A Culturally Sensitive Approach for the Inclusion of Women with Deaf and Hearing Impaired Children in Bedouin Society

Keywords: cultural sensitivity, Bedouin, deaf, destigmatization, inclusion

Abstract: Historically, Israel’s Bedouin populations have existed with little visibility or representation. Within the Bedouin community there are higher than average rates of deafness and hearing impairment, which is viewed as a private and taboo. This stigma negatively impacts both the children with hearing impairments as well as their mothers, whose power and status within the family is diminished as a result. Recently, local NGOs are working in the Bedouin town of Hura to provide spoken language, parenting, and sign language classes. With the goal of improving access to special needs education, as well as gaining deeper insight into the barriers mothers of deaf and hearing impaired children face to overcome stigma, a survey will be conducted to better understand their experiences and insights and with this data, recommendations will be compiled to connect more mothers to resources using a conflict sensitive lens that will promote inclusion, sustainability, and destigmatization.