Communication barriers faced by the Deaf persons prevent their integration, full participation in family, community and enjoyment of human rights entitled to all members of society. UNAD’s core competence, thus is the development and promotion of Uganda Sign Language so as to bridge the communication barrier between deaf people and hearing people. UNAD also provides technical skills that help to create economic and social opportunities to the deaf.

As one of its major thematic areas of our work, UNAD carries out advocacy and related activities to safeguard, promote and protect the rights of persons with disabilities and enhance equalization of opportunities through access to education, economic opportunities, health and other services.  The focus of UNAD is to help raise awareness of the problems and concerns faced by the deaf people and facilitate strategies that effectively address these concerns and challenges. UNAD also carries out capacity building for its members, safeguarding vulnerable deaf people, HIV/AIDS and gender awareness, influencing policies of government through advocacy and analyzing the available policies and initiating changes and networking with civil society with special focus on linguistic and related issues.

A major goal of Uganda National Association of the Deaf (UNAD) is full participation of all deaf people in the mainstream of life, particularly those who are the most marginalized and vulnerable especially in rural areas who form the vast majority of the country’s disabled people’s population.

UNAD is recognized both nationally and internationally. At the national level, the organization is a member of Uganda National NGO Forum and is consulted by the government as well as the civil society organizations on all matters related to deafness and disability. At the international front, UNAD is a member of World Federation of the Deaf who has consultative status with the UN. UNAD has been able in the past to mobilize funding from a number of international donors including Action Aid International, Swedish Handicap International Aid, Concern Uganda, Finland Association of the Deaf, Danish Deaf Association, Swedish Deaf Association. Action on Disability and Development (ADD) and USAID among others.