#IWDeaf

Uganda was the first country in the world to legally recognise its national sign language in 1995. Since then, only approximately 50 countries have formally granted their national sign languages an equal status to  their national spoken language(s). This is less than 25% of the United Nations 193 Member States.

National sign language recognition campaigns have been the core advocacy work of numerous National Associations of the Deaf. Those associations have worked in partnership with deaf activists and the academic community with the common goal of reaching the legal recognition of their national sign languages!

National sign languages are fully-fledged languages with the same linguistic properties as spoken languages. They deserve full recognition through legislation as minority languages of their country of origin with an equal status to the spoken languages used in that country. 
Why is it important to grant legal recognition to national sign language(s)?

The legal recognition of national sign languages is the first step in the path toward achieving human rights for deaf people. This recognition can give instrumental rights to deaf people and compel obligations from national governments.

Through sign language legislation, deaf people can be entitled to claim access to all areas of life in
their national sign language and benefit from equal opportunities. Therefore, governments have the
legal obligation to ensure recognition as the first step to the inclusion of deaf people and sign languages into their societies. 
Sign language legislation can enable the realization of the most fundamental rights of deaf people, the rights to access all areas of society on an equal footing with others, through sign language.

Sign language legislation enables deaf people to benefit from equal opportunities in all areas of life.
Let’s meet tomorrow to find out what that means in practice!  However, if you haven’t yet endorsed our
Charter on Sign Language Rights for All!