UN Secretary-General António Guterres expressed encouragement that some countries have provided public health announcements and information on COVID-19 with national sign language interpretation.
The UN Disability Inclusion Strategy, which was launched last year, aims to strengthen efforts for the meaningful participation and full inclusion of people with disabilities “in all that we do, including in times of crisis”, the top UN official explained.
He elaborated by calling it “the only way” to fulfill the 2030 Agenda’s central promise to leave no one behind.
“On this International Day of Sign Languages, I call on all local, national and global leaders to protect and promote the diversity of sign languages and cultures, so that every Deaf person can participate in and contribute to society and reach their full potential”, upheld the Secretary-General.
According to the World Federation of the Deaf, there are approximately 72 million worldwide – more than 80 percent of whom live in developing countries – and collectively, they use more than 300 different sign languages.
There is also an international sign language, which is used by deaf people in international meetings and informally when travelling and socializing, which is considered a “pidgin form of sign language” because it is not as complex and has a limited lexicon.
Later this year the World Federation of the Deaf will issue a Global Leaders Challenge to promote the use of sign languages by local, national and global leaders in partnership with national associations of deaf people and deaf-led organizations in each country.
