By Landing Colley
Gambia Association of the Deaf and Hard of Hearing, GADHOH, has called on the government to urgently support them both financially and intellectually.
The officials of the Institution made the call during the commemoration of the International Week of The Deaf held Monday.
Speaking at commemoration, Muhammed Krubally, chairman of Gambia Federation of the Disable said “the commemoration day is significant and is to remind the world that those that are deaf or with heard of hearing are also human being that should enjoy the inherit dignity, fundamental rights and freedom like others.”
He said that under the rights, person with abilities should ensure that those that are hard of hearing attain education as enshrined in article 24 of the UN Convention, and they should not be discriminated but should be given all equal opportunities like others.
“We remind the State that in school curriculum from nursery up to tertiary institution government should make sure that sign language interpretation becomes part of their educational curriculum so that Gambians will be trained with sign language interpretation,” he added.
Dodou Loum, executive director for GADHOH said: “In order to ensure that each and every bit of development effort lead to fruition utilization of sign language must be prioritized. The human rights of the deaf people continue to be seriously violated. This violation comes in the form of denial of adequate access to opportunities and services which are accessible to other citizens.”
He added that “We are all born in The Gambia or acquired Gambia nationality with full human rights. We are all obliged to pay tax and contribute to national development, however some sections of the society have no access to the national cake while others have. Why?”
According to him, most of the deaf people still lack proper access to education, health care, employment opportunities and public information services. While added that this situation has been holding them back and prolonging their socio-economic suffering and deprivation of what rightfully belongs to them.
He said government has the full responsibility to put an end to the horrible situation of the deaf community.
Meanwhile he called on both the government and stakeholders to help them financially and support them.
