International Week of the Deaf 2025

Every September, the world comes together for the International Week of the Deaf (IWD) - a campaign that celebrates deaf culture and pushes for equal rights, accessibility, and recognition of sign languages. In 2025, the week runs from 22 to 28 September, led by the World Federation of the Deaf (WFD).

In this blog, Anna Nova Galeon will explore what the International Week of the Deaf means, why it matters for deaf communities, and what practical implications it carries for highly regulated organisations in the UK, from compliance frameworks to workforce development, we look at how deaf awareness must move beyond symbolism to achieve real, embedded change.

What is the International Week of the Deaf?

The International Week of the Deaf began in 1958, initiated by the World Federation of the Deaf. It has since grown into a global advocacy event that highlights deaf people’s achievements, rights, and challenges. Each year, it coincides with the International Day of Sign Languages, recognising sign languages as a foundation for equality, identity, and participation.

Unlike some awareness weeks that focus only on visibility, IWD is deeply rooted in human rights frameworks. It aligns with the United Nations Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities (CRPD), which explicitly recognises the right to use and promote sign languages. In this sense, IWD is not about charity or awareness alone - it is about accountability, inclusion, and justice.

Key terms - Understanding deafness and sign language

To engage meaningfully with IWD, organisations must understand the language of the community:

• Deaf (capital D) - People who identify as part of the Deaf community and use sign language as their first language

• deaf (lowercase d) - People with a medical condition of hearing loss.

• Hard of hearing - