To mark the 30th anniversary of the Constitution of Ukraine, a project of great importance to the sign language community was completed — a full translation of the text of the Constitution of Ukraine into Ukrainian Sign Language.
A team of professional sign language interpreters, sign language specialists, and legal experts worked on the translation. For all participants, this project was not only a significant undertaking but also a unique professional experience.
In the interview, team members discuss their preparation for the translation, the challenges of working with legal terminology, productive teamwork, and the significance of this project for people with hearing impairments.
According to the translators, the preparation process itself served as a kind of professional development course. The work required a thorough analysis of the Constitution’s content, a search for the most accurate and understandable equivalents in Ukrainian Sign Language, and lengthy discussions and coordination of the wording.
It was a challenging and demanding task, but the project participants noted the high level of teamwork and their satisfaction with the joint result.
Feedback from the sign language community
The future reaction of the sign language community is of particular importance to the translators. The team is looking forward to feedback from the people for whom this translation was created: how clearly the information is presented, how the material is received, and to what extent it helps readers better understand the provisions of Ukraine’s Constitution..
Materials for Use in Education and Learning
Project participants also see significant potential for further use of the material they have created. In particular, the translation could be useful in the educational process — when children and young people, for whom Ukrainian Sign Language is the primary or most accessible means of obtaining information, are studying the Constitution, civil rights and responsibilities, and the fundamentals of Ukraine’s political system.
For a long time, many deaf citizens had limited access to complex legal information, including the full text of the Constitution of Ukraine. The lack of a translation into Ukrainian Sign Language created a barrier to accessing information about their rights, freedoms, and responsibilities as citizens of Ukraine.
The complete translation of the Constitution of Ukraine into Ukrainian Sign Language is helping to gradually break down this information barrier. Now, citizens who use sign language have the opportunity to familiarize themselves directly with the content of the Constitution in a format accessible to them and to better understand the provisions enshrined therein..
Trust
Another important factor for the team was who was behind the initiative to create the translation. The idea for the project arose during a joint discussion between representatives of the civil non-governmental organization “Public Movement "Social Unity” and the Secretariat of the Verkhovna Rada of Ukraine. For the translators, this served as further confirmation of the social significance and responsibility of the work they had been invited to participate in..
Financial support for the project was provided by the PostCode Ukraine Charitable Foundation.
But the work on the translation doesn't end with the publication of the videos. The next important step is to hear the views of the sign language community itself.
The translators invite you to view the complete translation of the Constitution of Ukraine into Ukrainian Sign Language and share your thoughts. After all, feedback from sign language users will help us understand how well the material meets people’s needs and how it can be used in the future — in education, outreach, and everyday life.
Watch the interview and find out what this project was like from the inside!
