Survey: Deaf community neglected

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Their disengagement has been compounded by their avoiding to vie for leadership positions through which they can fight for their rights and demand meaningful participation.

Arusha. Participation of people with hearing impairment in local governance structures in Tanzania is minimal due to their disability,a recent survey has shown.

Their disengagement has been compounded by their avoiding to vie for leadership positions through which they can fight for their rights and demand meaningful participation.

The survey sponsored by Foundation for Civil Society in Arusha, Morogoro and Mwanza regions indicate a large number of them were also not aware of legislations affecting their lives.

“This means there are many decisions that have affect their livelihoods, which are made without their awareness or intervention,” said Dr Egidius Kamanyi, the leader of the survey.

He told members of the Tanzania Society for the Deaf (TSD) and local government officials here that there was still stigma and discrimination for the deaf.

“The deaf community has also in some way been forced into marginal positions because the community around them disregards or disrespects them,” he added.

Equally worrying is the fact that the legal and policy environment for the rights of the deaf community is either not conducive or there is some level of lenience or negligence among the leaders themselves.

According to the findings of the survey, 37 per cent of the respondents in the three regions were not aware of the National Disability Strategic Plan.

Some 31 per cent and 27 per cent pleaded ignorance to the international conventions on the same and the National Disability Policy respectively.

Twenty three per cent others said they were ignorant of the Persons with Disability Act, 2010, which shows how the government was dealing hearing impairment, among other disabilities.

As a sign of mistrust with the local governance structures, the majority of the deaf interviewed (29 per cent) said they would prefer to channel their complaints to the courts.

About a quarter (25 per cent) insisted that they would not take any action even if discriminated while 22 per cent said they would lodge such complaints to the police. Only 12 per cent and five per cent have trust in village governments and disabled people’s organisations respectively in tackling their problems.

According to recent statistics, people with hearing impairment in Tanzania are estimated to be 600,000.

They are among 10 per cent of the country’s total population of people suffering from different forms of disabilities.