Call for GCC-Wide Rules on Sign Language Interpreters

Daily Tribune

2 days ago

A GCC-wide push to regulate sign language interpreting has been floated following a visit by the Bahrain Deaf Society to Kuwait, where delegates called for formal contracts, rights protections, and unified training for interpreters.
The chairman of the society, Sayed Hassan Al Ghuraifi, led the delegation during meetings at the Center of Community Service and Continuing Education.
He said the visit aimed to explore ways institutions across the GCC might agree on shared rules for supporting deaf people and those who work with them.
Talks focused on creating standard forms for managing interpreter work, formalising contracts, and securing legal protections for those in the profession.
Al Ghuraifi said these steps would help improve service quality while giving interpreters proper standing in both public and private sectors.
Challenges and Cooperation
The two sides also discussed the difficulties faced by deaf communities, as well as by interpreters who often work without clear structures or guarantees.
Training, job pathways, and recognition of qualifications all came up.
The Bahraini delegation also visited the Maastricht School of Business in Kuwait, where conversations turned to young people with hearing impairments and how to prepare them for work through academic and hands-on schemes.
Al Ghuraifi said the Center of Community Service and Continuing Education plays a strong role in community learning and training, and he welcomed the opportunity to lay the groundwork for deeper regional cooperation.
He added that the society is looking to build on this visit to support the deaf more effectively across Gulf countries.