The Swedish National Association of the Deaf has been working since 2009 for the state to appoint a truth commission on abuses against deaf people in Sweden, but SDR has raised the issue with various politicians to a weak response. The issue gained higher priority after a congress decision in 2021, and SDR then invested additional resources and formed a special working group. A truth commission would mean the state investigates and acknowledges what has happened, including forced sterilizations and the past prohibition of sign language in schools.
Today, issues can include lack of access to interpreters, affecting opportunities for education and participation in society. The working group is now planning its continued work and gathering material to influence politicians. The government says no to a truth commission, with the government aware that abuses have occurred but not wanting to appoint a commission.
Instead, the government wants to work forward-looking with rights and oversight to prevent new violations. The government's focus is to continue working to achieve equality in living conditions and full participation in society for people with disabilities, with the UN Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities as a starting point. In Finland, a truth and reconciliation process for deaf and sign language users began in 2025.