The WFD has released a Position Statement on Educational Rights for Deaf Learners During the COVID-19 Pandemic and Beyond.
The ongoing COVID-19 pandemic and its effect on access to education has significantly impacted deaf learners. Around the world, deaf children and youth lack access to quality bilingual education in national sign languages, and parents of deaf children lack support for learning sign languages. 

The WFD calls on all governments to ensure deaf children and youth receive equitable access to information and education in national sign languages during and after the pandemic, including:

• Access to instruction by sign language-proficient teachers and the provision of visual learning materials.
• Parents of deaf children must also receive support for sign language learning, including remote learning where available, to support family communication and children’s language development.

"The Journey towards Inclusive Employment: Lessons from Kenya, Uganda, Nigeria, Rwanda, South Africa and Ghana"

The WFD represents the human rights and the interests of more than 70 million deaf people globally, including the economic and social rights to access a fair and inclusive labour market in their national sign language.

As of 2011, the International Labour Organization (ILO) states that approximately 80% of persons with disabilities, including deaf people, are of working age. However, most persons with disabilities, including deaf people, specifically in Global South countries, currently live in a situation of poverty. Their prospect of going out of this economic situation through employment is meagre.

This webinar aims to collect information on the status of access tp an inclusive labour market by deaf people in Ghana, Nigeria, Rwanda, South Africa and Uganda.

• Dr Joseph Murray - WFD President
• Ashura Michael - WFD-IDA Fellow
• Djanathi Umuhoza - Rwanda
• Deborah Iyute - Uganda
• Chris Nair - South Africa
• Juventus Nnaah - Ghana
• Sulayman AbdulMumuni Ujah - Nigeria