Namibian Youth Group Demands Real Action for Deaf Rights

The Namibian Organisation of Youth with Disability (NOYD) marked the International Day of Sign Languages on September 23 by calling for tangible action to uphold deaf rights in daily life. Joined by the deaf community, civil society, government representatives, and international partners, NOYD stressed that the event should prompt real change, not just symbolic gestures.

In an official statement, NOYD highlighted that access to sign language is essential for securing basic services like education, healthcare, justice, employment, information, political participation, and human dignity. They urged the government to move beyond policy declarations to funded, measurable, and legally enforceable actions.

NOYD pointed to the Revised National Policy and Disability 2025-2035 and its Costed Implementation Plan, approved in July 2025 and launched in October 2025, as a chance for Namibia to turn commitments into results. This policy aims to strengthen implementation, accountability, accessibility, data collection, and inclusive service delivery.

According to the Namibian National Association of the Deaf (NNAD), there are approximately 27,000 deaf individuals in Namibia, but the number of interpreters is insufficient. The NNAD also highlighted issues like low pay and limited policies requiring institutions to provide interpretation services.

The NNAD reported that 563 deaf children are enrolled in resource and inclusive schools in Namibia. It continues to advocate for more interpreters, teacher training, and equal access to education.