World Federation of the Deaf
FormationSeptember 23, 1951; 72 years ago (September 23, 1951)[1]
TypeInternational nongovernmental organization[1]
PurposeHuman, civil, and linguistic rights of deaf people
HeadquartersHelsinki, Finland
Location
  • Light House, Ilkantie 4
    Haaga, Helsinki, Finland
Coordinates60°13′18″N 24°54′10″E / 60.221728°N 24.902643°E / 60.221728; 24.902643
Region served
International
President
Joseph Murray
Vice president
Kasper Bergmann
Websitewfdeaf.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).

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]

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

Number Year Month/Dates Location Theme
1 (I) 1951 23 September Rome, Italy (no theme)
2 (II) 1955 23–27 August Zagreb, Yugoslavia (no theme)
3 (III) 1959 22–26 August Wiesbaden, Federal Republic of Germany (no theme)
4 (IV) 1963 17–21 August Stockholm, Sweden (no theme)
5 (V) 1967 10–17 August Warsaw, Poland The Deaf Among Hearing Persons
6 (VI) 1971 31 July–5 August Paris, France The Deaf Person in the World in Evolution
7 (VII) 1975 31 July–8 August Washington, D.C., United States of America Full Citizenship for All Deaf People
8 (VIII) 1979 20–27 July Varna, Bulgaria The Deaf People in Modern Society
9 (IX) 1983 28 June–6 July Palermo, Italy Deafness Today & Tomorrow: Reality & Utopia
10 (X) 1987 20–28 July Espoo (Helsinki), Finland One World - One Responsibility
11 (XI) 1991 5–? July[11] Tokyo, Japan Equality and Self-Reliance
12 (XII) 1995 6–15 July Vienna, Austria Towards Human Rights
13 (XIII) 1999 25–31 July Brisbane, Australia Diversity and Unity
14 (XIV) 2003 18–26 July Montréal, Canada Opportunities and Challenges in the 21st Century[12]
15 (XV) 2007 16–22 July Madrid, Spain Human Rights through Sign Languages[13]
16 (XVI) 2011 18–24 July Durban, South Africa Global Deaf Renaissance[14]
17 (XVII) 2015 28 July–1 August Istanbul, Turkey Strengthening Human Diversity[15]
18 (XVIII) 2019 23–27 July Paris, France Sign Language Rights for All[16]
19 (XIX) 2023 11–15 July Jeju, South Korea Securing Human Rights in Times of Crises[17]
20 (XX) 2027 TBA Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates TBA

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

Presidents

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See also

References

  1. ^ a b c "FAQ". World Federation of the Deaf. Archived from the original on 7 December 2013. Retrieved 17 August 2013.
  2. ^ "World federation of the Deaf's entry on the website of the United Nations". Retrieved 7 January 2019.
  3. ^ a b c d e f g "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. ^ a b "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.

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