Author Archives: Jemdeafhistory

I was born deaf and grew up in Hamilton, Waikato. I am an independent person that nothing will stop me from doing anything. My roles are a Deaf historian/researcher, community support worker, advocator for people with disabilities including Deaf and gardener. My home is in Eureka, outside of Hamilton City and have a hearing partner with three large dogs. What a blissful life here!

Testing the time as the day went by!

Having two weeks break under one Disability Organisation, and I am on the second week of the break, despite the weather not being so great for me to start with the garden weeding, planning the jobs in the garden and many other lists. That is okay!

As you’re aware, Spring has already sprung here, and we’re eagerly awaiting the arrival of Summer! The anticipation is palpable, and I can’t wait to see how the garden transforms with the change in season. The excitement is contagious, and I hope you’re as thrilled as I am for what’s to come. It’s a journey we’re all part of, and I’m excited to share it with you.

It’s a delight to see the bees buzzing around the fresh flowers, diligently collecting pollen for honey and pollinating other blooms. Their presence is a reminder of the interconnectedness of nature, and I’m deeply grateful for their role in the garden. It’s moments like these that make me appreciate the beauty of our natural world.

New seedlings popped up, and it is not yet ready for planting in the vegetable garden. I need to think carefully about a rabbit-proof barrier around the seedlings in the garden. Yes, I do have rabbit-repelling stuff, such as a combination of physical obstacles and natural deterrents like certain plants, and it is working well. Mm, better throw out plenty of pumpkin seeds there and over there, anywhere.

The strawberry garden is thriving, and it’s a joy to see the urgent need for weeding and weekly fruit fertiliser. The same goes for the Blueberries garden-they’re doing well and it’s a testament to the care and attention they’ve received! It’s truly inspiring to see the results of our hard work, and it fills me with hope for the future of our garden.

I am focusing on doing plant cuttings and contacting a couple of friends I know who have dahlia bulbs before Labour Weekend. By looking at the weather forecast, a Labour Day Monday is not going to be good; however, who knows what the weather will bring for us in Waikato? The anticipation for these upcoming plans is palpable, and I can’t wait to see how they unfold.

The greenhouse needs a bit of tidying up while caspuim plants are still producing caspuim fruits through Winter to present. Kumuras are ready for digging out and preparing for the next stage of planting fresh kumuras inside the greenhouse for a long, productive period of time. Just like Potatoes, too!

No fear for my last week of the holiday break, I am looking forward to an extended annual leave under two organisations before Christmas 2025 until mid-January 2026. It is a once-a-year one-month leave.

Flowering shrubs and trees are doing well, and there is plenty of time to do pruning of old branches and trimming heights once winter flowering finishes. The Five Cherry trees field will be displayed with flowers, not fruits, in one large field. Roses are coming out, and fear not about late pruning. I will trim and remove the dead stems and branches in the rose garden. There is no harm done if anyone forgot to do the pruning of the roses or not.

The large centre garden, as I call it, the Golden Totara garden, is a special place where the beautiful display of colour of the golden totara tree stands tall and mightily displays colours of the changing seasons every year. Currently, the shrubs, Manuka shrubs and kowhai tree need attention to do jobs such as trimming, weeding and laying down mulch of old totara leaves and branches, which were trimmed back by one of my Christian friend’s sons, who is an aborist qualified and runs a business early this year. Sigh, by seeing the last chunks of logs waiting to be cut up and stored in the large barn for firewood within one to two years.

Mm, there are lots more shrubs, lavender shrubs, bottlebrush trees and many more in our large property. We bought our homes (there were two houses – one house now) with a double carport, a double garage and a large barn over 50 years back in October Labour Weekend in 2014. The gardens grew by adding more trees, vegetables and fruit trees and expanding the size to allow the control of wind breaks and privacy screening. Mm, Flaxes, a type of plant that we particularly love for its beauty and resilience, reminding me, and I need more flaxes from a large flaxes section, the point head of the intersection of the state highway road and a small public road. By putting more flaxes, we will be planting along the entrapment stream opposite the private farms – share farming. This section will control a place for many ducks, pukeos, of course, bloody rabbits, a nest and a security place while maintaining flaxen fences border lines to stop erosion of the banks, despite the ever-changing nature of Global Warming becoming increasingly alarming and destroying the environment.

