Inclusive Processes for Refugees with Disabilities: Improving Communication for Deaf Forced Migrants

The coming into force of the United Nations (UN) Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities (CRPD) has created an opportunity to evaluate and re-design responses to forced migration, on both domestic and international levels. Indeed, since the creation of the CRPD, international and domestic organizations have taken a number of steps to make their processes more inclusive. Communication is fundamental to almost every aspect of refugee-related processes, from registration, through status determination, to needs assessments and resettlement evaluations. Ensuring that asylum seekers and refugees, including those who are deaf or hard of hearing, are able to effectively communicate and access information throughout these processes is thus a crucial prerequisite to them being able to enjoy their rights.