The World Federation of the Deaf & CBM Global strengthens partnership

News | March 18, 2023

The World Federation of the Deaf (WFD) and CBM Global Disability Inclusion are proud to announce a strengthening of the two organisations’ collaboration with a $100,000 grant from CBM Global to the WFD (with funding support from Swiss Development Cooperation). This grant will strengthen the WFD’s ability to deliver its core mission of furthering human rights through national sign languages and specific collaborative projects.

This partnership builds on joint initiatives between the WFD and CBM Global from 2022 in which the two organizations took action to support deaf women and girls in Nigeria. Specifically, the WFD-CBM Global partnership aimed to highlight challenges faced by deaf Nigerian women and girls accessing healthcare in the context of national disasters. In 2023, WFD, in partnership with Federación Boliviana de Sordos (FEBOS), CBM Global, and CBM Global Bolivia, will replicate this research study in Bolivia with a specific focus on Indigenous deaf women who are particularly marginalised and excluded.

“The WFD and CBM Global’s joint projects will empower deaf women to create change through deaf-led initiatives based on Global South contexts,” said WFD President Dr. Joseph J. Murray.

As background on the research conducted in Nigeria, CBM Global, through its country office in Nigeria, the WFD, and its ordinary member, the Nigeria National Association of the Deaf (NNAD), collaborated to support the research. Data was collected from deaf women and men from the central zones of Nigeria and in-depth interviews of deaf women, one from each regional and tribal zone: north, west, and east. From this data, a report was produced with recommendations for effective policies and solutions for Nigerian stakeholders and government officials to tackle the inequalities faced by Nigerian deaf women and girls in accessing healthcare information and services.

David Bainbridge, CBM Global Executive Director says:

“The research report highlights the depth of exclusion and inequality routinely faced by Nigerian deaf women and girls. CBM Global is pleased to be supporting WFD in realising the rights of deaf women and girls and tackling such barriers.”

CBM Global Nigeria, WFD, and CBM Global organised a launch event to share the final report in December 2022. CBM Global in Nigeria hosted the event in person with various national stakeholders, including government authorities, and WFD and CBM Global provided an online part to launch and share findings from the report “Barriers to Healthcare Access for Deaf Nigerian Women and Girls during Emergencies: Analyzing the Additional Impacts on their Intersectional Identity.”

We look forward to continuing our partnership in 2023.

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