The 3rd Asia-Pacific CBR Congress

Japanese Federation of the Deaf
～International Assist Activities～

1. About JFD (Japanese Federation of the Deaf)

In 1947, JFD was established in Gunma Prefecture, with attendance of over 200 deaf people and the related throughout the nation, who were longed for start of an organization “of deaf people, by deaf people, for deaf people”.

Against social disadvantage that were suffered by persons with hearing disabled including deaf people, JFD has made effort for both social improvement and welfare improvement for persons with hearing disabled, that is, driver’s license in 1973, revision of Civil Law Article 11 in 1979, and abolition of persons with hearing disabled disqualification clause in several laws since 2002.

In line with Article 2 of UN Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities which was adopted in 2008, JFD works for legislation of “Sign Language Act(Tentative)”.

2. Cooperation with WFD (World Federation of the Deaf)

It was 1959 when JFD joined the WFD which has been established in 1951. The first delegates from Japan attended the 5th WFD World Congress of the Deaf in 1967. JFD hosted the 11th WFD World Congress of the Deaf at Tokyo in 1991, attracted 7,000 participants from both domestic and international, which hit a record high.

Photograph 1

On request from WFD, JFD opened WFD Regional Secretariat in Asia/Pacific (WFDRSA/P) at JFD’s office. Since 1984, WFD RSA/P has hold a Representatives Meeting every year in turn by the member countries, to improve welfare for the deaf in Asia and the pacific region. With separation of the Pacific region in 2013, it was changed into WFD Regional Secretariat for Asia (WFDRSA).

Photograph 2

As it has become possible for deaf people in Asia countries/areas to run a steady operation of its association, the first transfer of WFDRSA from Japan to other countries/areas, was approved at the 27th WDRSA Representatives Meeting in 2015. Therefore, Macau Deaf Association takes over WFDRSA since 2015.

3. International Assist

At the 4th WFDRSA Representatives Meeting which was held in parallel with the 11th WFD World Congress of the Deaf in 1991, 30 participants from Asia and the Pacific countries discussed on several issues on deaf people. As a conclusion, the necessity for training on operation of deaf organization and deaf leadership was recognized.

JFD held “Leadership Training Seminar for Asian Deaf Persons” in 1994. Since 1995, JFD had conducted the training program titled “Leadership Training of Asian and Oceanian Deaf Person” under the sponsorship of the Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA) after some negotiation with the Health and Welfare Ministry, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, and JICA.

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The training program continued by 2013. A lot of deaf persons have played an active part in their home countries, who acquired know-how and skills on operation of deaf organization and negotiation with governments/administrations through the JFD’s training program. Among these deaf persons, some became presidents of organizations, even a Diet member.

In addition to the training program under JICA, JFD has been involved in human resource development of deaf people in Asia and the Pacific in collaboration with The Nippon Foundation and Duskin“AINOWA”Fund.

4. Asian Deaf Friendship Project

The “Asian Deaf Friendship Fund”was established as one of the projects to commemorate JFD’s 50th anniversary in 1996 to contribute toward the achievement of goals set forth in the first “Asian and Pacific Decade of Disabled Persons”. The fund has implemented projects that facilitated to provide actual assist for deaf children and deaf people in Asia, to realize full participation and equality of Asian deaf people. The fund was changed into ”Asian Deaf Friendship Project” in 2013.

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Among the implemented projects are, support for enrollment of deaf children, construction of deaf school buildings, purchase of school bus, publication of education materials for sign languages in Thailand, Nepal, Philippine, Myanmar, and Sri Lanka. Recently, the project implemented the visit to Nepal for damage survey in deaf school suffered from Nepal Earthquake.

5. In the future

JFD will continue to support Macau Deaf Association, who takes over WFDRSA.

Number of members in Asia who join WFD is 17 countries/areas. Many countries do not join in WFD yet, or do not have any deaf associations. JFD will facilitate establishment of deaf associations or join in WFD in those countries.

JFD will support to continue exchange of information at the WFDRSA Representatives Meeting to secure development of youth human resource in deaf association, and to promote development of sign language interpreters and formation of organization of sign language interpreters in each country/area.

JFD continues to support education for deaf children, to promote improvement of environment for deaf education.

In regard to issue on women with disabilities which is one of important goals in the 3rd Asian and Pacific Decade of Persons with Disabilities, JFD will finalize the project plan to support independence of deaf women.