The WFD celebrates its 70th Anniversary!
Launched at the 1999 World's Congress of the World Federation of the Deaf, the color blue in the ribbon is based on the WFD's official colors.
- The ribbon is a symbol of deaf people’s on-going struggles against oppression and centuries of attempts to abolish sign languages.
- The blue ribbon also symbolises the persistence of deaf people in the face of oppression and growth of deaf communities around the world.
- The ribbon stands as a symbol of ongoing resistance by deaf people and our allies against attempts to eradicate sign languages.
- The ribbon is also a celebration of our creation of spaces for sign languages and the many unique and diverse signing communities around the world today.
Webinar Inclusive Education
Part of its 70th birthday celebration, The WFD is organising a monthly webinar covering different topics of human rights of deaf people. The first webinar will take place on 27 January 2021 and will cover the topic of Inclusive Education.
The adoption of the Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities (CRPD) in 2006 legally recognised the right of deaf children to receive inclusive education in their national sign languages.
However, the general definition of inclusive education has brought several different interpretations, making it complicated to have a common understanding of its practical implications for National Associations of the Deaf, governments, Organisation of Persons with Disabilities as well as educational settings.
The aim of this webinar is to demystify the different concepts existing in Inclusive Education and what it takes to National Associations of the Deaf and relevant stakeholders to transition to quality and inclusive education for all deaf learners in the national sign languages and national written languages.
The new WFD Executive Director
The WFD is pleased to announce that Pamela Molina has officially joined the WFD as its new Executive Director.
Mr. Raymond Rodgers, the previous Executive Director, finished his contract at the end of 2020. Ms. Molina is bringing extensive knowledge and experience on International Human Rights systems and she is the third person in the WFD Secretariat to come from the Global South.
Welcome Pamela Molina!
Survey on Experience Adapting to COVID-19 Global Pandemic
Our partner, International Disability Alliance, conducts a survey for persons with disabilities about their experience during the COVID-19 pandemic.
Since the COVID-19 pandemic official announcement in March 2020, many surveys have been circulating at global, regional and national levels attempting to collect data on the experience of persons with disabilities. During this challenging time, documenting violations of human rights of persons with disabilities during the pandemic and gathering evidence of any good practice has been a key priority for the International Disability Alliance, our members and partners.
This survey is available in several written languages and in International Sign. WFD encourages you to respond and share your experience as a deaf person.