However, due to the need to secure funding, the bill has been sent to the Cabinet of Ministers for review. It is clear that the current bicameral parliament of the 8th convocation, which concludes its term on July 1, will not have enough time to pass this law. The task of reforming inclusive policies and establishing the status of the new language is being passed on to the new parliament, writes inbusiness.kz.
Kazakhstani Prime Minister Olzhas Bektanov reported that the government has thoroughly analyzed international experience regarding the legal recognition of sign language through diplomatic channels. The analysis showed that in Germany, Russia, the U.S., the UAE, China, and Turkey, this step became the foundation for ensuring true equality among citizens. In Japan, Spain, South Korea, Bulgaria, and Slovakia, a specialized legislative framework has been established for these purposes. New Zealand, the United Kingdom, Iceland, Australia, Norway, Austria, Spain, Sweden, and South Africa have already granted sign language official status, while Finland has enshrined the rights of sign language in its constitution. Portugal, Croatia, Sweden, and Estonia, however, have managed without constitutional reforms or laws, swiftly resolving the issue through targeted sector-specific regulations. It will become clear in the near future exactly which path Kazakhstan will take in determining the new status of Kazakh sign language.
The Prime Minister did not support the deputies’ proposal to immediately review and increase the volume of paid sign language interpretation, as this would entail budgetary expenditures. A moratorium on allocating additional funds from the national and local budgets for new social initiatives remains in effect in the country until December 31, 2028. This means that this limit will not be increased until at least 2029.
Currently, more than 30,000 people with hearing and speech impairments live in Kazakhstan, and about 5,000 of them are children. They receive specialized education at 22 special schools and 3 specialized kindergartens. Across the entire country of Kazakhstan, there are only 221 teachers of the deaf who teach children with hearing and speech impairments.
A systemic problem: “such a language simply does not exist”
Kazakh experts and lawmakers assert that a fully-fledged Kazakh sign language does not yet exist. Kazakhs are forced to use Russian sign language. To the layperson, it may seem as though sign language is universal, like the “OK” or “like” signs. But this is a misconception: the same finger gesture can have completely opposite meanings in different linguistic cultures. Kazakhstan’s current legislation ignores this reality, effectively asserting that “such a language simply does not exist.”
AI to the Rescue
Certain steps are being taken to advance sign language through technology. For example, the National Scientific and Practical Center for the Development of Special and Inclusive Education has developed the “e-Ymdau” electronic video dictionary in Kazakh and Russian, complete with accompanying methodological guidelines. The e-Ymdau mobile app makes this visual database accessible on any smartphone. However, the system is hampered by a shortage of personnel.
The Prime Minister of Kazakhstan is also betting on digitalization. Scientists and students from 107 universities across the country have already created more than 200 artificial intelligence agents—ranging from AI librarians and AI student assistants to career mentors and digital sign language interpreters. Basic sign language is not yet available in these agents, but the developers are “actively moving in this direction.”
