Ethiopia has been urged to provide appropriate attention to develop and expand sign language. This call comes during World Hearing Day, themed around the inability of hearing-impaired individuals' rights to be fulfilled without sign language recognition. Yohannes Teklay, president of the National Association of the Hearing Impaired, demanded legal recognition for the language.
Addis Ababa, Tikimt 9, 2018 (Fana) – The 67th global and 33rd Ethiopian observance of World Hearing Day featured the theme: 'Hearing without sign language recognition, the rights of the hearing impaired cannot be fulfilled.'
Yohannes Teklay, president of Ethiopia's National Association of the Hearing Impaired, stated in his message that sign language should receive legal recognition. He emphasized that hearing-impaired individuals must have equal participation in social exclusion through proper sign language interpretation alongside others.
Furthermore, the language should be actively involved in social, economic, and political matters, he urged. Hearing-impaired citizens are required to engage in education, employment, and social life meaningfully. To this end, they called on the government and relevant stakeholders to provide focused efforts to expand sign language.
To change the erroneous perceptions about the hearing-impaired community and sign language, they urged numerous stakeholders to fulfill their roles in creating awareness. Fana Media Corporation supported the seminar professionally by collaborating with the National Association for the first time, enabling it to be held at March Band.