While starting the meeting of the Polish Board of Sign Language (Polska Rada Języka Migowego) at the Ministry of Family, the Labour and Social Policy, in which the Minister, Elżbieta Rafalska and the Vice-Minister, Krzysztof Michałkiewicz participated, the Minister thanked all of the Board’s representatives present at the meeting for the hitherto agreeable cooperation.

During the Thursday meeting, mainly the issue of the Polish sign language translators’ certification, as well as current problems of the deaf in their everyday life were discussed. Małgorzata Czajkowska-Kisil, PhD presented worked-out solutions and drew attention to the especially important issue – the deaf, who would like to, for many reasons, use the help of an assistant (e.g. from Municipal Social Assistance Centre (MOPS)) and who have a problem, because assistants do not know the sign language. Another mentioned problem consisted the not sufficient number of translators of Polish sign language. Working on new solutions regarding translators’ certification is necessary – indicates Polish Board of Sign Language (PRJM).

Polish Board of Sign Language (Polska Rada Języka Migowego) is an advisory body of the Minister of Family, Labour and Social Policy constituting “a forum of cooperation to the benefit of the deaf and the hearing-impaired representatives of governmental administration authorities, local government and non-governmental organisations”. Its tasks include, among others: drawing up recommendations in order to ensure proper use of the sign communication, distributing and promoting knowledge on sign language, drawing up opinions on functioning of act’s provisions, drawing up opinions on government documents’ drafts, as well as submitting proposals of solutions regarding its area of interest, including those related to using Polish sign language, the language and sign language system and the communication system for deaf and dumb persons.