The legal recognition of sign languages is one of the major concerns of the international Deaf community. There is no unique way in which such a recognition can be formalized; every country has its own interpretation. In some countries, the national sign language is an official state language, whereas in others it has a protected status in certain areas such as education. A symbolic recognition is no guarantee though for an effective improvement of the life of sign language users.

Sign language status by state

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Australia

Auslan was recognised by the Australian Government as a "community language other than English" and the preferred language of the Deaf community in policy statements in 1987 and 1991. This recognition does not ensure any provision of services in Auslan, but use of Auslan in Deaf education and provision of Auslan/English interpreters is becoming more common.

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! Australia's Language: The Australian Language and Literacy Policy. (Australian Government Publishing Service, Canberra, 1991) "It is now increasingly recognised that signing deaf people constitute a group like any other non-English speaking language group in Australia, with a distinct sub-culture recognised by shared history, social life and sense of identity, united and symbolised by fluency in Auslan, the principal means of communication within the Australian Deaf Community." (Page 20)

Belgium

French Community

The Parliament of French-speaking Belgium recognised LSFB (French-Belgian Sign Language) in a decree of October 2003. This recognition entails:

1. a cultural (symbolical) recognition and
2. the foundation of a commission that will advise the Government of the French Community in all matters related to LSFB.

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! Décret relatif à la reconnaissance de la langue des signes (Decree on the recognition of the sign language) From three possible legal interpretations of the term 'recognition',^* the following one was retained: "It concerns a symbolic recognition that goes hand in hand with a general measure, permitting every minister to take action in fields relative to his authority."

Flemish Community

The Flemish Sign Language was recognised on 2006-04-26 by the Flemish Parliament. This recognition entails:

1. a cultural (symbolical) recognition (see excerpt below),
2. the foundation of a commission that will advise the Flemish government in all matters related to VGT and
3. the structural funding of research and development of VGT.

This recognition was accelerated by the most successful petition ever with the Flemish Parliament and the presence of a Deaf member of parliament, Helga Stevens, and her interpreters in the Flemish Parliament.

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! Decreet houdende de erkenning van de Vlaamse Gebarentaal (Decree on the recognition of the Flemish Sign Language) "Cultural recognition entails that the Flemish Government recognises the Flemish Sign Language as the language of the Deaf Community in Flanders. This 'recognition' encompasses the following three meanings: (1) the Flemish Government acknowledges the correctness of the fact that the Flemish Sign Language is the language of the Deaf Community in Flanders, (2) the Flemish Government also accepts the existence of this language in the judicial domain and treats her accordingly and (3) the Flemish Government expresses her respect for this language."

Brazil

A 2002 law recognizes Brazilian Sign Language in the area of education. It determines that every Deaf child has the right to learn in its language and to have Portuguese as a second language. As of 2005, the law is in the process of being implemented (or "regulamentalized").

Czech Republic

Czech Sign Language gained legal recognition as a human language with the passage of the Sign Language Law 155/1998 Sb ("Zákon o znakové řeči 155/1998 Sb") - see the legislation here (in Czech language).

European Union

The European Parliament unanimously approved a resolution about Deaf Sign Languages on June 17 1988 (available online here). The resolution asks all member countries for recognition of their national sign languages as official languages of the Deaf.

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! European Parliament Resolution on Sign Languages 1988 "The European Parliament ^* calls on the Commission to make a proposal to the Council concerning official recognition of the sign language used by deaf people in each Member State."

Finland

Finnish Sign Language was recognised in the constitution in August 1995.

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! The Constitution of Finland "Section 17 - Right to one's language and culture: ^* The rights of persons using sign language and of persons in need of interpretation or translation aid owing to disability shall be guaranteed by an Act."

Iceland

Icelandic Sign Language has been recognised by law in education but not yet been recognised as deaf people's first language. There was a deaf member of Parliament who campaigned on this issue but so far without success.

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! The National Curriculum Guide for Compulsory School (Ministry of Education, Science and Culture, 2004) "This National Curriculum Guide contains, for the first time, provisions on special Icelandic instruction for students whose mother tongue is not Icelandic. There are also new provisions on special Icelandic instruction for deaf and hearing-impaired pupils and sign-language instruction for the deaf. The objectives for Icelandic instruction of immigrants and the deaf and of sign-language instruction fall under the subject area of language arts (Icelandic) in compulsory school." ^* "Sign language is of basic importance for the development of language, personality and thinking of deaf children. For the deaf, sign language is the most important source of knowledge and their route to participation in Icelandic culture and the culture of the deaf. Sign language is of great importance for all school work and for the pupils’ life and work."

