the region of deaf people affected by violence, hostilities, power and internet outages and lack of access to information.
In accordance with our WFD DRR Policy, our Ordinary Members in the region are being contacted to assess any possible assistance needs. To ensure the protection and safety of deaf people, the WFD coordinates its actions with deaf associations in the affected countries. The WFD avoids speaking on behalf of local deaf communities or making public statements that could place them at risk.
The WFD is sending our Guidelines for the Protection and Safety of Deaf People in Armed Conflict to the UN Permanent Missions of all affected countries, reminding them of their obligations under international humanitarian law to ensure the protection and safety of deaf people as stated in Article 11 of the UN CRPD, and we have raised this issue before the CRPD Committee.
The WFD asks that documented cases of deaf people affected by this military escalation and unrest be sent to your Ordinary Members, with whom we are in contact, to coordinate ways to support their work protecting deaf people in times of conflict.
