The release of the first electoral sign language dictionary in South Asia marks a significant milestone in Sri Lanka's efforts towards inclusivity and accessibility in elections. This initiative, undertaken by the Election Commission in collaboration with the Sri Lanka Central Association of Hearing Impaired, addresses the longstanding challenges faced by individuals with hearing impairments during the electoral process.
It is estimated that around four lakh Sri Lankans are hard of hearing, and the absence of suitable codes and canonical meanings for electoral terminology has posed significant difficulties for them when exercising their right to vote. Recognizing this issue, the Election Commission, with support from the US Agency for International Development, embarked on a groundbreaking project to develop a comprehensive electoral sign language dictionary.
The dictionary, comprising 324 important election terms translated into five languages, including Sri Lankan Tamil Sign Language and Sri Lankan Sign Language, aims to facilitate better communication and understanding among individuals with hearing impairments. The inclusion of picture and video formats enhances accessibility, ensuring that the electoral vocabulary is easily comprehensible.
One of the key principles guiding this initiative is "nothing about us without us." This philosophy emphasizes the active involvement of individuals with disabilities in decision-making processes that affect them. Accordingly, the majority of the members involved in the production of the sign language dictionary were people with disabilities, ensuring that their perspectives and experiences were central to the project.
The development of the electoral sign language dictionary was accompanied by a statewide sign language training program aimed at trainers, sign language interpreters, hearing-impaired individuals, and Election Commission officials. Through these training sessions and consultation meetings, awareness about the new election regulations and vocabulary was raised, fostering a more inclusive electoral environment.
In addition to the release of the sign language dictionary, Sri Lanka also celebrated the completion of the 2024 batch of students who participated in the ENGAGE program. This unique training initiative, organized by the International Union for Electoral Systems in partnership with Kelani University's Inclusivity Center, equipped twenty young leaders with disabilities with the knowledge and skills necessary to engage in democratic processes and promote inclusive governance.
The significance of these initiatives was underscored by Election Commission Commissioner General Saman Sri Ratnayaka, who described the release of the sign language dictionary as a "huge success." However, he emphasized that this is just the beginning of efforts to dismantle barriers faced by individuals with hearing impairments during elections. Ratnayaka also hinted at future innovations, such as touch-sensitive ballots, to further enhance accessibility and ensure that every citizen can exercise their right to vote independently and confidently.
Overall, the release of the electoral sign language dictionary and the completion of the ENGAGE program represent important steps towards building a more inclusive and accessible electoral system in Sri Lanka. These initiatives underscore the country's commitment to upholding the rights of all citizens, regardless of their abilities and ensuring that democracy truly reflects the voices and needs of every individual.