Miss-Delectable
New Member
- Joined
- Apr 18, 2004
- Messages
- 17,158
- Reaction score
- 7
city of johannesburg - The deaf raise their voices
THE voices of those who are not often heard had an audience on International Day of Disabled Persons, when a platform was given to the deaf and blind to speak out.
To mark the day, a function was held at the Joburg Metropolitan Centre, in Braamfontein, as part of the 16 Days of Activism for No Violence against Women and Children.
In welcoming the guests on Thursday, 3 December, the member of the mayoral committee for infrastructure and services, Christine Walters, said: "We appreciate your coming and taking part in the programme because often you are the people whose voice is not heard.
"We as able people do not have an idea of how you live so today we would like to hear your stories. You must remember that the more we share, the stronger our voices will be against women and children abuse."
Judith Madi, a social worker at the Deaf Federation of South Africa, shed light on how difficult life can be for deaf people.
Speaking through a sign language interpreter, Madi lamented that most deaf people did not have deep and insightful information about HIV and Aids because they could not understand what was said on television.
"This has resulted in cases were these people become excited when they receive the news that they are positive, because to them being positive is a good thing," Madi said. "This in the end, results in unnecessary HIV/Aids deaths because such patients are not aware of the fact that they have to take care of themselves."
It was difficult, she added, for deaf people to report sexual or physical abuse because most police stations did not have sign language interpreters. "Sometimes we go to the police station and the police officers make fun of us, asking why we did not scream or call our nearest police station."
She urged people to learn sign language and for sign language to be considered the country's 12th official language.
Walters responded that Madi's requests and suggestions were very valid. She promised to sit down with the relevant parties to discuss a way forward.
"We can learn so many things from you. From you we can learn tolerance, we can learn unconditional love and I just want to say thank you for teaching us so much," said Lulu Bayi, Gender Links' gender, justice and local government facilitator.
Johannesburg has a library that caters for blind and deaf people.
International Day of Disabled Persons has been observed by the United Nations since 1992. It is held each year on 3 December.
Also an international United Nations' campaign, 16 Days of Activism for No Violence against Women takes place annually from 25 November to 10 December. Since 1999, the South African government has run a parallel campaign focusing on violence against children.
The aim is to generate an increased awareness of the negative effect of violence on women and children as well as on society as a whole, and to stop the abuse.
THE voices of those who are not often heard had an audience on International Day of Disabled Persons, when a platform was given to the deaf and blind to speak out.
To mark the day, a function was held at the Joburg Metropolitan Centre, in Braamfontein, as part of the 16 Days of Activism for No Violence against Women and Children.
In welcoming the guests on Thursday, 3 December, the member of the mayoral committee for infrastructure and services, Christine Walters, said: "We appreciate your coming and taking part in the programme because often you are the people whose voice is not heard.
"We as able people do not have an idea of how you live so today we would like to hear your stories. You must remember that the more we share, the stronger our voices will be against women and children abuse."
Judith Madi, a social worker at the Deaf Federation of South Africa, shed light on how difficult life can be for deaf people.
Speaking through a sign language interpreter, Madi lamented that most deaf people did not have deep and insightful information about HIV and Aids because they could not understand what was said on television.
"This has resulted in cases were these people become excited when they receive the news that they are positive, because to them being positive is a good thing," Madi said. "This in the end, results in unnecessary HIV/Aids deaths because such patients are not aware of the fact that they have to take care of themselves."
It was difficult, she added, for deaf people to report sexual or physical abuse because most police stations did not have sign language interpreters. "Sometimes we go to the police station and the police officers make fun of us, asking why we did not scream or call our nearest police station."
She urged people to learn sign language and for sign language to be considered the country's 12th official language.
Walters responded that Madi's requests and suggestions were very valid. She promised to sit down with the relevant parties to discuss a way forward.
"We can learn so many things from you. From you we can learn tolerance, we can learn unconditional love and I just want to say thank you for teaching us so much," said Lulu Bayi, Gender Links' gender, justice and local government facilitator.
Johannesburg has a library that caters for blind and deaf people.
International Day of Disabled Persons has been observed by the United Nations since 1992. It is held each year on 3 December.
Also an international United Nations' campaign, 16 Days of Activism for No Violence against Women takes place annually from 25 November to 10 December. Since 1999, the South African government has run a parallel campaign focusing on violence against children.
The aim is to generate an increased awareness of the negative effect of violence on women and children as well as on society as a whole, and to stop the abuse.