Action Plan Initiated to Address Demands of Hearing-Impaired Citizens and Introduce New Accessibility Standards in Public Services

Following a formal petition submitted by the National Association of the Deaf of Mongolia to the Government and the Ministry, a consultative meeting was held to address the issues raised.

The State Secretary of the Ministry of Family, Labour, and Social Protection, A. Davaajargal, alongside B. Ider (Head of the Public Administration and Management Department), D. Munguntuul (Head of the Family Policy Department), A. Khishigbayar (Head of the Division for the Development of Persons with Disabilities), D. Gerel (Head of the General Authority for Development of Persons with Disabilities), and other relevant officials received A. Enkhbaatar, President of the National Association of the Deaf, and representatives of the hearing-impaired community.

The Ministry of Family, Labour, and Social Protection has announced that it has accepted the petition. Grounded in the principles of respecting human rights and ensuring equal participation, the Ministry has begun implementing phased measures and concrete decisions. Furthermore, the Ministry expressed its commitment to leading inter-agency collaboration to resolve issues in the petition that cannot be settled by the Ministry alone.

During the meeting, officials presented the ongoing measures being taken to address the specific demands:

·    Establishing a Legal Framework for Sign Language: The Ministry is currently drafting the "Law on Mongolian Sign Language." The concept of the draft law has been submitted to the Ministry of Justice. The primary objective of this legislation is to establish the legal framework for acquiring, using, protecting, and developing Mongolian sign language. This will define the rights, duties, and responsibilities of citizens and legal entities in creating an accessible environment for hearing-impaired individuals to participate in social relations, ultimately improving their quality of life.

·      Budgeting for Interpreter Fees: To ensure seamless public services for hearing-impaired citizens, an official directive was sent to all ministries, provincial governors, and the Governor of the Capital City on May 27, 2026. This directive instructs them to include sign language interpretation costs in their 2027 budgets and to monitor implementation. A corresponding official letter was also delivered to the Ministry of Justice.

· Utilizing Technology for Information Accessibility: The Communications Regulatory Commission has commenced work to approve the "MNS" standard, which requires television broadcasts to include sign language interpretation and subtitles. Additionally, efforts are underway to implement technical solutions within the IPTV system in compliance with international ITU-T H702 recommendations.

·         Ensuring Workplace Stability: Support has been provided to the National Association of the Deaf to ensure their operations continue normally at their current premises.

·         Budget, Financing, and Oversight: Funding mechanisms will be made more explicit in the revised draft of the "Law on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities" and the primary draft of the "Law on Mongolian Sign Language." Additionally, the outcomes of measures and inspections conducted in this area during 2025 and 2026 were presented.

Efforts are also underway to forward issues regarding licensing and rights for deaf drivers to the relevant line ministries and authorities for prompt resolution.

As an immediate outcome of the meeting, the Ministry announced plans to organize official meetings within this month with the Ministry of Justice, the Governor’s Office of the Capital City, the Communications Regulatory Commission, and the Mongolian National Broadcaster to present and systematically resolve the pressing challenges faced by hearing-impaired citizens.

The Minister and the State Secretary emphasized that under their legal obligation to provide equal and accessible public services to every citizen, the demands submitted by hearing-impaired individuals must move beyond paperwork and be translated into reality. Specific directives were issued to managing officials and staff to ensure swift execution.