World Federation of the Deaf

International non-governmental organization

World Federation of the Deaf

Formation| September 23, 1951; 73 years ago (September 23, 1951)[1]
Type| International nongovernmental organization[1]
Purpose| Human, civil, and linguistic rights of deaf people
Headquarters| Helsinki, Finland
Location|

* Light House, Ilkantie 4
Haaga, Helsinki, Finland

Coordinates| 60°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
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).

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

## History

[edit]

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

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

* Economic and Social Council
* Regional commissions
* Economic Commission for Africa
* Economic Commission for Europe
* Economic Commission for Latin America and the Caribbean
* Economic Commission and Social Commission for Asia and the Pacific
* Economic and Social Commission for Western Asia
* Panel of Experts on the UN Standard Rules for the Equalization of Opportunities for Persons with Disabilities
* Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights
* United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization
* International Labour Organization
* World Health Organization
* World Bank
* Council of Europe

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

[edit]

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

[edit]

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[update], 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

[edit]

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

[edit]

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|

* 1951–1955: Vittorio Ieralla Italia
* 1955–1983: Dragoljub Vukotić Yugoslavia
* 1983–1995: Yerker Andersson US
* 1995–2003: Liisa Kauppinen Finland
* 2003–2011: Markku Jokinen Finland
* 2011–2019: Colin Allen Australia
* 2019–: Joseph Murray  US

## See also

[edit]

* International Day of Sign Languages
* International Sign
* List of sign languages
* European Union of the Deaf
* National Association of the Deaf (United States)
* National Association of the Deaf (Italy)
* World Association of Sign Language Interpreters

## References

[edit]

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.

## External links

[edit]

* Official website