Sophie Wellington discusses why legal recognition for BSL is needed to increase public awareness and break down communication barriers.
BSL was only recognised as a minority language in 2003, and still does not have the legal status that languages such as Welsh and Gaelic have in the UK. In England and Wales, English and Welsh are bound by law to be treated equally. This means that a number of important online and telephone services are immediately available in Welsh, but this is not the case for BSL.
Crucially, Welsh speakers are protected in a court of law so that they can request to speak in Welsh without delay or disadvantage. However, the d/Deaf community are frequently met with a severe lack of communication access within courts. Here are just two real-life examples of this:
'A deaf man went to court on a debt collection case. When a court administrator noticed him communicating with his 12-year-old niece in sign language, the administrator required the young child to serve as the “interpreter” for her uncle’s trial.'
'A deaf woman, in danger of physical violence from her ex-boyfriend, went to her local courthouse seeking an Order of Protection. When the courthouse did not provide her with an interpreter, she was unable to participate in the hearing. As a result, she did not get crucial legal protection against her abuser.'
Both cases clearly display a violation of human rights, yet there are many more instances of discrimination, not just within the Court, that the d/Deaf and hard of hearing community have faced.
An important step in breaking down the communication barrier between d/Deaf and hearing individuals is to grant BSL full legal status in the UK. As of now, Scotland is the only region to do so. The British Sign Language Act passed in 2015 provides BSL greater protection under the Human Rights Act, while also vowing to promote the use of BSL. Authorities and agencies are required to produce detailed plans on how they will ensure that d/Deaf individuals have equal access to their services. This will include providing easy access to all information in BSL, and how they will help in increasing public awareness of BSL. The act encompasses many aspects of everyday life, such as health, education, housing, and the courts, to remove as many communication barriers that affect the d/Deaf community.
This is especially relevant to the 'Where is the Interpreter?' campaign. Unlike Scotland, who provide a sign language interpreter at all Covid-19 briefings, the UK government have failed to make live coronavirus updates accessible to the d/Deaf and hard of hearing. As a result, around 150, 000 people who rely on BSL are unable to obtain crucial, live information. If BSL was to achieve full legal status, as it has done in Scotland, human rights violations such as a lack of access to emergency announcements can be rectified.
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