World Federation of the Deaf

Last updated
World Federation of the Deaf
FormationSeptember 23, 1951;72 years ago (September 23, 1951) [1]
Type International nongovernmental organization [1]
PurposeHuman, civil, and linguistic rights of deaf people
Headquarters Helsinki, Finland
Location
  • Light House, Ilkantie 4
    Haaga, Helsinki, Finland
Coordinates 60°13′18″N24°54′10″E / 60.221728°N 24.902643°E / 60.221728; 24.902643
Region served
International
President
Joseph Murray
Vice president
Kasper Bergmann
Website wfdeaf.org

The World Federation of the Deaf (WFD) is an international non-governmental organization that acts as a peak body for national associations of Deaf people, with a focus on deaf people who use sign language and their family and friends. WFD aims to promote the human rights of deaf people worldwide, by working closely with the United Nations (with which it has consultative status) and various UN agencies such as the International Labour Organization and the World Health Organization. [2] WFD is also a member of the International Disability Alliance (IDA).

Contents

As of September 19, 2023, 11 board members are all deaf. The offices are located in Helsinki, Finland.

History

The WFD was established in September 1951 in Rome, Italy, at the first World Deaf Congress, under the auspices of Ente Nazionale Sordomuti (ENS), the Italian Deaf Association. [3] The first president of WFD was Professor Vittorio Ieralla, who was also, at that time, president of the ENS. The congress was attended by representatives from 25 countries.

Dr. Cesare Magarotto was one of the founders of World Federation of the Deaf and its first general secretary (1951-1987) along with Vittorio Ieralla who was elected as the president from 1951 to 1955.

Ieralla and Magarotto successfully convinced the Italian government to support their efforts to establish a WFD general secretariat in Rome, in 1951. With continued support from the Italian government and later with the ENS, the WFD general secretariat was able to establish informative and advocacy networks, with national federations of the deaf around the world. [4] Decades later, the WFD general secretariat relocated to Finland (1987), with support from the Finnish government and the Finnish national of the deaf led by the former WFD general secretary Dr. Liisa Kauppinen (WFD president emeritius).

Status

WFD has B-category status with the United Nations and is represented on the following groups': [3]

WFD provides expert advice on Deaf issues in its relationship with other international organizations and professional groups.

The legal seat of WFD is in Helsinki, Finland. [1]

Aims and objectives

At present[ as of? ], emphasis is placed on the following areas: [3]

  1. Improve the status of national sign languages, [3] [5]
  2. Better education for deaf people, [6]
  3. Improve access to information and services [3]
  4. Improve human rights for deaf people in developing countries [3] [6] [7] [8]
  5. Promote the establishment of deaf organisations where none currently exist [3]

Constituency

The WFD claims to represent 70 million deaf people worldwide, of which more than 80 percent live in developing countries. This is done mainly through membership of national deaf organisations, where such organisations exist. As of February 2009, 130 national associations are members. Associate members, international members and individual members also make up WFD's membership base.

List of member associations (as of June 2021): [9]

