AD calls for inclusive policies for deaf people

Alternattiva Demokratika issued a statement calling for inclusive policies with regard to deaf people, as part of the activities carried during Deaf Awareness Week.

AD spokesperson for Disability and Sport Claire Azzopardi Lane, who participated in the Deaf Week 2012 debate, criticised how Maltese deaf people find themselves frustrated by a lack of communicational and technological accessibility.

"The lack of access to communication is what hampers the lives of individuals within the Maltese Deaf community. In order to have access to communication Deaf people require adaptations, such as subtitles, sign language interpretation and access to technology," she said.

"Since Malta is still in the process of rectifying the United Nations Convention on Human Rights, Alternattiva Demokratika - The Green Party supports the introduction of measures that will enhance the equal opportunities of people in the Maltese Deaf Community. Such measures form part of AD's electoral manifesto," she added.

Azzopardi Lane also insisted on the importance of recognising Maltese sign language as an official language, increasing the number of local sign language interpreters and subsidizing technology that is required for communication purposes.

AD Chairperson Michael Briguglio also insisted that "the rights of persons with disability are a top priority for the Green Party," emphasising that "inclusion and accessibility are basic pillars of everyday democracy."