India

There is no official recognition of Indian Sign Language.

Northern Ireland

In Northern Ireland, both British Sign Language (which may be understood to include Northern Ireland Sign Language) and Irish Sign Language were recognised as official languages by the Northern Ireland Office, but they don't yet have the same status as the county's two official minority languages, Irish and Ulster-Scots.

Kenya

There is no legal recognition as yet, but the latest draft of the Kenyan constitution is currently (as of 2005) considering the inclusion of Kenyan Sign Language (see the KNAD report on the proposal).

The Netherlands

The Sign Language of the Netherlands has not been recognised officially by law. There is some public funding for sign language projects.

Portugal

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! Constitution of Portugal "Art. 74, 2 (h): In implementing the education policy, the state shall be charged with protecting and developing Portuguese sign language, as an expression of culture and an instrument for access to education and equal opportunities."

Spain

The Autonomous Communities of Catalonia, Andalusia, and Valencia grant the use of sign languages to the Deaf. Although there is a Spanish Sign Language, the communities are more inclined to recognise the local sign languages.

In the other Spanish regions no sign languages are recognised. Furthermore, the support in terms of sign language interpretation for Deaf persons is minimal or confined by different budgets.

Catalonia

Catalonia officially recognised the Catalan Sign Language (LSC) in 1994. A regional law guarantees the presence of LSC in all areas under the Catalan Government, such as education and media.

Andalusia

The legal situation in Andalusia is similar to the one in Catalonia. Andalusia is the only community recognising the Spanish Sign Language (LSE).

Valencia

Until recently, Valencia had poor legal support for the Deaf. The approved 2006 Statute of Autonomy grants to Valencian Deaf their right to use Valencian Sign Language (LSCV).

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! Statute of Autonomy of the Valencian Country "Article 13,4: The Generalitat shall grant the use of the own sign language of deaf persons, wich shall have to be purposed in education, protection and respect."

Galicia

Galicia is said to be working on a bill concerning the recognition of a sign language.

New Zealand

The Office for Disability Issues developed a New Zealand Sign Language Bill to "provide official recognition of Deaf people’s language as a unique New Zealand language and give it status equal to that of spoken languages. This work also includes looking at provisions for New Zealand Sign Language (NZSL) interpreters in legal proceedings, and on access to language in education, health, employment and public broadcasting." This would make NZSL the third official language of New Zealand alongside Māori and English.

The bill passed its second reading in parliament 119 to 2 on February 23 2006. It became law on April 6.

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! New Zealand Sign Language Bill "Part 2 cl 6: New Zealand Sign Language is declared to be an official language of New Zealand."

Norway

Norwegian Sign Language is recognised by law in education.

Slovak Republic

Slovak Sign Language was recognized in 1995 by law: "Zákon o posunkovej reči nepočujúcich osob 149/1995 Sb" - the Law of the Sign Language of the Deaf 149/1995.

Thailand

Thai Sign Language was acknowledged as "the national language of deaf people in Thailand" on 17 August 1999, in a resolution signed by the Permanent Secretary for Education on behalf of the Royal Thai Government that affirmed the rights of deaf people to learn this distinct sign language as their first language at home and in schools. According to a report by Charles Reilly (1999),"specific actions will be taken by the government, including hiring deaf people as teachers and instructors of sign language in deaf schools, and providing interpreters for deaf people in higher education."

Uganda

On October 8th, 1995, Uganda's national sign language was recognised in the country's new constitution, making Uganda Sign Language one of the few constitutionally recognised sign languages in the world (WFD News, April 1996). A Deaf signer (27-year-old Alex Ndeezi) was elected to parliament in 1996.

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! Preamble to The Constitution of Uganda "XXIV (iii). The State shall ^* promote the development of a sign language for the deaf."

United States of America

Many individual states have laws recognising American Sign Language as a "foreign language" for educational purposes; some recognise ASL as a language of instruction in schools.

Venezuela

Venezuela Sign Language was recognised in the country's constitution on November 12th, 1999.

Sources

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• Report on the status of Sign Languages in Europe (PDF link)
• Official Recognition of British Sign Language

Sign languages

Erkenning van gebarentalen