The World Federation of the Deaf is proud to announce its latest Position Paper on the right of deaf people to choose and access International Sign interpretation services.
Deaf people have the right to decide their accessibility needs, including choosing between International Sign and national sign languages, and selecting qualified interpreters. However, International Sign interpreting services remain unregulated, and there are too few qualified interpreters. Many deaf people and organisations have expressed concerns about the cost of IS interpreting, especially in the Global South.
WFD calls on governments and event organisers to:
- Recognise deaf people’s right to choose their interpretation services.
- Ensure funding for qualified International Sign interpreters.
- Consult deaf people and their representative organisations.
