The deaf and mute in Iraq: neglect, isolation, and the barriers of language
06 Mar 2025
The deaf and mute community in Iraq had been living in complete isolation, struggling with neglect and a lack of facilities for daily life, most notably, the difficulty of communication. They face challenges in interacting with others in society as well as with state institutions due to language barriers, as they rarely find anyone who can communicate with them, even at a basic level. An article on communication and how it can become a daily challenge.
‘On top of everything, I’m marrying the mute man’s daughter.’
Baraa Imad, 21, began her conversation with Jummar with that phrase. She spoke about the struggles faced by the deaf and mute community in Iraq. Her former fiancé had also uttered those words, leading her to break off their engagement.
Baraa was the eldest daughter of Imad Mohammed, who had been born deaf in Baghdad in the 1970s. A blacksmith by trade, he was the father of three daughters and a son, who was also deaf.
Baraa said she had been grateful that her father’s disability was only a hearing impairment. Otherwise, the family would have endured even more bullying and offensive remarks.
Baraa recalled an incident four years previously when she had been at the court with her father and fiancé to complete the marriage contract procedures. Since her father’s presence was required, the judge demanded a guardian for him—even though he was, in fact, her legal guardian. The judge also requested medical reports proving her father’s mental competence before allowing him to authorise the marriage.
Due to the prolonged procedures and repeated reviews, Baraa noticed her fiancé growing frustrated. She overheard him talking to his mother:
‘On top of everything, I’m marrying the mute man’s daughter. I might as well call off the engagement.’
His mother replied:
‘I’ll find you a better match than this deaf man’s daughter.’
Baraa said, “That conversation brought back memories of my childhood, of the bullying I endured from schoolmates. That moment became the biggest motivator for me to pursue a law degree.”
Healthcare institutions marginalise the Mute community
Um Adam, 25, a deaf and mute woman, was a wife and mother. She spoke in her silent language about an experience at Al-Yarmouk Teaching Hospital earlier that year when she had been pregnant with her first child. One day, overwhelmed by unbearable pain, she had no choice but to go to the hospital alone.
Upon arrival, she found no sign language interpreter—nor anyone with whom she could adequately communicate. Despite multiple failed attempts to explain her condition to the doctor, she struggled to convey a critical piece of information: she had a heart condition that prevented her from taking certain medications. Unable to understand her, the doctor administered an intravenous treatment without fully assessing her case. The situation worsened because Um Adam had never received a formal education, leaving her unable to communicate in writing.
That evening, she returned to the hospital with her husband, who usually accompanied her on medical visits to help her communicate with her doctor. Thanks to his presence, she avoided a medical error that could have resulted in the loss of her unborn child.
Um Adam’s case is not an isolated incident. It is the reality of public and private healthcare facilities nationwide. The marginalization of the deaf community extends beyond the absence of sign language interpreters. One of the most severe forms of neglect comes from the health authorities’ rigid policies regarding hearing aids and cochlear implants.
According to Imad Mohammad, healthcare institutions strictly enforce a five-year validity period for hearing aids provided to deaf individuals, refusing to replace or repair them before this period expired —even if they were damaged or malfunctioning. This policy crushes the hopes of many in the deaf community who dreamed of experiencing sound and communication.
The lack of sign language interpreters is not only in hospitals but also in courts and notary offices. Mustafa Miran, a sign language interpreter and broadcaster for the Iraqi Media Network (IMN), confirmed this issue.
In a meeting with Judge Faiq Zidan, head of the Supreme Judicial Council, Miran proposed assigning a sign language interpreter to every court, to assist deaf individuals or train court staff in basic sign language. However, Zidan stated that such measures were not feasible.
Miran noted that instead, the council had promised to issue an official document to facilitate legal procedures for sign language interpreters, allowing them to assist deaf individuals more efficiently in courts and notary offices.
