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Deaf children have a right to a quality education, like all other children, in a language and environment that maximizes their potential.
Human Rights Watch documented cases of deaf children and young people in Nepal, China, and northern Uganda who were denied their right to education in sign language. Some deaf children and young people interviewed did not attend school at all. Teachers and parents often have the misconception that deaf children lack the intellectual capacity to learn. A deaf teacher featured in the video told Human Rights Watch: “Our disability only affects our hearing, not our minds. A deaf child’s mind is as good as a hearing child’s mind.”
Defending Human Rights Worldwide. The right to education in sign language for deaf people is safeguarded by the United Nations Convention on the Rights of People with Disabilities. Under this treaty, governments have an obligation to facilitate the learning of sign language and to promote the linguistic identity of the deaf community. In concrete terms, this means employing teachers who are qualified in the national sign language, and training teachers at all levels of education to work with deaf pupils. Central to this approach is empowering deaf children, young people, and parents to help design and carry out education in sign language.
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