Do you have any friends who are deaf or hard of hearing? What is different about them, aside from their being deaf? To facilitate understanding among its staff, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MOFA) held the symposium “Understanding the culture of the deaf and hard hearing” on November 4.
The event was hosted by Mr. Kuang-chung Liang, Director-General of MOFA's Department of Treaty and Legal Affairs, and featured as a speaker Mr. Shuan-wen Niu, Director of Taiwan's National Association of the Deaf and an anchor of Public Television Service's sign-language news program. Niu started the event by delivering a speech in sign language, which was translated into Mandarin for the audience. He began with an exploration of the negative stereotypes people have about deaf individuals. He then segued into an introduction of the particular characteristics and development of sign language in Taiwan and around the world. Even though technology continues to progress and more deaf people are employing some form of oral speech, Niu stressed that sign language remains an irreplaceable tool given the different experiences, education, and reasons for hearing loss of deaf persons.
Niu then shared how he looks forward to seeing the greater spread of media that use visual forms of communication as this helps deaf people obtain more information. Taiwan has many accomplishments improving its environment when compared to neighboring countries, he stressed, going on to thank the Ministry of Foreign Affairs for its support of sending deaf people abroad to attend events and enjoy international exchanges. Niu closed by sharing thoughts on how to help people with hearing loss gain information about a wider range of countries, as information presently available to the deaf and hard hearing is mainly limited to Japan, Korea, Vietnam, and the United States.
Niu's speech was animated as he engaged his audience, both the deaf and others, answering questions with anecdotes from his own life. Attendees said that they felt a better understanding of deaf people after attending the event.
The symposium was held in accordance with the United Nations Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities (CRPD), in particular Articles 21 and 32. Article 21 of the CRPD calls on States Parties to take appropriate measures to ensure that persons with disabilities can exercise the right to freedom of expression and opinion, including the freedom to receive information intended for the general public in accessible formats and technologies appropriate to different kinds of disabilities in a timely manner and without additional cost; and accepting and facilitating the use of sign languages, Braille, augmentative and alternative communication, and all other accessible means, modes, and formats of communication of their choice by persons with disabilities in official interactions.
Article 32 of the CRPD stipulates that States Parties must recognize the importance of international cooperation and its promotion, and undertake appropriate and effective measures in this regard, between and among States and, as appropriate, in partnership with relevant international and regional organizations and civil society, in particular organizations of persons with disabilities. Such measures include ensuring that international cooperation is inclusive of and accessible to persons with disabilities, supporting capacity building through exchanges and the sharing of information, and providing technical and economic assistance as appropriate.
#deaf and hard hearing
#persons with disabilities
#National Association of The Deaf, R.O.C. (Taiwan)
#sign language
#United Nations Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities (CRPD)
#freedom of expression and opinion
#different kinds of disabilities
#accessibility
#information without additional cost
#Braille
#augmentative and alternative communication
#international cooperation and its promotion
#partnership with organizations of persons with disabilities
#capacity building