The US Federal Communications Commission (FCC) will require all prison phone companies to provide video communication services for Deaf and hard of hearing prisoners as of January 2024. This new order also applies to people in jails, immigration detention, juvenile detention, and secure mental health facilities nationwide. A call using a videophone may be their only chance at conversation with lawyers or advocates about appeals, abuse they may be experiencing, or plans for their return home.

Nathan Young, one of the fastest Deaf swimmers in the United Kingdom (UK) has accused the agency “UK Sport” of discrimination over the lack of funding for elite Deaf athletes. He is ranked fourth in the world in some of his swimming events, but he is not eligible to receive any Government or National Lottery money to fund his pursuit of gold. The agency is said to focus solely on Olympic and Paralympic athletes. Young is determined to go to the 2025 Deaflympics in Tokyo and will not let his campaign for funding stop.

With support from the European Union in Egypt and the EU National Institutes for Culture (EUNIC) a new streaming platform Cinema Deaf was recently launched and is freely accessible for any viewer based in Egypt to watch films professionally translated into sign language. Egyptian actor Wagih Ellaqani is founder of this platform and collaborated with Deaf community organizations and Deaf individuals and children of Deaf parents.

The Botswana Corporation (BICA) has adopted the Deaf Education Center as a three-year project to improve human and social elements, education and skill development, and wellbeing of children.

The government provides funding to enable Deaf students to attend Gallaudet University in America and other countries. They are also raising awareness of HIV and AIDS and also Deaf women’s human rights. We want our country to develop so more women can hold leadership positions, and receive training – like the Committee on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities (CRPD). There is one Deaf school in Botswana with the expectation that there will be more in the future.