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The Dean of the College of Arts at the University of Kirkuk, Prof. Dr. Omer Najm Al_Deen Enja, participated on Tuesday, November 19, 2024, in the hybrid international scientific forum titled “Empowering Deaf Women: Modern Strategies to Overcome Challenges and Enhance Inclusion through Modern Technology and Sign Language.”
In his speech during the forum, the Dean highlighted a statistic from the United Nations General Assembly indicating that there are 70 million deaf individuals worldwide who communicate using sign language. He emphasized that these individuals have families and friends who interact with them, underscoring the importance of this topic, which is not confined to a specific environment, location, or group. Rather, it is a comprehensive and universal human issue that requires awareness and education regarding this significant segment of society.
The Dean also pointed out that it is rare for deaf and mute women to secure appropriate job opportunities, as they face family-related challenges both at home and in the broader community. This necessitates the development of strategic plans aligned with their qualifications to enable them to play a larger role in society.
He stressed that the Iraqi government has not overlooked this issue and promptly enacted the Care for People with Disabilities Law No. 38 of 2013. Notably, the government recently amended the law to become the Law on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities and Special Needs, ensuring dedicated rights and protections for this group.
