PanSALB launches Deaf Awareness Month campaign in Kimberley

THE PAN South African Language Board (PanSALB) will officially launch the Deaf Awareness Month campaign on Monday, September 1, at the Northern Cape Legislature in Kimberley.

The campaign is being held under the theme “No Human Rights without Sign Language Rights”.

Following the launch, a five-day South African Sign Language (SASL) training programme will be offered to parents, families, and teachers of deaf children. Throughout the month, various activities will be conducted across the province and country to address critical communication barriers and to promote inclusion, early language acquisition, and the overall well-being of deaf children.

The campaign is part of PanSALB’s ongoing efforts to highlight the role of SASL in advancing human rights and fostering social inclusion for deaf communities. It also comes in response to reported instances of mocking SASL and incidents of alleged hate speech directed at the deaf community, underscoring the need for greater respect and awareness of SASL and deaf culture nationwide.

Deaf Awareness Month is intended as a moment for government and civil society to reflect on the privileges enjoyed by the hearing in accessing quality information and services — opportunities that are too often denied to the deaf community. Through its programme, PanSALB aims to bridge the gap between hearing and deaf South Africans, strengthening social cohesion and nation-building.

Scheduled activities in the Northern Cape and around the country include:

• 1-5 September: SASL Basic Training for parents and families of deaf children in the Northern Cape

• 8-12 September: SASL Basic Training for Salga councillors and officials in Gauteng

• 15-19 September: SASL Basic Training for parents and families of deaf children in the North West

• 22 September: SASL National Language Body verification and authentication meeting in Gauteng

• 23 September: Celebration of the International Day of Sign Languages (IDSL)

Key stakeholders expected to attend the launch include representatives from government departments, educators and learners, institutions of higher learning, and other state organs and institutions.