Dhikra Abdul Karim, head of the Commission for the Rights of Persons with Disabilities and Special Needs, which operates under the Ministry of Labour and Social Affairs, told Jummar that Iraqi courts might use a certified sign language interpreter, approved by the Ministry of Labour and Social Affairs, in cases where one of the parties involved was deaf or mute.
Education for the deaf and mute community
From an early age, we read on school walls, “Knowledge is light, and ignorance is darkness.” However, the light of educational institutions is dim and does not extend to the deaf and mute community, who have suffered from inadequate education tailored to their needs. Deaf individuals are not admitted to regular schools due to the difficulty of allocating a separate classroom within each school.
In addition, there is a lack of qualified sign language teachers, especially since teachers at institutes for the deaf and mute were required to be graduates of a College of Education, be proficient in sign language, hold certificates from specialised training courses in sign language, and have knowledge of the language’s lexicon. They also have to undergo an examination by the Commission for the Rights of Persons with Disabilities and Special Needs, which qualifies them for the position of sign language teacher.
In Iraq, there is no university department dedicated to sign language education. According to officials at Al-Amal Institute for the Deaf and Mute in Al-Suwaira, Wasit Governorate, only 25 government-run institutes are committed to educating the deaf and mute in Iraq.
The dream of obtaining a university degree remains out of reach for the deaf and mute community in Iraq. Although no law explicitly prohibits them from pursuing higher education, the real obstacle lies in completing secondary education and passing the national exams, as their education is often limited to the primary level.
The most recent data from the Central Bureau of Statistics, dating back to 2020, reported that 487 people, of which 133 are females and 354 males, benefited from special needs institutions due to speech and hearing impairments.
According to Samer Al-Ani, head of the Guidance Committee at the Anwar Al-Fallujah Association for the Care of the Deaf and Mute, the lack of financial allocation has contributed to a shortage of sign language teachers in Iraq. Their numbers meet only 20 percent of the total needs of the deaf and mute community, with most teachers concentrated in central and southern provinces.
The transfer of authority over deaf and mute institutes from the Ministry of Labour to provincial councils and then back to the Ministry of Labour has negatively impacted the services provided to this community. Abdul Karim said, ‘The institutes have not yet been returned to the ministry’.
However, they are expected to be reinstated at the beginning of next year, allowing the commission to implement its work plans within these institutes.
The deaf and mute community’s entertainment options are limited to interpreting the main news bulletin broadcast by the IMN in sign language. Other television programs lack such accessibility.
In this regard, Mustafa Miran stated that most interpreters rely on social media platforms to translate programs and share world events with the deaf and mute community, emphasising that their efforts are entirely voluntary.
Disability does not mean despair
Society often perceives people with disabilities as unproductive and inactive members of the community, but the reality is quite the opposite. Many of them have exceptional abilities, particularly those with hearing impairments or communication difficulties, such as the deaf and mute community, said Miran. A prime example of this is Marwa Ahmed, 43.
Marwa, a wife and mother of two children without hearing impairments, lives in Baghdad. Rather than letting her disability hold her back, she uses it as a starting point for her journey in life, overcoming the challenges around her with her mother as her supporter.
She enrolled at Al-Izdihar Institute for the Deaf and Mute in Adhamiya, Baghdad, where she learned sign language, followed by reading and writing—despite the limited educational resources available at the time and the constant reliance on donations from students’ families and teachers.
In 2015, Marwa became involved in civil society organisations, a turning point that boosted her confidence and enabled her to travel alone to attend international meetings and events.
She recounted an incident at Baghdad International Airport, where she was set to travel to Geneva for a meeting. When her flight schedule changed, there were no signs to alert deaf travellers, and no sign language interpreters were available to assist. As a result, she missed her flight.
Struggling to communicate with airport staff about her next available flight or the possibility of rebooking a ticket, she found no one who understood her language. Left with no other option, she used a video call to contact a sign language interpreter, who acted as a bridge between her and the airport staff.
