Organization
World Federation of the Deaf(WFD)
WFD is the international organisation representing 70 million Deaf people worldwide through national associations of the Deaf in 135 countries. WFD advocates for the recognition of national sign languages, accessible communication, and the rights of Deaf people as a linguistic and cultural minority.
About the World Federation of the Deaf
WFD was founded in Rome in 1951 and is the oldest international disability organisation focused on a single disability community. WFD's approach reflects the Deaf community's understanding of Deafness not solely as a disability but as a linguistic identity — Deaf people with a capital D are users of sign languages and members of a distinct cultural and linguistic community.
WFD is a member of the International Disability Alliance and participates in UN processes, including CRPD implementation.
What they do
WFD advocates for the recognition and use of national sign languages, access to education in sign language, Deaf culture, and the rights of Deaf people in employment, justice, healthcare, and public life.
Sign language rights: WFD's flagship advocacy is the recognition of national sign languages as full, legitimate languages with official status. Many countries have recognised their national sign language in law or policy following WFD and national Deaf organisation advocacy.
Education: WFD advocates for bilingual education for Deaf children — education in sign language and the national written language — challenging purely oral approaches that deny Deaf children access to their natural language.
CRPD Article 24 and Article 9: WFD engages with CRPD monitoring to ensure that the treaty's provisions on education and accessibility are interpreted to include sign language access.
International Sign Language Day: Observed every year on September 23 — the date of WFD's founding — International Sign Language Day promotes awareness of sign languages and Deaf culture.
Key programs and resources
- Human Rights Programme: Monitoring and advocacy on Deaf rights globally
- International Sign Language Day: September 23 awareness campaign
- General Assembly: Governance every four years
- Policy papers and submissions to UN bodies
Who they serve
Deaf sign language users worldwide, through national Deaf associations in 135 countries.
Why it matters
For Deaf people globally, WFD represents the assertion that sign language is a human right — not a communication workaround but a full language deserving official recognition and use in education, government, and public life. WFD's advocacy has influenced dozens of countries to recognise their national sign language and has shaped CRPD implementation standards.
Related Organizations
National Association of the Deaf(NAD)
Silver Spring, MDNationalFounded in 1880, NAD is the oldest and largest organisation of Deaf and hard-of-hearing Americans, advocating for civil, human, and linguistic rights including captioning, Video Relay Service, and the recognition of American Sign Language as a full language.
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Bethesda, MDNationalHLAA is the nation's largest consumer organisation for people with hearing loss, primarily serving adults who are hard of hearing (rather than culturally Deaf). HLAA is the leading advocate for hearing loop (audio induction loop) technology in public spaces in the United States.
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