Every year, 23rd September is observed worldwide as the International Day of Sign Languages. It is a day that highlights the truth that there can be ‘No human rights without sign language rights’. Sign languages are more than tools of communication; they are fully fledged natural languages, carrying culture, identity, and a sense of belonging. They are structurally distinct from spoken languages, and collectively more than 300 different sign languages are used by over 70 million Deaf people across the world, of which more than 80 per cent live in developing countries.
The United Nations General Assembly proclaimed 23rd September as the International Day of Sign Languages to raise awareness of the importance of sign language in the full realisation of human rights. The Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities makes it clear that sign languages are equal in status to spoken languages, and it obligates governments to promote their use and protect the linguistic identity of the Deaf community. The resolution that established this Day also recognised that early access to sign language and quality education in sign language is essential to the growth and development of every Deaf child, and is central to the achievement of the UN transformative agenda for Sustainable Development Goals. The principle of “nothing about us without us” reminds us that Deaf people must be at the heart of decisions that affect their lives.
This global recognition sits at the heart of what we mark today. In Ghana, the call for sign language rights has been led with determination by the Ghana National Association of the Deaf (GNAD). For too long, Deaf people in Ghana have had limited access to education that respects their language. With over one hundred thousand Deaf and hard-of-hearing people in the country, and many Deaf children left outside of schools or struggling in systems that do not serve them, the absence of a standardised Ghanaian Sign Language curriculum has been a barrier to progress.
Today, however, Ghana is at a turning point. For the first time in our history, a Ghanaian Sign Language curriculum has been developed, spanning Kindergarten to Senior High School 3. This bold achievement, led by the Ministry of Education through the National Council for Curriculum and Assessment (NaCCA) and the Special Education Division of the Ghana Education Service (GES-SpED) in collaboration with GNAD and supported by T-TEL and the Mastercard Foundation, signals a new era of inclusion. It is a landmark decision that ensures Deaf learners can access education in their own language from the very start of their schooling journey.
The importance of this step is further amplified by the President of the Republic of Ghana, H.E. John Dramani Mahama, in his State of the Nation Address, delivered in Parliament in February 2025. Hearing the Head of State speak about the need to strengthen Ghanaian Sign Language in education is significant. It signals national recognition and government commitment at the highest level and assures the Deaf community that their concerns are not invisible.
The new curriculum affirms that Ghanaian Sign Language is not peripheral but a Ghanaian language in its own right. It brings Ghana into closer alignment with international commitments, particularly the tenet of the United Nations Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities, while also opening the door for wider recognition of Ghanaian Sign Language as part of our national heritage. It is a promise that Deaf children will not only attend school but will be able to learn confidently, proudly and fully in their own language.
Yet, this is only the beginning. For the curriculum to succeed, there must be continuous investment in recruiting and deployment of qualified teachers, professional development, teacher training, interpreters, classroom resources and awareness campaigns. In addition, the pilot of the curriculum must be carefully monitored so that the lessons learned can shape nationwide implementation of the curriculum, and Ghana must take the next bold step by formally recognising Ghanaian Sign Language in law and policy, ensuring it has the permanence and respect it deserves.
On this International Day of Sign Languages, Ghana has cause for celebration but also a call to action. GNAD, NaCCA, GES, T-TEL and the Mastercard Foundation have together created the foundation. It is now up to government, parliament, civil society, schools, communities and families to build upon it, and the media to amplify on it. Every Deaf child in Ghana has the right to education, to culture, to identity and to human rights, and sign language is the key that unlocks them all.
Today, Ghana joins the global movement towards a world where ‘There will be no Human Rights Without Sign Language Rights’ and where every deaf person can sign. Let us honour that vision by making sure no Deaf child in Ghana is left without the language and learning they deserve.
On this International Day of Sign Languages, Ghana has cause for celebration but also a call to action. GNAD, NaCCA, GES, T-TEL and the Mastercard Foundation have together created the foundation. It is now up to government, parliament, civil society, schools, communities and families to build upon it, and the media to amplify on it. Every Deaf child in Ghana has the right to education, to culture, to identity and to human rights, and sign language is the key that unlocks them all.
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