{"id":9014,"date":"2026-09-21T19:50:00","date_gmt":"2026-09-21T19:50:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/govinfohub.go.ug\/?p=9014"},"modified":"2026-09-22T08:15:40","modified_gmt":"2026-09-22T08:15:40","slug":"deaf-ugandans-seek-legal-recognition-of-sign-language","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/govinfohub.go.ug\/index.php\/2026\/09\/21\/deaf-ugandans-seek-legal-recognition-of-sign-language\/","title":{"rendered":"Deaf Ugandans Seek Legal Recognition of Sign Language"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

By Wakibi Iddi<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

People with hearing impairment and disability rights advocates are calling for legislation to formally recognise and regulate sign language in Uganda, saying communication barriers continue to limit access to healthcare, education and other essential services.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The call was made on Friday during the climax of Deaf International Week celebrations in Sembabule District, where advocates said a clear legal framework would strengthen communication between deaf people, interpreters and service providers.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Robert Nkwangu, Executive Director of an organisation identified as UNCRPD, said sign language has its own rules and structures but is not consistently understood or applied.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cThere is a need for legislation that recognises and regulates sign language so that what is communicated is clearly understood by both deaf people and interpreters. Some interpreters communicate wrong words, but this law will help us know what the law says about people who interpret wrongly,\u201d<\/em> Nkwangu said.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

He said communication challenges are particularly serious in healthcare, where many facilities lack personnel trained in sign language.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Nkwangu said deaf patients may struggle to explain their health concerns or understand information provided by medical workers, potentially affecting the quality of care.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

To help bridge the gap, he said the organisation has begun developing a technology-based project aimed at improving communication between deaf people and those who do not understand sign language.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Uganda joined other countries to mark Deaf International Week, with activities running from September 14 before climaxing in Sembabule on September 18 under the theme, \u201cDeclaring Deaf People\u2019s Human Rights: Innovation that Guarantees Access to Social Services and Empowerment.\u201d<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Representing Deputy Speaker of Parliament Thomas Tayebwa, the representative of persons with disabilities in Parliament, Laura Kanushu, pledged to advocate for greater inclusion of people with disabilities in government programmes.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Kanushu called for increased funding for disability-focused initiatives and urged health facilities to improve communication with patients with hearing impairments.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

She also advocated for inclusive education, saying children with disabilities should, where appropriate, have opportunities to learn alongside their peers.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cInclusive education can help children with disabilities interact with their peers and participate more fully in society,\u201d<\/em> Kanushu said.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Tayebwa called on Members of Parliament to monitor government development programmes beyond their offices to ensure resources reach their intended beneficiaries.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

He also pledged Parliament\u2019s support for deaf people, saying programmes affecting people with hearing impairments should receive greater attention.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

In Sembabule, District Resident Commissioner Jane Francis Kagaayi called for stronger attention to the needs of people living with disabilities.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

District Chairperson Patrick Nkalubo and local Members of Parliament called for deliberate investment in education and other services for children with disabilities. They proposed establishing a school specifically serving deaf and visually impaired children in the district.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Nkalubo said the celebrations should serve as a wake-up call to government and local leaders to address barriers affecting people with disabilities.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cThe celebrations should serve as a wake-up call to government and local leaders to address the challenges faced by people with disabilities,\u201d<\/em> Nkalubo said.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The event also recognised institutions and individuals supporting the rights and welfare of deaf people, with NBS TV among those acknowledged for its contribution to communicating messages promoting the rights of people with hearing impairments.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Nearly two decades after the adoption of the United Nations Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities, advocates say more action is needed to translate commitments into accessible healthcare, education and social services.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The Sembabule celebrations renewed calls for stronger legal and practical measures to remove communication barriers and ensure people with hearing impairments can participate fully in society.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

By Wakibi Iddi People with hearing impairment and disability rights advocates are calling for legislation to formally recognise and regulate sign language in Uganda, saying communication barriers continue to limit access to healthcare, education and other essential services. The call was made on Friday during the climax of Deaf International Week celebrations in Sembabule District, […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":9016,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"om_disable_all_campaigns":false,"_monsterinsights_skip_tracking":false,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paid_content":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[5,1],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-9014","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-news","category-uncategorized"],"aioseo_notices":[],"aioseo_head":"\n\t\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t