AssociationsCountry
Afghanistan National Association of the Deaf Flag of the Taliban.svg  Afghanistan
Albanian National Association of the Deaf Flag of Albania.svg  Albania
Fédération Nationale des Sourds d'Algérie Flag of Algeria.svg  Algeria
Confederación Argentina de Sordomudos Flag of Argentina.svg  Argentina
Armenian Deaf Society Flag of Armenia.svg  Armenia
Deaf Australia Flag of Australia (converted).svg  Australia
Austrian Federation of the Deaf Flag of Austria.svg  Austria
Public Association "Support for the Deaf" Flag of Azerbaijan.svg  Azerbaijan
Bangladesh National Federation of the Deaf Flag of Bangladesh.svg  Bangladesh
Belarusian Society of the Deaf Flag of Belarus.svg  Belarus
French-speaking Federation of the Deaf Belgians Flag of Belgium (civil).svg  Belgium
Deaf Flanders Flag of Belgium (civil).svg  Belgium
Association Nationale des Sourds du Benin Flag of Benin.svg  Benin
Federación Boliviana de Sordos Flag of Bolivia.svg  Bolivia
Association of the Deaf and Hard of Hearing Flag of Bosnia and Herzegovina.svg  Bosnia and Herzegovina
Botswana Association of the Deaf Flag of Botswana.svg  Botswana
Federação Nacional de Educação e Integração dos Surdos Flag of Brazil.svg  Brazil
Union of the Deaf in Bulgaria Flag of Bulgaria.svg  Bulgaria
Union Nationale des Associations des Deficients Auditifs du Burkina Flag of Burkina Faso.svg  Burkina Faso
Association Nationale des Sourds du Burundi Flag of Burundi.svg  Burundi
Association Nationale Des Sourds du Cameroon Flag of Cameroon.svg  Cameroon
Canadian Association of the Deaf Flag of Canada (Pantone).svg  Canada
Chadian National Association of the Hearing Impaired Flag of Chad.svg  Chad
Asociación de Sordos de Chile Flag of Chile.svg  Chile
China Association of the Deaf Flag of the People's Republic of China.svg  China
Federación Nacional de Sordos de ColombiaFlag of Colombia.svg  Colombia
Association Nationale des Sourds du CongoFlag of the Democratic Republic of the Congo.svg  Democratic Republic of Congo
Association Nationale des Sourds et Deficients Auditifs du CongoFlag of the Republic of the Congo.svg  Republic of Congo
Asociación Nacional de Sordos de Costa RicaFlag of Costa Rica.svg  Costa Rica
Association Nationale des Sourds de Côte d'IvoireFlag of Cote d'Ivoire.svg  Côte d'Ivoire
Croatian Association of the Deaf and Hard of HearingFlag of Croatia.svg  Croatia
Asociación Nacional de Sordos de CubaFlag of Cuba.svg  Cuba
Cyprus Deaf FederationFlag of Cyprus.svg  Cyprus
Union of the Deaf and Hard of Hearing in the Czech RepublicFlag of the Czech Republic.svg  Czech Republic
Danske Døves Landsforbund Flag of Denmark.svg  Denmark
Asociación Nacional de Sordos de la Republica DominicanaFlag of the Dominican Republic.svg  Dominican Republic
Federación Nacional de Sordos de EcuadorFlag of Ecuador.svg  Ecuador
Asociación Salvadoreña de SordosFlag of El Salvador.svg  El Salvador
National Deaf Association of Eritrea Flag of Eritrea.svg  Eritrea
Estonian Association of the Deaf (Eesti Kurtide Liit)Flag of Estonia.svg  Estonia
Ethiopian National Association of the Deaf Flag of Ethiopia.svg  Ethiopia
Fiji Association of the Deaf Flag of Fiji.svg  Fiji
Finnish Association of the Deaf Flag of Finland.svg  Finland
National Federation of France for the Deaf Flag of France.svg  France
Gambia Association of the Deaf and Hard of Hearing Flag of The Gambia.svg  Gambia
Union of the Deaf of GeorgiaFlag of Georgia.svg  Georgia (country)
German Federation of the Deaf Flag of Germany.svg  Germany
Ghana National Association of the DeafFlag of Ghana.svg  Ghana
Hellenic Federation of the DeafFlag of Greece.svg  Greece
Asociación de Sordos de GuatemalaFlag of Guatemala.svg  Guatemala
Association Guinéenne des SourdsFlag of Guinea.svg  Republic of Guinea
Asociación Nacional de Sordos de Honduras Flag of Honduras.svg  Honduras
Hong Kong Association of the Deaf Flag of Hong Kong.svg  Hong Kong
Hungarian Association of the Deaf and Hard of Hearing Flag of Hungary.svg  Hungary
Felag heyrnarlausra Flag of Iceland.svg  Iceland
All India Federation of the Deaf Flag of India.svg  India
Indonesian Association for the Welfare of the Deaf Flag of Indonesia.svg  Indonesia
Iranian National Center of the Deaf Flag of Iran.svg  Iran
Irish Deaf Society Flag of Ireland.svg  Ireland
Association of the Deaf in Israel Flag of Israel.svg  Israel
Ente Nazionale Sordi Flag of Italy.svg  Italy
Japanese Federation of the Deaf Flag of Japan.svg  Japan
Kazakhstan Society of the Deaf Flag of Kazakhstan.svg  Kazakhstan
Kenya National Association of the Deaf Flag of Kenya.svg  Kenya
Korean Association of the Deaf Flag of South Korea.svg  South Korea