We love our home and gardens until we decide to move within fifteen or twenty-five years with our dogs, because we are over 60 years old and continue to work.

Invisible Disabilities Week, October 19 – 25, 2025.

#invisibledisabilitiesweek

#seetheinvisible

Let’s come together to celebrate our Invisible Disabilities Week, a time to raise awareness and understanding about the millions of invisible disabilities that many may not realise exist. This week is an opportunity to learn, share, and most importantly, support those living with invisible disabilities. By understanding their challenges and offering our empathy and support, we can make a significant difference in their lives. Let’s strive for inclusivity, acceptance, and understanding, as advocated by the Hidden Disabilities Sunflower. Our understanding and empathy can be a powerful force for change.

As a person living with invisible disabilities, I navigate daily life in a rural community outside Hamilton City, New Zealand. My invisible disabilities include deafness, Cervical Disc-Spine degeneration and radioculopathy of my right side from the neck, the shoulder and arm, Rheumatoid Arthritis, Endometriosis, migraine, hypertension, thyroid gland-T4 (thyroxine), glaucoma/cataract implant lens, chronic sinus and asthma conditions. These are the many symptoms I live with, but I don’t dwell on my severity. However, I often find that people, including my D/deaf friends, struggle to understand my experiences. I share these experiences to foster a sense of community and understanding among those living with invisible disabilities.

I write various types of blogs, including Deaf History, Dogs’ Tales, Life in Eureka, Waikato Deaf Society/Waikato Deaf Units, and a few more domains on WordPress. I enjoy writing, thinking, exploring, researching, and mentoring, all while enhancing the experiences of diverse audiences worldwide, because everyone is unique. By writing blogs across several domains, I help myself improve my writing in English and other languages and gain more confidence to share with you and others, such as in cognition, reasoning, reflection, pondering, contemplation, and ideation. In other words, philosophical thinking is a critical, reflective, abstract, and logical process aimed at pursuing truth and knowledge, examining values, and developing personal worldviews. It involves questioning assumptions, connecting ideas logically, and critically evaluating information to understand fundamental concepts, ethics, and the nature of existence itself. Please note that I am not a paid writer/historian/researcher at present, and I am seeking funding grants and donations to support my ongoing work.  

Let’s explore the diverse spectrum of invisible disabilities you may have come across – Crohn’s disease, MS (Multiple Sclerosis), ME (Myalgic Encephalomyelitis, also known as Chronic Fatigue Syndrome – CFS), Fibromyalgia Syndrome (FMS), ADHD (Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder), Aphasia, autism, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), Coeliac Disease, dementia, dyslexia, Ehlers-Danios Syndrome, and Endometriosis. What about two different types of diabetes, Dysautonomia, asthma, epilepsy, Foetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorder (FASD), Functional Neurological Disorder (FND), Haemophilia, Long COVID, Lupus, Migraine, Narcolepsy, Ostomy, Pancreatic Cancer, Parkinson’s, Peri/menopause, poTS, Scleroderma, stuttering, Tourette’s Syndrome and Ulcerative Colitis? Yes, these are all invisible disabilities, each with its unique challenges and experiences.

Societies around the world are not immune to ableism and disablism in the workplace and in communities. The disadvantage of these problems is that they are often perceived by other ‘able-bodied’ people, even without knowledge of disabilities, such as wearing glasses, dentures, and the main problem is a lack of understanding of our invisible disabilities out in the communities.

I want to highlight these problems. I used AI copy and paste here for you –ableism refers to the systemic valuing of able-bodiedness, which creates barriers and disadvantages for disabled people. In contrast, disablism is the specific, direct discrimination and oppressive behaviours that result from this underlying ableist ideology. 

Ableism

  • What it is: A system that values and prioritises the abilities of non-disabled people, also known as able-bodied privilege.
  • How it works: It shapes society to fit the needs of non-disabled individuals, creating physical and attitudinal barriers for people with disabilities.
  • Examples:
    • Buildings without ramps or elevators make them inaccessible to wheelchair users.
    • Lack of captions in online videos excludes deaf and hard-of-hearing individuals.
    • Workplaces are failing to make reasonable adjustments for employees with disabilities. 
    • Lack of Sign Language Interpreters in public meetings, events, staff training/meetings and media

Disablism

  • What it is: The discrimination, prejudice, and abusive actions or behaviours directed at disabled people. It stems from the belief that disabled people are inferior.
  • How it works: It can involve conscious discriminatory actions or behaviours, as well as less obvious prejudices.
  • Examples:
    • Using offensive or patronising language when speaking to a disabled person.
    • Ignoring or excluding someone with a disability.
    • Making assumptions about what a disabled person can or cannot do. 

