Promising Progress

Deaf communities are changing and developing. Hearing attitudes and roles are also changing. Societies are more aware and services are more extensive. However, it is not clear that improvements in quality of life for Deaf people have kept up with these changes. In particular , it is not clear that the language needs and rights of Deaf people are fully recognised and if they are, what the outcomes are in terms of enabling Deaf people’s effective participation in society. In this chapter, data from a survey of the status of sign language in Europe is examined in order to determine the relative position of Deaf people. Results indicate that Deaf people continue to be disadvantaged in language and in social position, throughout Europe, despite the relatively advanced social system which prevails. There is a case for giving more prominence to the Linguistic Human Rights of Deaf people.