The most significant gesture for deaf people is for the authorities to make decisions to improve conditions for people with hearing impairments.
The state declares its commitment to accessibility. But when we look at the real living conditions of people with hearing impairments, we see that this movement is too slow and painfully inconsistent. People who cannot hear are still ignored, left out of priorities and decisions.
People with hearing loss, especially those who have been deaf since birth, face enormous difficulties in everyday life, in interacting with society and, worst of all, in critical situations when life is at stake.
That is why we use our own funds and efforts to provide what the state should guarantee:
Silent calls to the police (102) and other emergency services in the "Sign Language Interpreter" mobile app — with the highest priority of service for deaf users.
We had high hopes when we launched a pilot inclusive project with the Ministry of Internal Affairs that would provide police crews with tablets to call a sign language interpreter online, but unfortunately, the state did not support it further.
What important achievements have been made so far in cooperation with the state:
- The websites of the National Police, the Ministry of Internal Affairs, the State Emergency Service, and the Main Service Center of the Ministry of Internal Affairs now feature a special web widget for people with hearing impairments, where they can call an online sign language interpreter.
- In cooperation with the State Emergency Service, we have created a section called "Safety ABC" — 58 video lessons adapted for sign language and available online. This is vital information that is now accessible to everyone.
As a non-governmental organization, we constantly explain, educate, and speak out so that hearing people, including those in power, begin to understand that hearing loss is an invisible but real disability. And it should not remain invisible when it comes to decision-making.
We will continue to strive to ensure that the needs of people with hearing impairments are not only heard but also taken into account.
