RSA/P Regional Survey Report No 2 (English Version) PDF - World ...

It was interesting to note the discrepancy in numbers of Deaf people in Japan, the Republic of Korea and Thailand as provided
by the National Association of the Deaf and by the national government as follows:
Country
The National Government’s official number of Deaf
people
The Association’s/Group’s number of Deaf
people
Japan 312,000 23,905
Republic of Korea 180,000 300,000
Thailand 90,000 300,000
Total 582,000 623,905
The next question in the survey provides an essential record of Deaf people who use sign language as their primary language.
Five out of 14 countries reported their number of Sign Language Users as below:
Country
Does your Association have any official or approximate numbers of Deaf people
who use sign language as their primary language?
Total Sign Language Users
Australia Yes 16,000
Cambodia Yes 1,500
Laos Yes 155
Nepal Yes 5,743
Philippines Yes 975
Total 5 Yes (36%) 24,373
Based on 14 respondents
It was interesting to compare official numbers of Deaf people with the number of Deaf people who use sign language as their
native language:
Country
The National Government’s official
number of Deaf people
The Association’s/Group’s official
or approximate number of Deaf
people
Total of Sign Language Users as
stated by the Deaf
Association/Group
Australia N/A 16,000 16,000
Cambodia N/A 85,000 1,500
Nepal N/A 192,000 5,743
Philippines 121,000 N/A 975
Total 121,000 293,000 24,218
An analysis of the survey data indicates that the average percentage of Deaf people who use sign language in three countries in
the region of Asia and the Pacific is 8%.
Country Total Deaf people (Associations’ estimates) Total Sign Language Users Average
Australia 16,000 16,000 100%
Cambodia 85,000 1,500 2%
Nepal 192,000 5,743 3%
Total 293,000 23,243 8%
The survey approached all 14 countries with a clear question as to whether HIV/AIDS affected the Deaf women, men and
children in their country. Six country respondents (Australia, Cambodia, Japan, Malaysia, Nepal and Thailand) stated “Yes”;
further explanation of the situation of HIV/AIDS in the Deaf Communities in these countries can be found on page 53. Three
countries (Laos, New Zealand and Philippines) stated they do not have any information about this and three countries (Laos,
Korea and Sri Lanka) answered “No”. Two countries (Bhutan and Myanmar) did not supply this information. It is a significant
concern that more than half of the country respondents have no reliable information about the situation of HIV/AIDS within
their own Deaf Community.
4.3 Legislation and Policies
On the first day of the Regional Working Group Meeting, the Project Co-ordinator introduced the United Nations Convention on
the Rights of Persons with Disabilities (CRPD) concentrating on the key articles relating to the Deaf Community as follows:
Article 2:
Article 9:
Article 21:
Article 24:
Article 30:
Definition
Accessibility
Freedom of expression and opinion, and access to information
Education
Participation in cultural life, recreation leisure and sport
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 16
and funded by the Swedish Agency for International Development Cooperation (Sida) and Swedish Organisations of Disabled Persons
International Aid Association (Shia).