The Relationship Between Ableism and Disablism

  • Ableism can be viewed as the underlying societal ideology that fosters an environment where disablism thrives.
  • Disablism is often the direct manifestation of ableist beliefs and practices.
  • Both concepts are crucial for understanding and dismantling discrimination against people with disabilities and for promoting a more accessible and inclusive society. 

I know a large group of people with invisible disabilities here, and they do not have full-time work like me; a small number of them are on part-time work under 25 hours a week. We are advocates for human rights to various agencies, Government agencies, and businesses. We, along with other groups such as low-income families, homeless people, seniors with disabilities and poverty groups, are unable to afford the cost of living, such as rent, mortgages, food prices, and power/wifi. The critically important thing is to remove ableism and disablism from laws, policies, acts, and other types of legislation by making our lives equal in society as one whole world. This slogan is our mission – ‘Nothing about us without us‘. Let’s work together to bring about this change.

In New Zealand, we have a small organisation called the Hidden Disabilities Sunflower to encourage inclusivity, acceptance, and understanding. Not just in New Zealand, there are global networks, such as The Hidden Disabilities Sunflower.

https://hdsunflower.com/au/about-hidden-disabilities-sunflower

What was the reason it was called the Sunflower? Happiness, positivity, strength, growth, and confidence are universally known. 

One of the famous quotes I’ve known for many years came from Helen Keller – “Keep your face to the sunshine and you cannot see the shadows. It’s what sunflowers do.” 

Sunflowers are also seen as symbols of hope and optimism. Their ability to grow tall and strong, reaching toward the sky, represents personal growth and the pursuit of one’s aspirations.

Sunflowers symbolise joy, positivity, and hope during difficult times. They inspire resilience and perseverance. As gifts, they convey warmth, love, and admiration without words.

Essential keys for your audience/readers: consider starting learning about invisible disabilities through workshops, one of your colleagues, organisations near your business, and society. We would appreciate it if you and your company could amend or adapt the infrastructure and open environment gardens to allow children, seniors, and families to enjoy them.

https://www.hamiltonairport.co.nz/hiddendisabilitiessunflower/

wiki mo te hauora hinengaro (Mental Health Awareness Week)

Mane 6 o Oketopa (Monday 6th October)

Tūhono (Connect)

Extract from the Mental Health Foundation site NZ

Connect, me whakawhanaunga

Talk and listen – me kōrero, me whakarongo, be there – me whakawātea i a koe, feel connected – me rongo i te whanaungatanga

The ability to form relationships is a fundamental aspect of what makes us human. Positive social interactions make us feel happy, connected and secure. Building meaningful relationships with family/whānau, friends, and the community goes a long way to increasing your sense of belonging and strengthening personal wellbeing. Through sharing experiences, you can discover how you can help others. It also means that during times of distress, you have the support you need to get through. 

Connect with people who make you feel valued and appreciated. This might include your whānau/family, friends, colleagues and neighbours. Here are some examples:

  • Smile at someone else.
  • Take the time to find out something you didn’t know about someone you know.
  • Contact a friend you have not seen or spoken to for a while.
  • Reach out to someone who may be lonely and invite them to spend time with you.
  • Connect with someone you’ve lost touch with on social media and share a happy memory you have of them.
  • Introduce yourself to a new parent or family at your child’s school.
  • Eat dinner with the whānau. Play a game of ‘table talk’ where each person reports about their day’s events, including the best thing that happened, the funniest thing and anything they didn’t enjoy.
  • Take time to read your local newspaper or newsletter – find out what’s going on in your area.
  • Host a potluck catch-up or BBQ with neighbours, friends or whānau.
  • Join a group: it could be your local sports team, book club, choir – whatever interests you most!
  • Organise a baby photo competition with friends or colleagues – match the person to the baby!
  • Connect with the whenua; grab some mates and get into the great outdoors – go on a bush walk, go surfing, or mountain biking.
  • Have a family WiFi, TV, and text-free day and bring out the old board games.

