Connected by Touch: Breaking Barriers: Building Bridges

Disability inclusion for the disabled community is often a myth than reality. Persons with deafblindness face unique and often overlooked barriers that have rendered them largely invisible in data, policies and the public discourse. These barriers limit access to education, healthcare, employment, and social participation. On Monday, 16 June 2025, the United Nations General Assembly adopted by consensus a resolution titled “International Day of Deafblindness” officially proclaiming 27 June as the International Day of Deafblindness. The date was chosen to honour the birthday of Helen Keller (1880–1968), the pioneering American author, educator, and activist who was deafblind a figure whose legacy continues to inspire millions around the world. The International Day of Deafblindness serves as a global movement to recognize deafblindness as a distinct, unique disability rather than a simple combination of vision and hearing loss. The theme for the International Day of Deafblindness is "Connected by Touch: Breaking Barriers, Building Bridges". This global theme highlights the transformative power of touch as the foundation of communication and connection for the deafblind community. Globally, approximately 160 million people are impacted by deafblindness, making up between 0.2% and 2% of the world’s population. This total encompasses a broad spectrum, ranging from milder or moderate dual sensory loss to severe and profound impairment. According to the World Federation of the DeafBlind persons with deafblindness are a very diverse yet hidden group and are, overall, more likely to be poor and unemployed, and with lower educational outcomes. For the reason that deafblindness is less well-known and often misunderstood, people struggle to obtain the right support, and are often excluded from both development and disability programmes. Deafblindness is a combined vision and hearing impairment of such severity that it is hard for the impaired senses to compensate for each other, and is thus a distinct disability with its own specific challenges, barriers and requirements for support and inclusion, different from those provided to individuals, who are solely deaf or blind. Deafblind persons face barriers owing to deafblindness not being treated and/or recognized as a distinct disability, further leading to invisibility in statistics, policies and programmes, and therefore impeding access to services. The United Nations Disability Inclusion Strategy provides the foundation for sustainable and transformative progress on disability inclusion through all pillars of the work of the United Nations: peace and security, human rights, and development. The United Nations Disability Inclusion Strategy (UNDIS) 2.0 (2026-2030) includes a policy and an accountability framework, with benchmarks to assess progress and accelerate change on disability inclusion. The policy establishes a vision and commitment for the United Nations system on the inclusion of persons with disabilities. Regional Caribbean Support. The Caribbean Council for the Blind (CCB) headquartered in Antigua, the CCB serves as the regional umbrella organization across CARICOM states. They partner with international bodies like the Perkins School for the Blind to improve education and adaptive resources for children with multiple sensory impairments across Jamaica, Barbados, Guyana, and the Eastern Caribbean. Additionally, the Jamaica Disability Act of 2022 protects individuals with disabilities by legally prohibiting discrimination and enforcing equal rights across all sectors of public and private life. The law aligns Jamaica with the United Nations Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities. Sustainable Development Goals. The International Day of Deafblindness primarily impacts SDG 10 (Reduced Inequalities), SDG 3 (Good Health and Well-being), and SDG 4 (Quality Education). Quality Education: Access to education and specialized learning resources remains a major hurdle. The day aims to ensure that inclusive education, tactile and visual communication tools, and mobility training are available to all deafblind individuals. Good health and Well-Being: Individuals with deafblindness often experience additional disabilities and are highly vulnerable to mental health issues like depression due to communication barriers and isolation. The observance promotes inclusive access to healthcare and specialized support services. Reduced Inequalities: Deafblind individuals face profound barriers to information, communication, and political participation. This day advocates for the recognition of deafblindness as a distinct disability and pushes for accessible voting, assistive technologies, and the professionalization of interpreter-guides. On this the International Day of Deafblindness, let us call on our governments to redouble their efforts in making disability inclusion a reality. Let us be intentional in our approach to create inclusive societies. A targeted approach to inclusion will have more legislation and policies tailored to the needs of deafblind individuals; will have improved access to specialized services, including communication support; will increase public awareness campaigns and understanding of deafblindness and will ensure fundamental rights and the full inclusion of the deafblind community. Let us endeavour to give this marginalized group the same opportunities and privileges we enjoy. Let us all work together in breaking down the systemic barriers to create a transformative and inclusive society. In the words of Helen Keller, alone we can do so little; together we can do so much. Wayne Campbell is an educator and social commentator with an interest in development policies as they affect culture and or gender issues. waykam@yahoo.com @WayneCamo ©