Marwa said that she had never faced such difficulties at any other airport worldwide, as most countries provide designated pathways for people with disabilities. ‘In other countries, technology facilitates our lives and removes barriers, unlike what we experience in our own country’.
The deaf and mute: Absent from statistics and law
According to the Commission for the Rights of Persons with Disabilities and Special Needs, there are no precise statistics on the number of deaf and mute individuals in Iraq. However, the Central Bureau of Statistics data estimates their population to be approximately 270,000 people.
The same lack of data applies to sign language teachers and interpreters. The Commission for the Rights of Persons with Disabilities and Special Needs has no official records on the number of sign language interpreters. Instead, estimates provided by interpreters suggest that the total number does not exceed 100 interpreters registered in official lists across the country.
Despite Iraq being among the countries that has enacted laws to protect the rights of people with disabilities, including the deaf and mute, implementation remains a major challenge.
Law No. 11 of 2024, the first amendment to Law No. 38 of 2013 on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities and Special Needs, guarantees equal rights in education, employment, healthcare, and the provision of specialised sign language interpreters in various institutions.
However, the gap between legal texts and their enforcement remains evident, as Bushra Al-Obaidi, a legal expert, emphasised. ‘There is a difference between what is written on paper and what exists in reality,’ she told Jummar, adding that Iraq is a signatory to the Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities under Law No. 16 of 2012.
Al-Obaidi noted that successive governments have shown little concern for human rights in general and have largely ignored the rights of people with disabilities. This contrasts with other countries that respect these rights by providing dedicated infrastructure, including designated pathways and accessible pedestrian crossings, and leveraging technological advancements to facilitate their daily lives.
She also highlighted a problematic aspect of Iraqi criminal law. Under Article 111 of the Iraqi Penal Code (1969), the law defines five exemptions from criminal responsibility, including cases involving mental disorders. Within this classification, the deaf and mute community were included if they had not received education to enhance their legal capacity. As a result, they must have proof that their disability does not affect their cognitive abilities and are often required to undergo mental competency assessments for legal and administrative procedures.
Regarding their aspirations for parliamentary and provincial council representation, such as securing a quota in legislative and executive bodies, Al-Obaidi explained that people with disabilities could advocate for political representation and push for inclusion within state institutions.
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‘On top of everything, I’m marrying the mute man’s daughter.’
Baraa Imad, 21, began her conversation with Jummar with that phrase. She spoke about the struggles faced by the deaf and mute community in Iraq. Her former fiancé had also uttered those words, leading her to break off their engagement.
Baraa was the eldest daughter of Imad Mohammed, who had been born deaf in Baghdad in the 1970s. A blacksmith by trade, he was the father of three daughters and a son, who was also deaf.
Baraa said she had been grateful that her father’s disability was only a hearing impairment. Otherwise, the family would have endured even more bullying and offensive remarks.
Baraa recalled an incident four years previously when she had been at the court with her father and fiancé to complete the marriage contract procedures. Since her father’s presence was required, the judge demanded a guardian for him—even though he was, in fact, her legal guardian. The judge also requested medical reports proving her father’s mental competence before allowing him to authorise the marriage.
Due to the prolonged procedures and repeated reviews, Baraa noticed her fiancé growing frustrated. She overheard him talking to his mother:
‘On top of everything, I’m marrying the mute man’s daughter. I might as well call off the engagement.’
His mother replied:
‘I’ll find you a better match than this deaf man’s daughter.’
Baraa said, “That conversation brought back memories of my childhood, of the bullying I endured from schoolmates. That moment became the biggest motivator for me to pursue a law degree.”
Healthcare institutions marginalise the Mute community
Um Adam, 25, a deaf and mute woman, was a wife and mother. She spoke in her silent language about an experience at Al-Yarmouk Teaching Hospital earlier that year when she had been pregnant with her first child. One day, overwhelmed by unbearable pain, she had no choice but to go to the hospital alone.
