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Deafness in Somalia
The exact number of the deaf population in Somalia is unknown, but it's estimated to be around 4,000 people. Somalia has been making steady progress in disability rights. Despite this, in Somalia's Disability Report published in 2024, there was minimal focus on hard-of-hearing (DHH) Somalians or Somalia Sign Language, missing information about education for the deaf community. However, a school in Mogadishu, Somalia, teaches deaf children using Somali Sign Language.
The human rights of DHH people are outlined in United Nations Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities (CRPD). Somalia ratified the CRPD in 2019. They have not accepted the Optional Protocol to the Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities. While the CRPD applies to all disability communities, the World Federation of the Deaf (WFD) highlights several articles that are of particular interest.
Somalia's initial state party report was due 2023 but has not yet been submitted.[citation needed]
In 2024, the Somalia National Bureau of Statistics published a national report on the status of disabled people. Throughout the report, minimal attention was spent on DHH communities. The word "deaf" or "deafness" is not used once in the document. The following content will detail the most relevant passages of the report as it pertains to DHH communities.[citation needed]
The report spends a section on access to education for people with disabilities, pointing out the significant gap of education access between abled people and disabled people. Despite this, no mention of education for DHH people is made specifically. This report does not discuss if/how sign language is used in Somalian education, though it is present.
As of February 6, 2025, Somalia's deaf communities and deaf schools use Somali Sign Language (SSL). It began as Kenyan Sign Language, before developing into a sign language specific to Somalia.[citation needed]
As of 2025, the World Federation of the Deaf has no information on the legal recognition of Somali Sign Language.
Early intervention for deaf and hard of hearing children refers to the services and support provided to families and professionals to help DHH children learn language and build upon speech and social development. Some methods often used for early intervention for DHH children are cochlear implants, hearing aids, and education programs tailored to meet the needs of the child.[citation needed]
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Deafness in Somalia
The exact number of the deaf population in Somalia is unknown, but it's estimated to be around 4,000 people. Somalia has been making steady progress in disability rights. Despite this, in Somalia's Disability Report published in 2024, there was minimal focus on hard-of-hearing (DHH) Somalians or Somalia Sign Language, missing information about education for the deaf community. However, a school in Mogadishu, Somalia, teaches deaf children using Somali Sign Language.
The human rights of DHH people are outlined in United Nations Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities (CRPD). Somalia ratified the CRPD in 2019. They have not accepted the Optional Protocol to the Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities. While the CRPD applies to all disability communities, the World Federation of the Deaf (WFD) highlights several articles that are of particular interest.
Somalia's initial state party report was due 2023 but has not yet been submitted.[citation needed]
In 2024, the Somalia National Bureau of Statistics published a national report on the status of disabled people. Throughout the report, minimal attention was spent on DHH communities. The word "deaf" or "deafness" is not used once in the document. The following content will detail the most relevant passages of the report as it pertains to DHH communities.[citation needed]
The report spends a section on access to education for people with disabilities, pointing out the significant gap of education access between abled people and disabled people. Despite this, no mention of education for DHH people is made specifically. This report does not discuss if/how sign language is used in Somalian education, though it is present.
As of February 6, 2025, Somalia's deaf communities and deaf schools use Somali Sign Language (SSL). It began as Kenyan Sign Language, before developing into a sign language specific to Somalia.[citation needed]
As of 2025, the World Federation of the Deaf has no information on the legal recognition of Somali Sign Language.
Early intervention for deaf and hard of hearing children refers to the services and support provided to families and professionals to help DHH children learn language and build upon speech and social development. Some methods often used for early intervention for DHH children are cochlear implants, hearing aids, and education programs tailored to meet the needs of the child.[citation needed]