| Formation | September 23, 1951[1] |
|---|---|
| Purpose | Human, civil, and linguistic rights of deaf people |
| Headquarters | Helsinki, Finland |
| Location | Light House, Ilkantie 4 Haaga, Helsinki, Finland |
| Coordinates | 60.221728°N 24.902643°E |
| 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
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]
- 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
At presentAs of , emphasis is placed on the following areas:[3]
- Improve the status of national sign languages,[3][5]
- Better education for deaf people,[6]
- Improve access to information and services[3]
- Improve human rights for deaf people in developing countries[3][6][7][8]
- 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]
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 | 19-23 September | Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates | Sign Languages: Always and Everywhere |
During the 14th Congress the World Association of Sign Language Interpreters (WASLI) was established.[18]
Presidents
- 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
- 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
- ^ "FAQ". World Federation of the Deaf. Archived from the original on 7 December 2013. Retrieved 17 August 2013.
- ^ "World federation of the Deaf's entry on the website of the United Nations". Retrieved 7 January 2019.
- ^ "Our philosophy". World Federation of the Deaf. Retrieved 7 January 2019.
- ^ "Our Story". World Federation of the Deaf. Retrieved 7 January 2019.
- ^ "Fact Sheet". World Federation of the Deaf. Archived from the original on 7 December 2013. Retrieved 17 August 2013.
- ^ "Education rights for Deaf children". World Federation of the Deaf. Retrieved 7 January 2019.
- ^ "Work Done by Member Organisations in Developing Countries". World Federation of the Deaf. Retrieved 7 January 2019.
- ^ "WFD Work in Developing Countries". World Federation of the Deaf. Retrieved 7 January 2019.
- ^ "Members". World Federation of the Deaf. Retrieved 7 January 2019.
- ^ "World Congress". World Federation of the Deaf. Retrieved 7 January 2019.
- ^ "History". Japanese Federation of the Deaf. Retrieved 23 August 2022.
- ^ "14th World Congress of the World Federation of the Deaf: July 18-26, 2003: Montréal, Québec, Canada: abstracts book". Archived from the original on 13 April 2019. Retrieved 7 January 2019.
- ^ "NAD Participates In World Federation Of The Deaf Conference". July 18, 2007. Retrieved 7 January 2019.
- ^ "XVI World Congress Resolution of the World Federation of the Deaf". Archived from the original on 7 January 2019. Retrieved 7 January 2019.
- ^ "Closing Ceremony – XVII World Congress of the WFD". World Federation of the Deaf. Retrieved 7 January 2019.
- ^ "XVIII World Congress of the World Federation of the Deaf". World Federation of the Deaf. Archived from the original on 13 April 2019. Retrieved 7 January 2019.
- ^ "XIX WORLD CONGRESS OF THE WORLD FEDERATION OF THE DEAF". World Federation of the Deaf. 7 December 2020. Archived from the original on 7 June 2023. Retrieved 23 August 2022.
- ^ History of WASLI Retrieved 7 January 2019.