At the intersection of Avenida Patria and 6 de Diciembre, in El Ejido Park, in Quito, a scene recorded on a cell phone moved the social network TikTok last week and went viral due to the sign language dialogue between a police corporal and a deaf-mute young man who needed help finding an address.
“I learned sign language from my brother, it was a nice coincidence to help a citizen,” says the Quito policeman who went viral for serving a pedestrian
That police officer is María Gabriela and she forms a group of uniformed police officers who are part of a project called Neighborhood Police, which is dedicated to walking patrols in different parts of the capital to collect information that helps define and apply preventive actions to the level of insecurity that Quito lives.
María Gabriela’s brother was born hearing impaired and was the one who taught her to communicate in sign language. He is part of the 12.57% of Ecuadorians with hearing impairments, a percentage that unfortunately increases every year along with other vulnerable conditions, in a society that has a long way to go to be more inclusive.
As the numbers increase, so do the social and economic lack of services. For this reason, there are great challenges that the new authorities that will take over the management of the country must put on the agenda and that this sector constantly demands. For example, how to measure disability in Ecuador to identify people who need special support; to insist on quality education of these vulnerable groups, and special and stronger support from childhood to old age.
Also, that local authorities and public sector institutions work on the welfare and development of persons with disabilities in order to turn territories into more inclusive spaces.
Corporal María Gabriela reminded us that it can be done. And now the National Police is also promoting a training process for its personnel to master sign language, a form of communication that has its own international day of celebration, September 23, established by the United Nations. (OR)
Source: Eluniverso
Mario Twitchell is an accomplished author and journalist, known for his insightful and thought-provoking writing on a wide range of topics including general and opinion. He currently works as a writer at 247 news agency, where he has established himself as a respected voice in the industry.
