Centre directs all ministries to include sign language interpreters in official briefings | Metaglossia: The Translation World | Scoop.it

Central govt has directed all ministries to include sign language interpreters in official briefings. Centre said it wants to create a barrier-free environment

Written By
Aniket Mishra

IMAGE: ANI/UNSPLASH-REP

 

In a major update, the BJP-led Union Government has directed all ministries to include sign language interpreters in all official briefings. The Minister for Social Justice and Empowerment, Virendra Kumar, wrote a letter to all central ministries on Friday and mandated it. Earlier, a letter by Anjali Bhawra, who is the secretary of the Department of Empowerment of Persons with Disabilities had asked all ministries to follow the direction soon.

It is also important to mention that the Supreme Court had earlier issued notices to the Centre and states based on the plea to include sign language interpreters in official press briefings. Justices S Abdul Nazeer and Vikram Nath directed the governments to respond to a PIL filed by disability rights activist and advocate M Karpagam, alleging that all press briefings held in India are neither inclusive nor accessible.

 
 

Centre says it wants to create 'barrier-free environment'

In the letter, Anjali Bharwa, Secretary of Department of Persons with Disabilities in the Ministry of Social Justice and Empowerment, wrote about creating a barrier-free environment for people with disabilities so that they are also well informed about the schemes and actions of the government.

The letter stated, "The Rights of Persons with Disabilities Act, 2016 mandates the appropriate Government to create a barrier-free environment for the persons with disabilities in physical infrastructure, transport, information and communication technology and other facilities and services. It is, therefore, incumbent upon the Government to ensure that all public information related to each sector is accessible to all categories of the persons with disabilities including persons with hearing impairment."

Bharwa further added in her letter, "Since sign language is one of the preferred modes of communication for persons with hearing impairment, it will be in the proper fitness of things for making provisions of sign language interpretation in every meeting/seminar/workshop including briefing being organized by the Ministries/Departments/their organizations."

Bhawra further mentioned in the letter that the government has established the Indian Sign Language Research and Training Centre (ISLRTC) to promote the usage of sign language in the country. This Institute may provide technical assistance to Ministries/Departments for the provision of sign language interpretation at their meetings/seminars/workshops/press briefings.

Earlier in October 2021, Bhawra had written another letter to the Union Ministries, seeking the use of a sign language interpreter for meetings/seminars/workshops hosted by the Ministries/Departments, in accordance with the terms of the Rights of Persons with Disabilities Act, 2016.