Despite the developments with Rwandan Sign Language (RSL), most Deaf and Hard of hearing people are currently unable to access quality information or social services and remain incapable of individually expressing their needs. Consequently the social-economic situation for Deaf people in Rwanda is extremely challenging and difficult. Many live in extreme poverty due to lack of awareness of the social services available to them and are unable to access them through their appropriate language. This position paper explains in more details the challenges encountered by Deaf people and offers a number of recommendations. language (RSL) across the country, it still remains an unofficial language of Rwanda. Moreover in the National Law N°01/2007 for Disabled People, Article 26 states:Public transport and communication services are obliged to facilitate the disabled persons, Gestures, Braille writings and other ways that aid the disabled persons in communication, where possible shall, be used in conferences and meetings, news reading and other public debates. An order of the Minister in charge of Communication and Transport shall determine modalities of facilitating disabled persons in matters relating to communication and transport. Rwandan Sign language is a comprehensive language, which involves not only Gestures, but Paralinguistic, Body Language, Posture, Proxemics, Eye Gaze, Haptics, Facial Expression. It has its own complete grammar just like the spoken languages (i.e. Kinyarwanda and English). According to RNUD gestures are limited to the deliberate movements of hands, including waving, pointing, and using fingers to indicate numeric amounts which consequently represents only one element of the language. Recommendation:The government of Rwanda needs to urgently amend the terminology used in the National Law N°01/2007 as Rwandan sign language (RSL) should not referenced as “Gestures”. This will ensure that the law is in alignment with Article 9 (Accessibility) and Article 21 (Freedom of expression and opinion, and access to information) of the UNCRPD, recognised and accepted as a bona fide genuine national language (as it has been done in Uganda and Kenya). 2. Deaf people struggle to access information given out to the public on television due to a lack of sign language interpretations . Whilst it is encouraging and much appreciated that there is now sign language interpretation on the daily news for 30 minutes, much more could be done to make broadcasting more accessible. Many Deaf and hard of hearing people are missing out of public discussions, announcements and debates broadcast. By not being able to access information, Deaf people are not empowered to participate in social and economic activities in the country

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1. Whilst much progress is being made in developing and disseminating Rwandan sign
language (RSL) across the country, it still remains an unofficial language of Rwanda.
Moreover in the National Law N°01/2007 for Disabled People, Article 26 states:Public trans-
port and communication services are obliged to facilitate the disabled persons, Gestures,
Braille writings and other ways that aid the disabled persons in communication, where possi-
ble shall, be used in conferences and meetings, news reading and other public debates. An
order of the Minister in charge of Communication and Transport shall determine modalities
of facilitating disabled persons in matters relating to communication and transport.
Rwandan Sign language is a comprehensive language, which involves not only Gestures, but
Paralinguistic, Body Language, Posture, Proxemics, Eye Gaze, Haptics, Facial Expression. It
has its own complete grammar just like the spoken languages (i.e. Kinyarwanda and English).
According to RNUD gestures are limited to the deliberate movements of hands, including
waving, pointing, and using fingers to indicate numeric amounts which consequently repre-
sents only one element of the language.
Recommendation:The government of Rwanda needs to urgently amend the terminology
used in the National Law N°01/2007 as Rwandan sign language (RSL) should not referenced
as “Gestures”. This will ensure that the law is in alignment with Article 9 (Accessibility) and
Article 21 (Freedom of expression and opinion, and access to information) of the UNCRPD,
recognised and accepted as a bona fide genuine national language (as it has been done in
Uganda and Kenya).
2. Deaf people struggle to access information given out to the public on television due to a
lack of sign language interpretations . Whilst it is encouraging and much appreciated that
there is now sign language interpretation on the daily news for 30 minutes, much more could
be done to make broadcasting more accessible. Many Deaf and hard of hearing people are
missing out of public discussions, announcements and debates broadcast. By not being able
to access information, Deaf people are not empowered to participate in social and economic
activities in the country.
Recommendation:The Government of Rwanda, through the Ministry of Local Government
(MINALOC) which is responsible for persons with disabilities and media in Rwanda should
ensure that RNUD certified sign language interpreters are recruited and staffed in public
service broadcast structures (e.g. Televisions) to enable Deaf and hard of hearing to access
critical information and services.It should be mandatory for media houses to include sign
language interpreters on all Rwandan television channels and programs. This will ensure that
the Government of Rwanda is compliant with article 9 of the UNCRPD.
3. Most services and public places such districts, sectors and cell offices, health centres are
not as accessible to Deaf people. There are no sign language interpreters and the knowledge
and use of sign language by service providers is virtually non-existent. Consequently, there is
a huge communication gap between Deaf people and services providers, meaning that Deaf
people cannot adequately access services and information and are not empowered in social
and economic development.
Recommendation: The Government of Rwanda, through the Ministry of Local Government
(MINALOC) should ensure that professional or RNUD certified sign language interpreters are
recruited and staffed at public service structures (such as hospitals and law enforcement
departments i.e. police and courts of law ) ,or big screens need to be installed at offices
where the information can be displayed to enable Deaf and hard of hearing to access infor-
mation and services. This will ensure that the Government of Rwanda is compliant with arti-
cle 9 of the UNCRPD.
4. It is unclear as to whether there is a systematic way to ensure that private and public insti-
tutions are aware and fulfilling their obligations to make their information and services acces-
sible to Deaf People. Whilst the mainstreaming guidance from the National Council of Per-
sons with Disabilities includes information about improving accessibility, awareness of main-
streaming and implementation remains low.
Recommendation: RNUD suggests that there should be further training delivered by NCPD
on how to apply the Mainstreaming Guidance. Furthermore, there should be inspections to
check how accessible the services are, with the inclusion of sign language interpreters. There
should be enforcement and punitive measures applied to institutions that fail to be accessible
to persons with disabilities (PWD), specifically Deaf and Hard of hearing people.
5. Significant progress has been made in tackling stigma and discrimination towards persons
with disabilities in Rwanda. However people with disabilities still encounter disrespectful
language, especially amongst the deaf community – in some instances this can come from
service providers. It is important that this tackled Respectful language.
Sign Language Interpretations as a more effective way of accessing quality information by Deaf persons rather
than subtitles, given the challenges of literacy amongst persons with disabilities.
Sign Language Interpretations as a more effective way of accessing quality information by Deaf persons rather
than subtitles, given the challenges of literacy amongst persons with disabilities.
Challenges and recommendations in accessing quality information
Despite the developments with Rwandan Sign Language (RSL), most Deaf and Hard of hear-
ing people are currently unable to access quality information or social services and remain
incapable of individually expressing their needs. Consequently the social-economic situation
for Deaf people in Rwanda is extremely challenging and difficult. Many live in extreme pov-
erty due to lack of awareness of the social services available to them and are unable to
access them through their appropriate language.
This position paper explains in more details the challenges encountered by Deaf people and
offers a number of recommendations.