This website is created in the context of the publication of a booklet about being congenital deafblind in the context of the UN’s Convention on the Rights of People with Disabilities and a paper created amongst specialists and professionals called Space of Dignity.
Click on the Picture to download the booklet.
Our mission is to draw attention to the special conditions that apply for deafblind people, if we as society will guarantee them the same rights and dignity as the rest of the Danish population.
The three basic conditions
We have identified three basic conditions that must be met for deafblind persons to be full members of society.
It has proven to be a good model for us to build on the general principles of the CRPD.
Here we look at the conditions that must be present for deafblind persons to enjoy the same rights and opportunities in life as their non-disabled fellow men.
From a habilitation mindset, we have focused on how the deafblind person can achieve the possibility of an equal life by means of support and guidance to realize and contribute to their full potential.
We would especially point to three basic conditions that build on each other.
The specialized services
should be specialized for deafblind. This requires at least a small group of congenital deafblind persons to ensure that the offer can train employees and maintain and develop the professional level. The service should actively participate in the national knowledge sharing and development of the area.
The competent partner – video clips
is a prerequisite for the deafblind person’s actions in the world. The partner, who is eyes and ears for the deafblind person, is competent in relation to full rehabilitation. There are some very specific skills and competencies that the partner must hold to be able to tactile-bodily provide information, knowledge, experiences and feelings.
We have prepared a paper, accompanied by video clips, that describes the specific partner qualifications. The material presents examples of practices related directly to the individual principles in the Convention
Space of dignity
must be granted all deafblind persons, with a principle of availability of a competent partner in an arm’s length.
This principle is centered around the deafblind person, who has to be independently able to opt to engage in contact – however opting not to engage in contact does not constitute a waiver of the princinple, merely the decision not to engage in contact for a self-determined period.