International Day of Sign Languages: Deaf people demand the right to exercise their rights in their own language

Wednesday, 23 September, is the International Day of Sign Languages. On this occasion, the State Confederation of Deaf People (CNSE) is calling for the recognition of deaf people’s linguistic rights to be translated into their effective exercise in everyday life.

Going to the doctor and understanding what is happening, following a lesson, dealing with an administrative procedure or taking part in legal proceedings with all the necessary safeguards are everyday situations in which being able to use their own language can make a decisive difference for a deaf person.

Under the slogan “Demanding the human rights of deaf people”, the CNSE is focusing this year on the gap that still exists between a right being recognised in law and being able to exercise it on an equal footing.

“We have made great progress in recognition, but rights are measured in real life: in a medical consultation, in a classroom, when dealing with an administration or in any situation where a deaf person needs to communicate and make their own decisions,” says CNSE president Roberto Suárez.

Autonomy in accessing services

The Confederation warns that situations still arise in which deaf people have to turn to family members, find other ways to communicate or rely on improvised solutions to access services that should be equipped to assist them on equal terms.

“This is not about asking for special treatment. It is about autonomy and the effective exercise of our linguistic rights,” the organisation says.

The call takes on particular significance following the recent parliamentary approval of reforms to disability and dependency legislation. According to the CNSE, the reforms strengthen principles such as inclusion, autonomy and universal accessibility.

Among the measures highlighted by the organisation is improved access to information and communications. This will need to be matched by sufficient and appropriate resources, such as sign language, subtitles and other forms of support tailored to each person’s needs and preferences.

The reforms also provide for progress on making telecare accessible to deaf people who are dependent on care, including resources such as video interpreting and direct communication in sign language.

“A law can recognise a right, but resources are needed”

For the CNSE, the challenge now is to ensure that progress in legislation is reflected in people’s everyday lives.

“A law can recognise a right, but resources, professionals and stable services are needed to make that right a reality for people,” says Roberto Suárez.

The organisation is therefore calling for sign language to be included in the routine planning of essential services such as healthcare, education, justice, social services and public administrations.

“Accessibility cannot depend on finding a solution at the last minute. It has to be built in from the outset,” the Confederation stresses.

The challenge of artificial intelligence and digital transformation

The organisation is also looking to the future. Rapid digital transformation and the development of artificial intelligence could offer new ways to facilitate communication and access to information, but the CNSE warns that they also risk creating new barriers.

“Artificial intelligence offers opportunities to improve communication and access to information, but it can also create new forms of exclusion if sign languages and the reality of deaf people are not taken into account when these technologies are designed,” Suárez warns.

The Confederation considers it essential for the deaf community to play an active role in designing new services and technological tools.

“We have an opportunity to get things right from the start, by incorporating sign languages and involving deaf people in the design of technologies that will become part of our lives,” it says.

A right for the present and the future

On the International Day of Sign Languages, officially established by the United Nations in 2017, the CNSE is calling for a commitment that covers both current services and those that will emerge from technological transformation.

The organisation says the aim is for deaf people to be able to exercise their linguistic rights today by using their own language, and for new environments, services and technologies to be designed accessibly from the outset, so that today’s barriers are not reproduced in the future.