On the 12th of November, the Spanish Press Agency EFE interviewed Mark Wheatley, EUD Executive Director, on transparent masks.
The COVID-19 pandemic and the response to it by governments has created situations of infringement of the rights of deaf persons: inaccessible information, lack of access to communication in hospitals, and further isolation, among other issues of concern. The mandatory rules of wearing face-covering masks have posed a major setback in the right to access information and communication for deaf persons, and various public authorities and deaf organisations are cooperating with private companies to produce certified transparent masks that will facilitate access to information and communication.
In the interview, Mark underlined that the COVID-19 pandemic has created unprecedented barriers for deaf persons, such as the obligation to wear face covering masks that limit the communication of many deaf persons. Mark recognised that transparent masks, as long as they are medically safe and certified, may play an important role in facilitating access to communication for deaf persons. However, he also explained that transparent masks are only the first step, and that many other measures must follow, such as allowing sign language interpreters to accompany deaf persons in hospitals, providing access to COVID-19 and mental health hotlines and fighting the isolation that many deaf persons, especially deaf elderly, are facing due to lockdown measures.
Mark also highlighted the importance of including deaf persons and persons with disabilities in COVID-19 recovery plans, so that deaf persons can equally benefit from policy responses to the COVID-19 pandemic. He also emphasised that inclusion of different groups in the recovery plans will ultimately result in more efficient policy responses to the COVID-19 crisis.
As a follow up to the interview, EUD will continue working with different stakeholders to showcase the additional barriers that many deaf persons continue to face in an effort to ensure compliance with the rights of deaf persons, especially in relation to the UN Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities. EUD would like to share the findings and recommendations included in its position paper on the impact of the COVID-19 on the rights of deaf persons.
EUD would like to thank the Spanish Press Agency EFE for organising this interview.
Наскоро приетият Европейски кодекс за електронните съобщения и Европейският акт за достъпност засилват ангажимента на Европейския съюз да гарантира, че всеки има равен достъп до телефон 112.
EUD обаче напомня, че сега е време държавите-членки на ЕС да предприемат действия. Правните задължения, изброени в Европейския кодекс за комуникациите и Европейския акт за достъпност, за осигуряване на достъп до номер 112 за всички, трябва бързо и амбициозно да бъдат транспонирани в националните законодателства и да станат реалност, за да могат хората с увреждания да имат реален равностоен достъп до единния европейски номер за спешни повиквания 112.
В Деня на номер 112 EUD призовава държавите-членки на ЕС да се ангажират с амбициозно и бързо транспониране на задълженията за осигуряване на достъп до номер 112 за всички, тъй като това е въпрос на спасяване на човешки живот и не може да чака!
Български 
English (UK) 
Čeština 
Dansk 
Nederlands 
Eesti 
Suomi 
Français 
Deutsch 
Ελληνικά 
Magyar 
Italiano 
Lietuvių kalba 
Latviešu valoda 
Polski 
Português 
Română 
Slovenčina 
Slovenščina 
Español 
Svenska