The implementation of the Regulation on communication services by using mimic gestures language / sign language with the assistance of an interpreter approved on May 2014, was the topic of the discussions within the 4th meeting organized by CHRM during the Decade for human rights.
The meeting was attended by representatives of the Associations of the Deaf people, Association of Blind people, Union of organizations of peoples with disabilities, Association for Rehabilitation of persons with disabilities „Humanitas”, CMC „Suflet şi Sănătate”. The discussions were attended by representatives from the Ministry of Labor, Social Protection and Family, Ministry of Education, Republican Psycho-Pedagogical Assistance Center.
During the disscutions was mentioned the importance of the mentioned Regulation adoption, but were pointed its several shortcomings.
Natalia Babici, manager of the Association of the Deaf people from Moldovapointed out several issues that need to be solved. In particular is about the norm regarding duration of the provision of interpretation in mimic gestures languagefor hearing impaired persons - 6 hours / year, according to p. 20 of Regulation (old Regulation provided 25 hours for a person with visual impairments) which is much sublevel to the real needs. A deaf person has no chance to communicate and be understood without an interpreter. And it's not the usual situations, but the need to seek the help of a doctor, social worker or any public or private service according to vital necessities. Another problem is the application procedure for interpretation in sign language which is a cumbersome and bureaucratic.
Wages of the interpreters are low and do not include the time during their missions in the territory. Due to shortcomings of the Regulation in this chapter, for remuneration of translators were allocated only 36 thousands lei. That although in 2014 was allocated 500,000 lei for remuneration of sign language interpreters. One hour of sign language translation is paid with only 31 lei 75 bani.
One especially acute problem is the providence with specialists interpreters of mimic gestures language. According to Natalia Babici in Moldova are only 8 licensed translators, of which 2 were retired already. That given that in our country there are about 5,000 deaf people. It was also noted that one translator per day can serve only three beneficiaries.
Was also discussed about the need for elaboration of a handbook for hearing impaired children, do not exist concrete methods and techniques for learning sign language.
In this context the representative of the Ministry of Education has revealed that there are uncertainties regarding the language used by deaf people now in our country: some of them use a language of signs used in the Russian Federation and others - in Romania. This is one of the reasons why Ministry of Education cannot proceed to prepare a handbook of one framework educational plan. Creation of the Republican Psycho-Pedagogical Assistance Centre, actions taken by the Ministry of Education to reform / revaluation of the field’s residential institutions is part of the planned actions to increase the quality of training an education process designed for this category of children.
Participants to the discussion launched various proposals in order to improve the current state of things, therefore this will be generalized and submitted by the People’s Advocate Office to field authorities in a form of recommendations to protect human rights and fundamental freedoms of persons with disabilities.
Director of the CHRM Anatolie Munteanu, thanked the participants present on the meeting for suggestions made, stressing the importance of consultations during 4 days of dialogue with civil society representatives. The Ombudsman revealed that the proposed topics for discussion were linked to issues related to several categories of people with disabilities, aimed to highlight the urgent problems and their remedy by applying the tactics of small steps.
A final resolution on the held meetings will include these recommendations, the ombudsman institution assuming the commitment to monitor the realization by the competent bodies of the requested actions.
The CHRM director stressed that initiated discussions will continue on next year implicit during the forum that People’s Advocate Office is planning to organize it in the context of the 5th anniversary of signing and ratification by our country of the UN Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities
