“The equal inclusion of the deafblind in society at all stages of life is a wound that we, as a society, are healing too slowly. We still too often talk about accommodations as a special privilege, rather than understanding them as a prerequisite for equality,” Human Rights Ombudswoman Dr. Simona Drenik Bavdek emphasized in her address at today’s international expert conference on interpreting for people with deafblindness. The conference is organized by the Slovenian Association of the Deafblind (DLAN) and the Slovenian Association of Interpreters for the Deafblind (TAKTIL).

The Ombudswoman notes that the field of deafblindness remains relatively unknown in Slovenian society, even though it significantly impacts the lives of deafblind people — both in terms of communication with those around them and intellectually. As a result, deafblind people face greater difficulties in asserting their rights and often remain among the most overlooked members of our society. “In June, Deafblind Awareness Month, we must speak out even more forcefully than usual to highlight the importance of accessible communication, independence, and the equal inclusion of people with deafblindness in all spheres of social life,” she said. She expressed hope that the conference would spur further systemic changes in this area, ensuring that all people who are deafblind receive appropriate support and access to services and assistance. “We need close cooperation among service users, experts, organizations, and policymakers. We also need adequate support for interpretation services for people who are deafblind,” she said.

The conference was also attended by Dr. Sanja Tarczay, president of the World Federation of the Deafblind, who described efforts to ensure the rights of people who are deafblind around the world. “Today, we, the deafblind, have our place in the sun—last year we succeeded in having the International Day of the Deafblind proclaimed, and Slovenia was one of the 99 countries that signed the declaration,” she said. She emphasized that much work still lies ahead in this area, as many countries around the world do not provide any support services to help the deafblind integrate into society.

Slovenia has, however, made significant strides in this area in recent years. In 2021, the language of the deafblind was enshrined in the Constitution of the Republic of Slovenia, and last year the Law on the Use of the Language of the Deafblind was adopted. Numerous individuals and organizations played an important role in this, particularly the Association of the Deafblind of Slovenia (DLAN) and its secretary, Dr. Simona Gerenčer. “With this move, we have recognized users of the language of the deafblind as a community with its own culture, identity, and language. Language is, in fact, inextricably linked to personal identity, dignity, cultural belonging, and freedom of expression,” said Dr. Drenik Bavdek, reiterating that the use of language is a fundamental human right. International documents, from the Universal Declaration of Human Rights to the Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities, clearly stipulate the obligation of states to ensure access to appropriate forms of communication, interpretation, and inclusive education—for everyone. Accessible communication is, in fact, a prerequisite for the realization of other human rights, such as the rights to education, health care, employment, participation in public life, and access to legal protection.

“However, enshrining this in the constitution and passing a law are merely the foundation for further ensuring the rights of these individuals at all levels of society—particularly in the areas of communication, education, and employment. The true test of any society is how it puts human rights into practice. We all still have a lot of work ahead of us,” the Human Rights Ombudsman announced. According to her, we must ensure that people who are deafblind have access to public services, an adequate number of trained interpreters, timely support for families, accessible education, employment opportunities, and an environment in which people do not have to constantly prove that they have the right to be included.

The Human Rights Ombudsman (Ombudsman) strives, within the scope of its authority, to provide support and assistance to the deafblind, primarily by addressing their situation through legislative solutions and raising public awareness of the challenges they face in daily life. At the conference, the Ombudswoman pledged that the Ombudsman’s Office would continue to support the deafblind in their efforts to achieve accessibility, equality, and respect for their dignity.