Ecns
23rd December 2020
Shanghai court offers sign-language services
China Daily Editor : Mo Hong’e
A court in Shanghai recently launched a cost-free sign-language service to help people with hearing difficulties initiate lawsuits and safeguard their rights and interests.
The pilot service was launched by Shanghai Huangpu District People's Court on Dec 3, which marked the International Day of People with Disabilities this year.
By the end of 2019, the city had about 578,000 disabled people, of whom 75,000 were registered as hearing impaired, according to the Shanghai Disabled Persons' Federation.
The court said that the new service was intended to help the "silent minority group" get better access to services when they require legal assistance.
A woman surnamed Xiong was the first to try the service at the court's litigation service center. She was at the center to help a friend, who also has a hearing problem, ask about the filing procedures for inheritance disputes. Volunteer Li Lin used sign language to communicate with Xiong and forwarded her queries to the judge, Cai Miaomiao.