World Cerebral Palsy Day – 6th October 2025

The theme is Unique and United, celebrating what makes every member of this community special.

It is a global day dedicated to celebrating the remarkable resilience of people with cerebral palsy (CP), raising awareness for CP, and advocating for a more accessible and supportive future for those affected by this common lifelong physical disability. 

#UniquelyCP

World Cerebral Palsy Day is about recognition, inclusion, and action for the 50 million people worldwide who live with cerebral palsy. It’s a day to celebrate the achievements of the CP community, challenge barriers, and strive for a more accessible and inclusive world. We all have a role to play in this. https://worldcpday.org/

It’s important to remember that people with CP are a diverse group, often living with more than one disability, such as being deaf, blind, or a wheelchair user.

To celebrate and support the CP community, raise awareness about the condition, and advocate for policy changes, research, and lifelong care for people with CP and CP with disabilities.  CP360 was born from a desire to transition from awareness to action. It is a global movement for accelerating change for the millions of people living with CP. It advocates for more current global data on CP, earlier screenings and interventions, evidence-based services, and equitable access to care and services, particularly for individuals living in underserved areas.

https://cerebralpalsyguidance.com/2025/09/22/world-cerebral-palsy-day-2025-unique-and-united/

 #WorldCPDay

#UniqueAndUnited

In my workplace, I have three Deaf people with CP and other disabilities, and I stay in touch with them through daily and weekly video calls/home visits and text messages. They have different types of CP – two females in wheelchairs due to their advanced age (Diplegia), one male senior with a walking stick, speech impaired and slow walking mobility (dyskinetic/hemiplegic/ataxic) and a middle-aged man who regularly stays fit (spastic and diplegic CP). They lead different lives in the D/deaf community. Now, the male senior is facing a couple of new health issues, which have led him to struggle for the rest of his life alone with the hearing boarder.

Let’s ask a couple of questions about whether the D/deaf people in their own community understand their friends, ex-schoolmates, or friends with CP well enough or to what extent? For example, many D/deaf seniors know their ex-schoolmate as in the above list; however, they did not realise his full disabilities and found his communication with them hard to understand what he was saying.

There is one young lady, and she has a mix of cerebral palsy, which is Triplegia/ataxic/dyskinetic. She is very bright, bubbly, and tries to do the work as well as she can. She is not deaf like us.

Support many people with CP in the community to live fulfilling lives, be inclusive, and allow them the opportunity to choose where they would like to be, whether at home, in a resthome, or with their families. Let them try out new activities they can enjoy.

The essential tools for them and you to make more accessible, equal Human Rights for all, and to effect policy changes for equality. Listen to them, not ignore them, and set aside any concerns if you’re unsure of what to do or feel embarrassed.

Mental Health Awareness Week – Top Up Together

October 6th to 12th 2025

The Five Ways to Wellbeing is not just a set of five simple, evidence-based actions, but a powerful tool that can significantly improve wellbeing in everyday life.

There are five key points, along with other considerations, to consider each day. Firstly, I will explain why it is essential to engage in activities, take time out, and stay in touch with your family, friends, and colleagues.

The Five Ways to Wellbeing-Give, Be Active, Keep Learning, Take Notice, and Connect-are inclusive actions that can be adopted by anyone, regardless of their circumstances or abilities.

sharing the concept

Variety is significant, and communicating the message

These strategies are adaptable and can be incorporated into daily life at one’s own pace, empowering individuals to take control of their wellbeing.

The better to emphasise that people with disabilities, mental health and seniors represent a range of options that can be tried by anyone, friends, support persons and suited to an individual’s needs throughout daily life. The key essential tools are holistic wellbeing and a balance of activities that encourage and help everyone in their everyday lives.

Communicating the message

One researcher, Lynne Friedli, outlines the key principles for the effective social marketing of mental health messages. Five Ways framework and the best practice from using them in mental health promotion settings:

  • Start where people are
  • Focus on building emotional connections with the target audience
  • Be positive, upbeat and aspirational – selling healthy, satisfying lives as opposed to ‘do not do’ messages
  • Exchange – people must perceive a clear benefit if change is to occur.

Lynne pointed out the evidence in her findings that people are not related to the term ‘mental health’, and the target aspirations that underpin the messages were chosen as ‘wellbeing’ or ‘flourishing’. Other evidence she found is that people perceive health promotion messages as portraying something too distant from their own lives, and they will be resistant. Modelling behaviours from those communicating the message is effective in making the message seem attainable.

Sunday 28th September 2025

Let’s proactively shape our future; together, we can innovate, inspire, and make an impact!

Deaf communities are not just local; they are global. Our diverse intersectional communities, found in every country on Earth, are united in our innovation. We have multiple opportunities to impact technological change,  and our future begins with our knowledge, drawn from diverse communities working together to shape the future we want. Together, we will innovate, inspire and create a world where D/deaf people everywhere can sign anywhere!

Extract from the World of Deaf people and amended by Jean.

Millions of D/deaf people, D/deaf with disabilities, Hard of Hearing Seniors and families of D/deaf children continue to raise awareness about us, our culture and sign languages around the world. We repeat the popular title – ‘Nothing about Us without Us’ and strive to blend the rest of you as equals by removing ableism. Your voice, your experiences, and your contributions are integral to our community.

We know our D/deaf children, D/deaf with disabilities children, are developing valuable skills and living experiences by producing improved and advanced technology and preserving our taonga (treasures) of sign language alive for the future.

Recently, the World Federation of the Deaf celebrated a new milestone in acknowledging our culture and sign language, approving the design of the Deaf flag—the Deaf flag, designed by a Deafblind (Usher Syndrome) man, Arnaud Balard, along with many other D/deaf people’s designed Deaf flags from other countries in 2023-2024. Actually, he designed the flag and French les personnes sourdes (D/deaf people) between 2013 and 2015. More information about Arnaud here. https://surdistsunited.com/sign-union-flag-by-a-balard/

As a deaf linguist, I recently came across a post on my personal Facebook page via the Deaf History group that I thought would be insightful for you. Our sign language, a living and evolving part of our culture, has undergone some minor changes in its communication. Let’s examine the sign ‘name’ from British Sign Language (BSL), dating back to the 1890s. The sign for ‘Name’ is derived from the baptism method in the Church of England. This sign originated in London and the South East of England, as noted in an article by Peter R. Brown. In New Zealand and Australia, we sign our name the same as in England today. This sign ‘name’ continues today from the 1890s and will continue, showing that our culture and language are not static, but living and evolving traditions.  

<a href=”http://&lt;!– wp:paragraph –> <p><a href=”https://www.facebook.com/share/19yNQK5f9M/”>https://www.facebook.com/share/19yNQK5f9M/</a></p&gt; https://www.facebook.com/share/19yNQK5f9M

Today’s and future technologies, such as AI and Google Gemini, may lead to a lack of accurate sign language representation; therefore, these technologies need to support more than 200 sign languages worldwide, not just one, such as American Sign Language (ASL). Overall, we need to teach technicians, designers, and graphics teams our sign languages so that they can create friendly sign languages for everyone in the world. For example, consider our New Zealand company, Kara Technologies Ltd., which is linked to another country, the USA.

https://www.kara.tech/

Kara Technologies pioneering inclusive emergency Sign Language success for the Deaf

Saturday 27th September 2025

Sign Language Access Service

Deaf individuals are empowered to choose their language access services, whether it is national sign language or International Sign, based on their personal preferences and needs. It is the responsibility of states and event organisers to engage in early consultation with D/deaf participants, ensuring adequate funding for professional sign language interpreters and associated costs. This early consultation is a key step in providing effective and inclusive participation. This message is an extract from the World Federation of the Deaf and amended by Jean.

The Sign Language Interpreter Access Service is not just a tool, but an indispensable one for many D/deaf individuals and those with disabilities. Its role extends to various settings, including job interviews, classrooms, public events, courts, consultations with GPs, Health Specialists, Police, and many Government agencies, as well as in community interactions with family and friends. Its versatility, spanning from professional to personal settings, makes it a crucial service in ensuring effective communication and participation.

Mm, what about performance theatre, music concerts and other types of entertainment events?  