Kuwait Club for the Deaf Flag of Kuwait.svg  Kuwait
Latvian Association of the Deaf Flag of Latvia.svg  Latvia
Association de L'Oeuvre des Sourds-Muets au Liban Flag of Lebanon.svg  Lebanon
National Association of the Deaf Lesotho Flag of Lesotho.svg  Lesotho
Liberia National Association of the Deaf, Inc Flag of Liberia.svg  Liberia
Libyan General Federation of Deaf Societies Flag of Libya.svg  Libya
Lithuanian Deaf Association - Lietuvos kurčiųjų draugijaFlag of Lithuania.svg  Lithuania
Macau Deaf Association Flag of Macau.svg  Macau
Association of the Deaf and Hard of Hearing of Macedonija Flag of North Macedonia.svg  North Macedonia
Federation of the Deaf in Madagascar Flag of Madagascar.svg  Madagascar
Malawi National Association of the Deaf Flag of Malawi.svg  Malawi
Malaysia Federation of the Deaf Flag of Malaysia.svg  Malaysia
Mali Association of the Deaf (A.MA.Sourds)Flag of Mali.svg  Mali
Deaf People Association Flag of Malta.svg  Malta
Federación Mexicana de Sordos Flag of Mexico.svg  Mexico
Association of the Deaf of Republic Moldova Flag of Moldova.svg  Moldova
Mongolian Association of the Deaf Flag of Mongolia.svg  Mongolia
Fédération Nationale des Sourds du Maroc Flag of Morocco.svg  Morocco
Association of the Deaf in Mozambique Flag of Mozambique.svg  Mozambique
Namibian National Association of the Deaf Flag of Namibia.svg  Namibia
Nepal Deaf Federation Flag of Nepal.svg    Nepal
Dovenschap Flag of the Netherlands.svg  Netherlands
Deaf Aotearoa New Zealand Flag of New Zealand.svg  New Zealand
Asociación Nacional de Sordos de Nicaragua Flag of Nicaragua.svg  Nicaragua
Association des Sourds du Niger Flag of Niger.svg  Niger
Nigeria National Association of the Deaf Flag of Nigeria.svg  Nigeria
Norwegian Association of the Deaf Flag of Norway.svg  Norway
Pakistan Association of the Deaf Flag of Pakistan.svg  Pakistan
Asociación Nacional de Sordos de Panamá Flag of Panama.svg  Panama
Centro de Sordos del Paraguay Flag of Paraguay.svg  Paraguay
Asociacion de Sordos del Perú Flag of Peru.svg  Perú
Philippine Federation of the Deaf, Inc Flag of the Philippines.svg  Philippines
Polski Związek Głuchych
Polish Association of the Deaf
Flag of Poland.svg  Poland
Federacão Portuguesa das Associacões de Surdos Flag of Portugal.svg  Portugal
The Qatari Center of Social Cultural for the Deaf Flag of Qatar.svg  Qatar
Asociatia Nationalá a Suzilor din RomaniaFlag of Romania.svg  Romania
All-Russian Society of the Deaf Flag of Russia.svg  Russia
Rwanda National Union of the DeafFlag of Rwanda.svg  Rwanda
Association Nationale des Sourds du SenegalFlag of Senegal.svg  Senegal
Savez Gluvih I Nagluvih Srbije I Crne GoreFlag of Serbia.svg  Serbia
Sierra Leone Association of the Deaf Flag of Sierra Leone.svg  Sierra Leone
Singapore Association for the Deaf Flag of Singapore.svg  Singapore
Asociácia Nepočujúcich Slovenska Flag of Slovakia.svg  Slovak Republic
Zvesa društev gluhih in naglušnih Slovenije Flag of Slovenia.svg  Slovenia
Somali National Association of the Deaf Flag of Somalia.svg  Somalia
Deaf Federation of South Africa Flag of South Africa.svg  South Africa
Confederación Estatal de Personas SordasFlag of Spain.svg  Spain
Sri Lanka Central Federation of the Deaf Flag of Sri Lanka.svg  Sri Lanka
Sudanese National Society for the Deaf Flag of Sudan.svg  Sudan
Swaziland National Association of the Deaf Flag of Eswatini.svg  Swaziland
Swedish National Association of the DeafFlag of Sweden.svg  Sweden
Schweizerischer Gehörlosenbund, Fédération Suisse des Sourds Flag of Switzerland (Pantone).svg   Switzerland
Syrian Federation of Societies for the Welfare of the Deaf Flag of Syria.svg  Syria
Tajik Society of the Deaf Flag of Tajikistan.svg  Tajikistan
Tanzania Association of the Deaf Flag of Tanzania.svg  Tanzania
National Association of the Deaf in Thailand Flag of Thailand.svg  Thailand
Association des Sourds du Togo Flag of Togo (3-2).svg  Togo
Association Voix du Sourd de Tunisie Flag of Tunisia.svg  Tunisia
Turkish National Federation of the Deaf Flag of Turkey.svg  Turkey
Uganda National Association of the Deaf Flag of Uganda.svg  Uganda
Ukrainian Society of the Deaf (USD)Flag of Ukraine.svg  Ukraine
British Deaf Association (BDA)Flag of the United Kingdom.svg  United Kingdom
National Association of the Deaf Flag of the United States.svg  United States
Asociación de Sordos del Uruguay Flag of Uruguay.svg  Uruguay
Uzbek Society of the Deaf Flag of Uzbekistan.svg  Uzbekistan
Federación Venezolana de Sordos Flag of Venezuela.svg  Venezuela
Zambia National Association of the Deaf Flag of Zambia.svg  Zambia
Zimbabwe National Association of the Deaf Flag of Zimbabwe.svg  Zimbabwe

