Knowledge
International Week of the Deaf: Struggles of Deaf Kids During COVID
To celebrate the International Week of The Deaf this year, we want to focus on the children of the community who’re facing educational problems due to COVID
The International Week of the Deaf (IWD) is an initiative of the World Federation of the Deaf (WFD) and was first launched in 1958 in Rome, Italy. It is celebrated in the last full week of September to commemorate the same month the first World Congress of the WFD was held. The theme of the 2020 International Week of the Deaf is “Reaffirming Deaf People’s Human Rights.”
The week begins on 21st Sept. and continues till the 27th of the month, with each day having its separate theme. The sign language, that is a big part of the deaf community, is also celebrated specifically on 23rd Sept. as the International Day of Sign Languages.
Daily Themes
Monday 21 September 2020 – Sign Languages
Tuesday 22 September 2020 – Inclusive Sign Language Environments
Wednesday 23 September 2020 – International Day of Sign Languages – Sign Languages Are for Everyone!
Thursday 24 September 2020 – The Legal Recognition of National Sign Languages
Friday 25 September 2020 – Equal Opportunities for All Deaf People
Saturday 26 September 2020 – Deaf Leadership
Sunday 27 September 2020 – I sign for Human Rights!
Equal Opportunities for All Deaf People
The pandemic has affected everyone differently. The deaf community is no different, however, the saddest part is the children of this community who are having a difficult time continuing their education. The virtual presence, social distancing, inability to go to school, engage with their teachers and peers has taken a toll on these little learners all over the world. Also, please note that living a virtual life is not easy when a child struggles daily with the simple ability to hear.
Education is already in trouble for a majority of children worldwide and for children with an inability to hear, it is even more challenging. They cannot attend a normal Zoom call without an interpreter or listen to the teacher’s lecture and interact with them efficiently.
This International Week of the Deaf is special for we aren't just commemorating the past or raising the awareness but also reminding the community members to stick together in this time of need. Also, to watch for children who remind us of promoting and practising inclusivity in schools, educators will definitely have to put in a little more effort. Let's start already while remembering that ‘Full inclusion in education by the year 2030’ is the goal of the World Federation of the Deaf.