Upon arrival, she found no sign language interpreter—nor anyone with whom she could adequately communicate. Despite multiple failed attempts to explain her condition to the doctor, she struggled to convey a critical piece of information: she had a heart condition that prevented her from taking certain medications. Unable to understand her, the doctor administered an intravenous treatment without fully assessing her case. The situation worsened because Um Adam had never received a formal education, leaving her unable to communicate in writing.
That evening, she returned to the hospital with her husband, who usually accompanied her on medical visits to help her communicate with her doctor. Thanks to his presence, she avoided a medical error that could have resulted in the loss of her unborn child.
Um Adam’s case is not an isolated incident. It is the reality of public and private healthcare facilities nationwide. The marginalization of the deaf community extends beyond the absence of sign language interpreters. One of the most severe forms of neglect comes from the health authorities’ rigid policies regarding hearing aids and cochlear implants.
According to Imad Mohammad, healthcare institutions strictly enforce a five-year validity period for hearing aids provided to deaf individuals, refusing to replace or repair them before this period expired —even if they were damaged or malfunctioning. This policy crushes the hopes of many in the deaf community who dreamed of experiencing sound and communication.
The lack of sign language interpreters is not only in hospitals but also in courts and notary offices. Mustafa Miran, a sign language interpreter and broadcaster for the Iraqi Media Network (IMN), confirmed this issue.
In a meeting with Judge Faiq Zidan, head of the Supreme Judicial Council, Miran proposed assigning a sign language interpreter to every court, to assist deaf individuals or train court staff in basic sign language. However, Zidan stated that such measures were not feasible.
Miran noted that instead, the council had promised to issue an official document to facilitate legal procedures for sign language interpreters, allowing them to assist deaf individuals more efficiently in courts and notary offices.
Dhikra Abdul Karim, head of the Commission for the Rights of Persons with Disabilities and Special Needs, which operates under the Ministry of Labour and Social Affairs, told Jummar that Iraqi courts might use a certified sign language interpreter, approved by the Ministry of Labour and Social Affairs, in cases where one of the parties involved was deaf or mute.
Education for the deaf and mute community
From an early age, we read on school walls, “Knowledge is light, and ignorance is darkness.” However, the light of educational institutions is dim and does not extend to the deaf and mute community, who have suffered from inadequate education tailored to their needs. Deaf individuals are not admitted to regular schools due to the difficulty of allocating a separate classroom within each school.
In addition, there is a lack of qualified sign language teachers, especially since teachers at institutes for the deaf and mute were required to be graduates of a College of Education, be proficient in sign language, hold certificates from specialised training courses in sign language, and have knowledge of the language’s lexicon. They also have to undergo an examination by the Commission for the Rights of Persons with Disabilities and Special Needs, which qualifies them for the position of sign language teacher.
In Iraq, there is no university department dedicated to sign language education. According to officials at Al-Amal Institute for the Deaf and Mute in Al-Suwaira, Wasit Governorate, only 25 government-run institutes are committed to educating the deaf and mute in Iraq.
The dream of obtaining a university degree remains out of reach for the deaf and mute community in Iraq. Although no law explicitly prohibits them from pursuing higher education, the real obstacle lies in completing secondary education and passing the national exams, as their education is often limited to the primary level.
The most recent data from the Central Bureau of Statistics, dating back to 2020, reported that 487 people, of which 133 are females and 354 males, benefited from special needs institutions due to speech and hearing impairments.
According to Samer Al-Ani, head of the Guidance Committee at the Anwar Al-Fallujah Association for the Care of the Deaf and Mute, the lack of financial allocation has contributed to a shortage of sign language teachers in Iraq. Their numbers meet only 20 percent of the total needs of the deaf and mute community, with most teachers concentrated in central and southern provinces.
The transfer of authority over deaf and mute institutes from the Ministry of Labour to provincial councils and then back to the Ministry of Labour has negatively impacted the services provided to this community. Abdul Karim said, ‘The institutes have not yet been returned to the ministry’.
