The Community Empowerment for Progress Organisation (CEPO), together with Light for the World, unveiled Juba’s inaugural Sign Language Learning Center on Tuesday.
Edmund Yakani, Executive Director of CEPO, highlighted the significance of enrolling individuals with disabilities in sign language classes, emphasising that it fosters societal inclusion in communication and information sharing.
Yakani stated, “As CEPO, in partnership with Light for the World, we believe it is crucial to ensure that sign language becomes a skill every South Sudanese citizen possesses.
This enables us to communicate respectfully and effectively with our brothers and sisters who have impairments.”
Mandela Isaac, Senior Disability Facilitator at Light for the World, emphasised the importance of ensuring that educational facilities are inclusive for people with disabilities.
Isaac explained that inclusive education cannot be fully realised if individuals with hearing impairments are left out of receiving information at schools.
To address this, Light for the World partnered with the government to develop the National Inclusive Education Policy, which was launched in 2021.
This policy, now government-owned, advocates for the rights of persons with disabilities to access education.
Isaac further emphasised the necessity of accessible school infrastructure, such as classrooms wide enough for wheelchair users, and the importance of having teachers who are proficient in sign language.
Meanwhile, Kachinga Peter, Chairperson of the South Sudan National Association for the Deaf, underscored that the establishment of the center is in line with the demands of the United Nations Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities, which was recently ratified by the transitional unity government.
“The emergence of this center is timely, coinciding with the ratification and signing of the U.N. Convention by our President.
“It is crucial to translate this commitment into action,” Kachinga emphasized. “South Sudan, amidst numerous challenges, particularly faces communication barriers for persons with disabilities.
“Today, this center marks a significant step forward in addressing these challenges and benefiting individuals with hearing impairments.”
On February 21, 2023, President Salva Kiir of South Sudan endorsed the United Nations Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities, making South Sudan the 185th country to ratify the convention.
This convention serves as a global framework dedicated to advancing and safeguarding the equal enjoyment of human rights and fundamental freedoms for all individuals with disabilities.
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