It is noted that the Ministry of Community Development has completed the project "Sign Language Emirati Dictionary for the Deaf", with integrated efforts from strategic the project’s supporting partners: Zayed Higher Organization for People of Determination, Sharjah City for Humanitarian Services, UAE Deaf Association, Community Development Authority and “Kalimati” Center.
The Ministry of Community Development celebrates the International Day of Sign Languages coinciding on 23rd September each year after achieving additional diversified achievements and efforts to empower deaf people and those with hearing disabilities either through employment or access to the services they need smoothly and easily.
On this occasion, Excellency Nasser Ismail, Assistant Undersecretary of Social Welfare at the Ministry of Community Development announced the launch of the first Guide for the employment of people of determination equipped with sign language translation technology through a virtual 3D cartoon character (Avatar), which was designed in accordance with the ministry's vision and mission to empower the people of determination. The project is a milestone in making the written content accessible to the deaf people in sign language and easier.
He said that the ministry worked to achieve a smart translation of the guide for the employment of people of determination in sign language, where all the references were reviewed in the smart guide and consisting of (8) chapters by specialists in the department of welfare and rehabilitation of people of determination in preparation for the launch of the guide through the website of the Ministry of Community Development in order to facilitate the process of employing people of determination with hearing disabilities.
Excellency Nasser Ismail, stated that the number of people of determination with hearing disabilities (2706) all over the UAE of which (1616) are males and (1090) are females, while the total number of people of determination who are enrolled in the recruitment platform has reached (633) people of which (153) have been employed so far.
He also emphasized that the celebration on the occasion of the International Day of Sign Languages, renews the ministry's commitment towards employing the people of determination based on its sustainable efforts to implement the national policy of empowering people of determination especially in vocational rehabilitation and employment, accessibility, protection and empowerment, public life and culture in order to achieve inclusive empowerment and employment of this category. The Ministry had earlier qualified front line staff in the customers’ happiness centers who are familiar with signal language to assist people of determination and granted them moral leave as qualified employees to deal with the owners of the language, and granted them leave days as qualified employees to deal with the people of determination.
He added that the ministry was able to implement (15) training courses on "sign language basics" to enhance communication with the deaf people, (9) of which were held remotely with a total attendance of (302) people from different entities, competent authorities and ages.
It is noted that the Ministry of Community Development has completed the project "Sign Language Emirati Dictionary for the Deaf", with integrated efforts from strategic the project’s supporting partners: Zayed Higher Organization for People of Determination, Sharjah City for Humanitarian Services, UAE Deaf Association, Community Development Authority and “Kalimati” Center.
The sign language dictionary aims for the collection of all reference vocabulary words related to deaf people all over the UAE in order to be unified and standardized, preserved and circulated among the deaf people after documenting it in an approved dictionary with up to (5000) words, to be used in the teaching and inclusion of deaf students of determination as a major reference and at the same time raise the level of community culture in sign language. The dictionary also helps in the welfare and rehabilitation of UAE sign language interpreters.
The dictionary consists of a set of chapters comprising different vocabulary words such as: indicating sign language alphabet chapter, sign language figures, official documents, tourist areas and attractions, ministries, entities and authorities, clothing and decorative tools, traditional food, family, common verbs, adjectives and situations, trends and placements, colors, home and accessories, titles and professions, education, measurement units, health, ocean, environment, animals, plants, and sports.