Recognition’ status of ethiopian sign language and the deaf in key legislations: A critical review from linguistic human rights perspective

Abstract

The main objective of this study is to explore the status of the Ethiopian Sign Language (EthSL) in key legal and policy documents in a country where the recognition status of the language and its users have been debatable. To identify, in detail, implicit and explicit recognitions granted and/or missed in the documents, interpretive policy analysis is used as a method. Using Linguistic Human Rights (LHRs) approach as a framework, the purposely selected documents were examined critically. It is found from the review, there is n o explicit recognition granted for EthSL as a language in its own rights at Federal or Regional constitutions and other policies, including the new FDRE Language Policy. None of these official documents also determined EthSL to be a working language, language of education, Mother Tongue/primary language of Deaf children, or community language. The educational and disability policies and plans recommend using sign language, however not EthSL, in various contexts primarily as an assistive mechanism and communication tool. Further, language rights as a human right issue in the case of the Deaf is not promoted and protected in the documents adequately. Lack of recognizing the linguistic identity of EthSL users and their human rights have a negative effect on their dignified life, which requires attention in future policy formulations.