02/04/2024
Living with disabilities in Liberia poses a huge challenge, especially for the deaf community. One of such challenges is access.
Access to information, education, and other social services is limited, and in some cases, non-existent.
Deaf people are those who can not speak and hear, or have limited speech and hearing abilities. The community in a unique form called sign language. This is the means through which they communicate. It entails the usage of hand gestures, body movement, facial expressions and lip-reading.
In most government sectors, this is not taken into consideration. For example, during the State of the Nation address (SONA), deaf people were excluded. They had to access what His Excellency Amb. Joseph Nyamah Boakai, Sr., president of the republic of Liberia, presented to the nation, because there was no sign language interpreters.
In order to change this narrative and to position deaf people in mainstream decision-making processes, provide more empowerment opportunities for deaf people and make their voices heard, a major stakeholders meeting was convened on Saturday, February 3rd, 2024. The meeting was held at the residence of Mr. Edward Cheah, an ardent advocate for deaf people, who is also a deaf person.
Mr. Cheah welcomed everyone and encouraged all to speak about what they see as the challenges. He indicated that without working together, it would be difficult to achieve anything..
After series of deliberations and discussions, It was concluded that a petition would be drafted to be submitted to the upper house of the legislative branch of government (House of Senate).
The petition will include points such as:
1. The inclusion of deaf people in decision-making-the participantion of deaf people at the level of NCD;
2 The inclusion of deaf people at key ministries and agencies such as: Ministry of Education, Ministry of Gender and Children Affairs, Ministry of Sports, Ministry of health, etc.;
3 The inclusion of deaf people at the level of higher institution of leaning (University of Liberia);
4 The inclusion of sign language interpreters at all state functions and at key public sectors;
5 Raising the Budget allotted to deaf people in the NCD Budget;
6 Making the deaf representative at NCD second or first in decision-making.
Crafting of a social inclusion Bill targeting deaf people in Liberia
Mr. Joshua Bull, who represents the deaf community at National Commission on Disabilities (NCD), and serves as Deputy Director for Technical Services, updated everyone in attendance about the workings of the National Commission on Disabilities (NCD). It was agreed the he will tentatively remain at NCD representing the deaf community. He was tasked with the responsibility of conducting meetings to listen to the deaf community, and also update them about the work that NCD is doing in relation to the deaf community.
The deaf community requested that they be fully aware of what happens at NCD.
A working group was established created in order to continue the dialogue.
Also present at the Meeting was Madam Cecilia Cheah, who sated that she is willing to help take the petition to government and also to help the deaf community in Liberia. She is a relative of a deaf person (Mr. Edward Cheah), both of whom reside in the United States of America (USA). She is one of the chief conveners of the meeting which was held.
Speaking further, Madam Cheah, indicated that; "Liberia belongs to all Liberians, irrespective of their different abilities." She admonished deaf leaders to come together and work for the benefit of all the deaf people.
Success Forum will continue to provide more updates about the inner workings of the group and the deaf community in Liberia.