I have used the interpreter through Waikato Hospital, Public and Government Agency meetings, Job training, Health and Safety meetings, and other meetings for many years. Did I pay for the interpreter service? The question is no, and I received Job Training funding from Te Manatū Whakahiato Ora each year toward the Interpreter cost. At the same time, ISigns uses funding by MOH (Ministry of Health)-Te Whatu Ora (Health New Zealand), MSD (Ministry of Social Development)-Te Manatū Whakahiato Ora.

All Government agencies, Health Sectors and agencies, Education Sectors and Agencies are responsible for making the interpreting service booking when they are meeting with any D/deaf people, D/deaf with disabilities and Hard of Hearing seniors through appointments/consultations. This message ensures that the necessary arrangements are in place for effective communication. Outside the Government Agencies, for example, the church service, such as a funeral or a wedding, will be arranged by a family member of the D/deaf person, and the Interpreter Service book teams will advise you to pay the cost yourself, ensuring everyone is aware of their rights and responsibilities.

If you are uncertain about how to make Interpreter Service bookings, you can refer to the websites and follow their instructions, as well as the reasonable cost of affordability. There are many ways to have a Sign Language Interpreter present, whether in person or remotely, in the same room. Today, amazing technologies are available. If your local area has no interpreter available, consider using an online interpreter service, such as Zoom, Microsoft Teams or Callsign-Wordsworth Interpreter Service (NZ, based in Waikato), over Wi-Fi or mobile data. These platforms offer video conferencing features that allow for real-time interpretation. You can also use mobile apps like ISigns, which provide on-demand interpretation services.

tips – https://youtu.be/cfIc8sgqkbA?si=nXDM9MVnJW60UER3

https://healthify.nz/hauora-wellbeing/n/nz-sign-language

https://www.justice.govt.nz/courts/going-to-court/pre/interpreters-language-and-disability-access/

Friday 26th September 2025

Recognition of National Sign Language

Legal recognition of national sign languages is not only necessary but essential to upholding the rights of D/deaf people. It’s a right enshrined in Article 21 of the UNCRPD, which mandates that governments must officially recognise the national sign language.

It’s the unequivocal responsibility of governments to secure the right to sign languages. By complying with Article 21 of the UN CRPD and legally recognising their national sign languages, governments can ensure the active participation of D/deaf individuals in all aspects of society. Extract from World Federation of the Deaf and wording amended by Jean.

Out of 195 countries, only 81 have achieved Sign Language Legislation and officially recognise their sign language (41.5% of countries). New Zealand, a beacon of progress, recognised our significance and passed the third reading of the bills at the Parliament through the New Zealand Language Act in 2006, setting an inspiring example for the rest of the world. However, it’s concerning that 58.5% of countries do not recognise their national sign language (114 out of 195).

Empower yourself by checking out which countries have officially recognised sign language in this link. Your knowledge and awareness are not just passive contributions, but active steps towards the global movement for the recognition of sign language. Your involvement matters.

Consider this: there are over three hundred different sign languages in use worldwide, with more than seventy million D/deaf individuals and those with disabilities. These staggering numbers, reported by the United Nations, underscore the profound global impact of sign language recognition, making it a cause that transcends borders and affects millions.

Imagine a classroom where several D/deaf children are learning and communicating in sign language, just like other children in an ordinary school, like you.

How about in Australia, where many D/deaf Indigenous people perform dancing?

We know there are more D/deaf people, D/deaf with disabilities and Hard of Hearing Seniors living in countries where their countries have not acknowledged the sign language and the culture. It is vital to address the Government about their sign language, culture, and the need to be inclusive in the communities. Inclusivity is not just a buzzword, but a fundamental human right.

Thursday 24th September 2025

Thursday 24th September 2025

Deaf Rights in Crises

Effective disaster planning for deaf communities hinges on strong leadership and collaborative efforts. The use of national sign languages and D/deaf-centred strategies significantly bolsters crisis response. It’s vital to bear in mind that Article 11 of the UNCRPD and the Sendai Framework are not mere guidelines, but legal mandates that necessitate states and organisations to ensure that D/deaf people have access to information in sign language during emergencies. Extract from the World Federation of Deaf People and amended by Jean.

file:///Users/jeanmasters/Downloads/WFD-WASLI-Guidelines-on-Access-to-Information-in-SL-During-Emergency-Broadcasts_Final.pdf

