The Secretary of the National Assembly, Lydia Kandetu, has assured the Namibian National Association of the Deaf (NNAD) that their demands for the recognition of sign language will receive the necessary attention.

Kandetu said this while receiving the petition from the association in Windhoek on Thursday.

The association held a demonstration from the Regional Police Station to Zoo Park, where they handed over the petition to Kandetu.

The association says that the recognition of the language will allow the community to fully exercise their rights and open many opportunities for them.

"Supporting the motion for the recognition of the Namibian sign language is not only a matter of human rights for us, the Deaf Namibians, but also a practical step towards a more inclusive, equitable, and diverse society. It empowers the Deaf community, promotes cultural and linguistic diversity, and strengthens the overall composition of the nation," says the vice chairperson of NNAD.

They say that the recognition of the language will mean inclusivity and equal access, cultural and linguistic identity, education, employment, economic empowerment, and legal protection.

Social inclusion and well-being, international standards, communication and participation in democracy, and the promotion of multi-lingualism for the deaf people in the country will all come with the recognition of sign language.

The Deputy Minister of Disability Affairs, Alexia Manombe-Ncube, tabled the motion for the recognition of sign language in parliament recently.