Page No 1 - World Federation of the Deaf

7.5.0 Access to Government Services
7.5.1 Do Deaf people have access to government services such as education, health care, employment, social welfare
and any general government services?
7.5.1.1 If yes, how do Deaf people access these government services?
7.5.1.2 Are Deaf people satisfied with the level of access they have to the government services?
Country
Do Deaf people
have access to
government
services such as
education, health
care, employment,
social welfare and
any general
government
services?
Costa Rica Yes
Cuba Yes
Dominican Republic Yes
El Salvador Yes
Guatemala Yes
Haiti No
Guyana No
Honduras Yes
Mexico Yes
Nicaragua Yes
Panama Yes
Suriname No
Total 9 Yes (75%)
If yes, how do Deaf people access
these government services?
Access to government services is
provided for in Law 7600
Quite naturally like any citizen of
our country, without distinction,
with priority given to members of
the association. For example
children under 5 years of age with
Deaf parents have priority to enter
childcare whether the mother works
or not. Members pay 50% of the
price of transport, also for tickets to
theatrical performances & other
activities.
Now working on inclusion of children
& youth in schools all around the
country.
The same as hearing persons, and as
necessary.
The constitution gives equal rights in
education, health and social life.
ANSH regularly sends information to
parents and families about support
in school and high school; and we
have direct contact and lobby
government.
The problem in Mexico is there are
few Deaf and hearing teachers who
know LSM. We are now in the
process of developing more
workshops for teachers.
Access to government services is the
same as that of any citizen in the
country.
There are many problems because
some Deaf want to work as teachers
but the Ministry of Education will
not accept this.
Based on 12 respondents
Are Deaf people satisfied with the level
of access they have to the government
services?
Deaf people are not happy because many
institutions do not attend to Law 7600.
Yes, because the social programmes
taking place in our country are
qualitatively superior in the areas of
education, employment, social security,
social services, housing and transport
among others.
No, because it is very limited.
No, there is a need for more quality to
make the Deaf community happy.
No, the basic service is from the
government and there is not enough for
all people (Deaf and hearing).
No, since there is no access to these
governmental services.
More or less, but we are conscientious
that there is much lacking; there are
areas that are not covered. The
Association continues working to change
this, since most of the Interpreting
Service Centres do not offer support.
No, previously we did not have access to
university because we didn’t have
interpreters. Now we are working to
train interpreters.
No, because it is very limited & there are
many cases of Deaf people not having
equality with hearing people in the
country. The law says that places of
employment must give 2% of their
employee positions to people with
disabilities & provide these employees
with the conditions necessary to do their
work.
Limited; some places of employment do
not give a good salary, because Deaf are
disabled.
The Project was under the auspices of the Swedish National Association of the Deaf (SDR) and the World Federation of the Deaf (WFD), Page No 57
and funded by the Swedish Agency for International Development Cooperation (Sida) and Swedish Organisations’ of Disabled Persons
International Aid Association (Shia).