World Congress

The World Congress of the World Federation of the Deaf has been held every four years since 1951. Organised by the WFD and the host country, this event is attended by thousands of deaf people from all over the world. As well as convening the general assembly (the highest decision-making body of the WFD) and forming the guidelines for the next four years of its work, the congress holds a large cultural program including theatre performances, cinema, exhibitions, performing arts, visits to local places of interest. [10]

NumberYearMonth/DatesLocationTheme
1 (I)195123 September Rome, Italy (no theme)
2 (II)195523–27 August Zagreb, Yugoslavia (no theme)
3 (III)195922–26 August Wiesbaden, Federal Republic of Germany (no theme)
4 (IV)196317–21 August Stockholm, Sweden (no theme)
5 (V)196710–17 August Warsaw, Poland The Deaf Among Hearing Persons
6 (VI)197131 July–5 August Paris, France The Deaf Person in the World in Evolution
7 (VII)197531 July–8 August Washington, D.C., United States of America Full Citizenship for All Deaf People
8 (VIII)197920–27 July Varna, Bulgaria The Deaf People in Modern Society
9 (IX)198328 June–6 July Palermo, Italy Deafness Today & Tomorrow: Reality & Utopia
10 (X)198720–28 July Espoo (Helsinki), Finland One World - One Responsibility
11 (XI)19915–? July [11] Tokyo, Japan Equality and Self-Reliance
12 (XII)19956–15 July Vienna, Austria Towards Human Rights
13 (XIII)199925–31 July Brisbane, Australia Diversity and Unity
14 (XIV)200318–26 July Montréal, Canada Opportunities and Challenges in the 21st Century [12]
15 (XV)200716–22 July Madrid, Spain Human Rights through Sign Languages [13]
16 (XVI)201118–24 July Durban, South Africa Global Deaf Renaissance [14]
17 (XVII)201528 July–1 August Istanbul, Turkey Strengthening Human Diversity [15]
18 (XVIII)201923–27 July Paris, France Sign Language Rights for All [16]
19 (XIX)202311–15 July Jeju, South Korea Securing Human Rights in Times of Crises [17]
20 (XX)2027TBA Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates TBA

During the 14th Congress the World Association of Sign Language Interpreters (WASLI) was established. [18]

Presidents

See also

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References

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  2. "World federation of the Deaf's entry on the website of the United Nations" . Retrieved 7 January 2019.
  3. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 "Our philosophy". World Federation of the Deaf. Retrieved 7 January 2019.
  4. "Our Story". World Federation of the Deaf. Retrieved 7 January 2019.
  5. "Fact Sheet". World Federation of the Deaf. Archived from the original on 7 December 2013. Retrieved 17 August 2013.
  6. 1 2 "Education rights for Deaf children". World Federation of the Deaf. Retrieved 7 January 2019.
  7. "Work Done by Member Organisations in Developing Countries". World Federation of the Deaf. Retrieved 7 January 2019.
  8. "WFD Work in Developing Countries". World Federation of the Deaf. Retrieved 7 January 2019.
  9. "Members". World Federation of the Deaf. Retrieved 7 January 2019.
  10. "World Congress". World Federation of the Deaf. Retrieved 7 January 2019.
  11. "History". Japanese Federation of the Deaf. Retrieved 23 August 2022.
  12. "14th World Congress of the World Federation of the Deaf: July 18-26, 2003: Montréal, Québec, Canada: abstracts book" . Retrieved 7 January 2019.
  13. "NAD Participates In World Federation Of The Deaf Conference". July 18, 2007. Retrieved 7 January 2019.
  14. "XVI World Congress Resolution of the World Federation of the Deaf" . Retrieved 7 January 2019.
  15. "Closing Ceremony – XVII World Congress of the WFD". World Federation of the Deaf. Retrieved 7 January 2019.
  16. "XVIII World Congress of the World Federation of the Deaf". World Federation of the Deaf. Retrieved 7 January 2019.
  17. "XIX WORLD CONGRESS OF THE WORLD FEDERATION OF THE DEAF". World Federation of the Deaf. 7 December 2020. Retrieved 23 August 2022.
  18. History of WASLI Retrieved 7 January 2019.