HISTORY

History and Philosophy of DeafNET

Arising from the Africa Conference on Mental Health and Deafness (2004) and the 3rd Mental Health and Deafness World Congress (2005), both hosted by the National Institute for the Deaf, the DeafNET Centre of Knowledge was established at the National Institute for the Deaf in partnership with the Foundation Friends of Effatha in the Netherlands.

During the conference (2004), an African declaration and a plan of action were drawn up by the delegates of 10 African countries. This was approved at the World Congress (2005) at a meeting of delegates of 37 African countries. The Africa Contact Group elected a Committee of Ten to execute the plan of action, with DeafNET acting as head office.

The Committee of Ten is composed of one Deaf and one hearing representative, both active in the field of Deaf services, from each of the 5 Africa regions, North, South, East, West and Central. The elected committee was tasked to (i) develop a structure for the Africa Contact Group in Africa, (ii) organising and presenting meetings, training seminars and workshops, conferences, symposiums and congresses on the African continent, and (iii) co-operation with NEPAD and other Pan African cost effective organizational framework / organisations.

One of the key responsibilities of the DeafNET Centre of Knowledge is to support, co-ordinate and facilitate the activities of the Africa Contact Group and Committee of Ten, presenting seminars, conferences, symposiums in South Africa and Africa. It is hoped that, in the future, various autonomous Centres of Knowledge will be established in Africa.