Flemish Sign Language (VGT) is the first language or mother tongue of about 6000 Flemish people. It is an old and natural language which is passed on from generation to generation. VGT is not officially recognised in Flanders. There is however a practical level of recognition in that deaf people can be allocated interpreting hours, funded by the government. Deaf adults can get interpreters for specific situations and deaf children integrating in hearing schools get limited hours of interpreting.
The Flemish Deaf community has been lobbying for the recognition of their language for years, without results. Up till now.
In January 2004 a group of young people started the Deaf Action Front (DAF) with one goal: the recognition of the Flemish Sign Language. After meeting up with Fevlado (Flemish Federation of Deaf Organisations), the Flemish Sign Language Centre and member of Flemish Parliament Helga STEVENS, DAF started a petition for the recognition of VGT. The least we can say about this petition is that it was a huge success! During a period of 4 months 71330 signatures were gathered. These were handed over to the Flemish Parliament on Wednesday 26 January 2005.
In the meantime Fevlado continued their lobbying strategy in order to make the various ministries realise that the Flemish Deaf community demands that their language will be recognised. The ministers of Welfare, Equal Opportunities and Culture already said that they support this demand.
Also the member of Flemish Parliament, Helga STEVENS, is putting all her energy in realising the recognition of Flemish Sign Language. At this moment she is preparing a proposal for a decree that will recognise VGT. This proposal will be discussed in the Flemish Parliament. DAF, the Flemish Sign Language Centre and Fevlado will provide the government with recommendations about how the recognition of VGT should be drawn up.
Every one involved feels that the social and political climate is now right for the recognition of Flemish Sign Language as a language. Linguistic research has proven that this visual language is a natural and full language. Awareness raising has made the broad society see that discrimination of a language leads to social exclusion. The presence of a deaf lawyer in Parliament has confronted the political world with the existence of Flemish Sign Language in Flanders.
The first steps towards the recognition of the Flemish Sign Language have been taken and the Flemish Deaf community will keep on lobbying.
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