Consider the ongoing crises in Gaza vs Israel, Ukraine vs Russia, where wars have persisted for years. The long-term impact of these conflicts on deaf communities is dire, with millions of people exhausted, striving for peace, and seeking to rebuild their lives, well-being, and mental health to achieve long-term recovery. The reality of people becoming permanently disabled from bombing, malnutrition, and starvation is stark. They are gradually adapting to new disabilities, relearning to navigate their lives, and finding ways to be independent in their new lives or in safe environments

Regrettably, there is no perfect tool of technology to alert millions of D/deaf people, D/deaf with disabilities and Hard of Hearing people to evacuate or escape from humanity’s disasters and wars. While several sponsorship companies have developed watches that alert them to flee, the current aid efforts and technology are insufficient. There is a pressing need for innovation and improvement in this area.

Consider the challenges faced by the deaf community in accessing interpreters, as highlighted through breaking news on media and social media. Without assistance and access to the best information on where to obtain food parcels, medical supplies, hospital supplies, shelter, and other resources, it is a daunting task to support thousands of people.

https://remix.aljazeera.com/aje/PalestineRemix/stronger-than-words.html#/13

https://actionaid.org/news/2024/i-dont-hear-sirens-war-ukraine-intensifies-people-disabilities-face-deadly-toll

Language Diversity and the Deaf Experience in Ukraine

https://www.cufoundation.ca/support-for-the-deaf/

Wednesday 24th September 2025

Multilingual Educators for Deaf Learners

The World Federation of the Deaf (WFD), a leading global organisation dedicated to championing the rights of deaf individuals, is a staunch advocate for the implementation of Article 24 of the CRPD. This pivotal Article mandates that deaf learners should be educated in environments that are both linguistically and culturally appropriate, such as quality inclusive multilingual settings alongside other deaf peers. The WFD, with its extensive experience and expertise in deaf education, is a key player in promoting these inclusive policies. This is an excerpt from the WFD’s official website.

Mm,

When we examine the Education Sectors around the world, we see a clear need for every school, college, Polytechnic, and University to include sign language in their curriculum. This action is not just about allowing students to choose their language subject in the classroom or lecture. It’s about creating a multilingual and culturally appropriate environment that benefits all students. Sign language, as a tool for inclusion and equality, has the potential to foster a sense of belonging among all students, offering an optimistic future.

However, the stark reality is that a single Deaf child in a mainstream school often finds themselves isolated and unable to communicate in sign language. In contrast, other children converse freely in the classroom and on the playground. This method is a clear indication of the scarcity of resources in our education system. The chronic lack of funding for teacher aides with sign language skills, school equipment like Zoom, and limited hours, for instance, only two days a week with a teacher aide, is not just a call to action, but an urgent one. We must address these resource gaps immediately to ensure a truly inclusive education system.

For example, the Hamilton Deaf Units were linked to Kelston School for the Deaf (later renamed Kelston Deaf Education Centre in Auckland). The first Deaf Education was established at the Sumner School for the Deaf, Christchurch; however, it was strictly taught in the oral method, according to the Ministry of Education and the result of the ban on sign language banned by the Milan Congress (1880), a significant event in the history of deaf education that led to the suppression of sign language and the promotion of oralism, stressing the importance of understanding the past for a better future.  

The Education Policies in the countries are often ambiguous and lack clear guidelines when it comes to Teachers of D/deaf children and D/deaf children with disabilities, university-qualified teacher aides for D/deaf children and D/deaf children with disabilities, funding allocation each year, and the role/skills of professional interpreters through activities and recreation. This lack of clarity and comprehensiveness in the policies is a significant barrier to the practical education of deaf learners.

Have you heard about language deprivation before going to school lately? Did you know that any D/deaf baby can pick up sign language/pictures quickly than spoken language from 12 weeks old? The answer is Yes. It is crucial to begin teaching sign language at an early stage, coinciding with the baby’s cognitive development, as it serves as a visual aid for individuals with word blindness. In this condition, a person has difficulty understanding written or spoken words. Sign language can provide a visual representation of language, making it more accessible for individuals with this condition.

The Deaf child/ren will have the choice to use both sign language and spoken language when they are older and blend into the Deaf community as part of D/deaf culture.

Every Ministry of Education should follow Article 24 of the CRPD, United Nations Convention on the Human Rights of People with Disabilities, clearly, not under their own Member of Parliament and staff.