However, they are expected to be reinstated at the beginning of next year, allowing the commission to implement its work plans within these institutes.
The deaf and mute community’s entertainment options are limited to interpreting the main news bulletin broadcast by the IMN in sign language. Other television programs lack such accessibility.
In this regard, Mustafa Miran stated that most interpreters rely on social media platforms to translate programs and share world events with the deaf and mute community, emphasising that their efforts are entirely voluntary.
Disability does not mean despair
Society often perceives people with disabilities as unproductive and inactive members of the community, but the reality is quite the opposite. Many of them have exceptional abilities, particularly those with hearing impairments or communication difficulties, such as the deaf and mute community, said Miran. A prime example of this is Marwa Ahmed, 43.
Marwa, a wife and mother of two children without hearing impairments, lives in Baghdad. Rather than letting her disability hold her back, she uses it as a starting point for her journey in life, overcoming the challenges around her with her mother as her supporter.
She enrolled at Al-Izdihar Institute for the Deaf and Mute in Adhamiya, Baghdad, where she learned sign language, followed by reading and writing—despite the limited educational resources available at the time and the constant reliance on donations from students’ families and teachers.
In 2015, Marwa became involved in civil society organisations, a turning point that boosted her confidence and enabled her to travel alone to attend international meetings and events.
She recounted an incident at Baghdad International Airport, where she was set to travel to Geneva for a meeting. When her flight schedule changed, there were no signs to alert deaf travellers, and no sign language interpreters were available to assist. As a result, she missed her flight.
Struggling to communicate with airport staff about her next available flight or the possibility of rebooking a ticket, she found no one who understood her language. Left with no other option, she used a video call to contact a sign language interpreter, who acted as a bridge between her and the airport staff.
Marwa said that she had never faced such difficulties at any other airport worldwide, as most countries provide designated pathways for people with disabilities. ‘In other countries, technology facilitates our lives and removes barriers, unlike what we experience in our own country’.
The deaf and mute: Absent from statistics and law
According to the Commission for the Rights of Persons with Disabilities and Special Needs, there are no precise statistics on the number of deaf and mute individuals in Iraq. However, the Central Bureau of Statistics data estimates their population to be approximately 270,000 people.
The same lack of data applies to sign language teachers and interpreters. The Commission for the Rights of Persons with Disabilities and Special Needs has no official records on the number of sign language interpreters. Instead, estimates provided by interpreters suggest that the total number does not exceed 100 interpreters registered in official lists across the country.
Despite Iraq being among the countries that has enacted laws to protect the rights of people with disabilities, including the deaf and mute, implementation remains a major challenge.
Law No. 11 of 2024, the first amendment to Law No. 38 of 2013 on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities and Special Needs, guarantees equal rights in education, employment, healthcare, and the provision of specialised sign language interpreters in various institutions.
However, the gap between legal texts and their enforcement remains evident, as Bushra Al-Obaidi, a legal expert, emphasised. ‘There is a difference between what is written on paper and what exists in reality,’ she told Jummar, adding that Iraq is a signatory to the Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities under Law No. 16 of 2012.
Al-Obaidi noted that successive governments have shown little concern for human rights in general and have largely ignored the rights of people with disabilities. This contrasts with other countries that respect these rights by providing dedicated infrastructure, including designated pathways and accessible pedestrian crossings, and leveraging technological advancements to facilitate their daily lives.
She also highlighted a problematic aspect of Iraqi criminal law. Under Article 111 of the Iraqi Penal Code (1969), the law defines five exemptions from criminal responsibility, including cases involving mental disorders. Within this classification, the deaf and mute community were included if they had not received education to enhance their legal capacity. As a result, they must have proof that their disability does not affect their cognitive abilities and are often required to undergo mental competency assessments for legal and administrative procedures.
Regarding their aspirations for parliamentary and provincial council representation, such as securing a quota in legislative and executive bodies, Al-Obaidi explained that people with disabilities could advocate for political representation and push for inclusion within state institutions.
