“We’re an afterthought” Experiences of the deaf, blind, and deafblind in sub-Saharan Africa during the COVID-19 pandemic

The document argues that deaf, blind, and deafblind individuals in sub-Saharan Africa faced heightened health risks, economic instability, and systemic exclusion from vital information during the COVID-19 pandemic. Based on consultations in Cameroon, Rwanda, South Africa, and Zimbabwe, the authors find that government responses often relied on a 'charity model' rather than a rights-based approach, ignoring the agency of disabled persons. Key barriers included the use of non-transparent masks hindering lip-reading, a lack of Braille information, and the loss of informal livelihoods. The brief emphasizes the critical role of self-organized disability organizations in championing rights and calls for research into the cultural and political structures of discrimination to improve future disaster preparedness.

• Deaf, blind, and deafblind people in sub-Saharan Africa experienced a disproportionate burden of the pandemic's negative effects, including increased health risks and limited access to information.
• Public health measures created specific barriers for these groups: non-transparent masks prevented lip-reading for deaf people, and social distancing was difficult for visually impaired people who require physical guidance.
• There was a systemic failure in disaster communication, with a lack of sign language interpreters, subtitles, and Braille, leading some deaf people to believe COVID-19 was merely a common flu.
• Lockdowns caused severe economic hardship, particularly for those relying on informal street-based livelihoods like begging or selling sweets, which were among the first to disappear.
• Governments in Rwanda and Zimbabwe rejected requests for Braille-based information, opting instead for cheaper audio formats that did not meet the needs of deaf or deafblind individuals.
• Despite ratifying the Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities, governments in Rwanda, Zimbabwe, and South Africa largely maintained a 'charity model' of disability rather than a rights-based approach.
• The lack of government responsiveness has highlighted the essential role of self-organized national and international disability organizations in advocating for rights and filing court complaints.

APA

Ek, F., & Larsen, R. K. (2021). “We’re an afterthought” Experiences of the deaf, blind, and deafblind in sub-Saharan Africa during the COVID-19 pandemic. Stockholm Environment Institute. https://www.sei.org/wp-content/uploads/2021/06/experiences-of-the-deaf-blind-and-deafblind-in-sub-saharan-africa-during-the-covid-19-pandemic.pdf

Chicago

Ek, Filippa, and Rasmus Kløcker Larsen. “We’re an afterthought” Experiences of the deaf, blind, and deafblind in sub-Saharan Africa during the COVID-19 pandemic. Stockholm Environment Institute, 2021. https://www.sei.org/wp-content/uploads/2021/06/experiences-of-the-deaf-blind-and-deafblind-in-sub-saharan-africa-during-the-covid-19-pandemic.pdf.

Wikipedia

{{cite report |last1=Ek |first1=Filippa |last2=Larsen |first2=Rasmus Kløcker |title=“We’re an afterthought” Experiences of the deaf, blind, and deafblind in sub-Saharan Africa during the COVID-19 pandemic |publisher=Stockholm Environment Institute |date=June 2021 |url=https://www.sei.org/wp-content/uploads/2021/06/experiences-of-the-deaf-blind-and-deafblind-in-sub-saharan-africa-during-the-covid-19-pandemic.pdf |access-date=23 October 2026 |via=Climate Insights Directory}}

BibTeX

@techreport{ek2021were, author = {Ek, Filippa and Larsen, Rasmus Kløcker}, title = {{“We’re an afterthought” Experiences of the deaf, blind, and deafblind in sub-Saharan Africa during the COVID-19 pandemic}}, institution = {Stockholm Environment Institute}, year = {2021}, month = jun, url = {https://www.sei.org/wp-content/uploads/2021/06/experiences-of-the-deaf-blind-and-deafblind-in-sub-saharan-africa-during-the-covid-19-pandemic.pdf}, urldate = {2026-10-23}, note = {Indexed by Climate Insights Directory} }