| Spain National Confederation of Deaf People (CNSE) Established: 1936. Address: C/ Montesa, 38 c/v pasaje martí. 28006 Madrid Contact details: Mrs. Mar Amate García. direccion@cnse.es Website link: www.cnse.es
Mission statement of the organisation To get the full citizens' rights to the deaf people, the equality of opportunities to all people since their birth, without discrimination and barriers to access to rights and resources in the case of deaf people because being deaf. The Statutes include, among others, to defence the rights and interests of deaf people to improve their quality of live, representation and also the defence the rights and interests of all regional federations which conform the CNSE itself, the impulse to Spanish sign languages research and dissemination and also the representing of the linguistic community of people who use this language.
Details of the Board President: Mr. Luis Jesús Cañón Reguera Boardmembers: Mrs. Amparo Minguet Soto - 1st Vicepresident, Mrs. Concepción Díaz Robledo - 2nd Vicepresident, Mr. Pedro García Sanz - General Secretary, Mr. Emilio Ferreiro Lago, Mr. Javier Piñera García, Mrs. Ana Maria Vázquez Aznar, Mrs. Rosa Marta González Álvarez, Mr. Rafael Bravo Caravante, Mr. Roberto Suárez Martín, Mrs. Felisa Rosario Pino López. (All this people are deaf)
Details of the Staff Executive Director: Mrs. Mar Amate García (H) Other staff: 15 people (6 deaf and 9 hearing), 2 interpreters.
Statistics General Population of your country? (Including hearing people): The population in Spain nowadays is 45.207.000 Official or approximate figures of the number of Deaf people living in your country? Around one million of deaf and hard of hearing. Official or approximate numbers of Deaf people who use sign language as their primary language? Around 120.000 How many people are members of the NAD? 15.000 Does your National Association of the Deaf publish any magazine or newsletters for your members? Yes, the magazine is Faro del Silencio, stated in 1975 Does your National Association of the Deaf have Youth section? Yes, the National Commission on Deaf Youth (CNJ-CNSE)
Status of Sign Language Is Sign Language legally recognised as part of your Government's constitution? The Spanish Sign Language is legally recognized in the Estate since October 2007. Also is recognized the Catalonian Sign Language, only in the Catalonian territory. In Spanish Constitution is not a recognizement of the LSE, but the recently approved law is one of the most advanced in social rights to deaf people, hearing impairment and the Deafblind.
Status of Sign Language Interpreters Approximate number of qualified sign language interpreters: Around 1.500. Details of training centre/courses: There are 45 Secondary Schools through out Spain.
Technology Does your country provide Video Interpreting Service? Nowadays, no. If not, when will it be implemented? 2008/2009
Deaf centre/clubs How many deaf centres/clubs? 135. Details of the deaf centre/clubs: CNSE is composed by 17 territorial/regional federations, one in each autonomous community, and by the autonomous city deaf association in Melilla. These federations are composed by 135 provincial deaf associations. Also, inside CNSE you can find collaborate members, which are associations of parents of deaf children and youth.
Universities/Sign Language Units Are there any Universities that deals with Sign Language? (Deaf Studies, Linguistics, Interpreting) Alicante University stated in 2000 a "Special Unit on Linguistic Research in Sign Languages". Its goals are the study about the linguistic structure in sign languages (specially in Spanish Sign Language), the development of sign languages and the study of written systems of sign languages. Also, the have implemented one Signs Library inside of Virtual Library Miguel de Cervantes, available on line: http://www.cervantesvirtual.com/seccion/signos We have information about 12 Universities that, to June 2007 offered diverse studies regarding sign language: electives courses, summer courses, continuous training and post-graduate studies.
Deaf Schools Number of Deaf Schools: 13 Education method (Sign Language, Oral or other methods): Now, in Spain, the deaf schools are progressive disappearing, in accordance to new educational legislation which promotes, priority, the mainstreaming of disability pupils. However, now we can find 13 deaf schools, 8 are public centres and 5 are private centres.
History of the NAD National Confederation of the Deaf was stated in 1936, which means that is the most veteran entity of the disability in Spain. It arises as one way to express the union from the different deaf associations which existed in Spain. In a first stage, before democracy, CNSE works in order to consolidate the associative movement. CNSE works principally in the culture, promoting different artistic performances and also supporting the identity of the deaf community. About the middle of 1970's CNSE assume a more demanding role in front of Government. In this period the civil rights of deaf people and the recognizement of the Spanish Sign Language plus Catalonian Sign Language (only in Catalonia) are claimed. Also to increase the number of sign language interpreters in all ambits of the public life and the bilingualism as educational option, replacing the traditional oralism was claimed. Who are the most important people in your country's history? Fray Pedro Ponce de León (1508-1584), Juan Pablo Bonet (1573-1633), Roberto Prádez y Gautier (1772-1836), Lorenzo Hervás y Pandero (1735-1809). The most important people in the Spanish Deaf Community is Juan Luis Marroquín, founder and first president of the CNSE. Deaf men who fight to improve the quality of live of the Deaf Community.
Future events The more important events are the Congresses of the CNSE. The first one was organised in 1976. We celebrate this event every 4 years since 1998. Also, CNSE organised the National Congress on Spanish Sign Language since 2001, also celebrated every 4 years. The 3rd National Congress on Spanish Sign Language will be celebrated in 2009 and the 5th CNSE Congress will be celebrated in 2010. |
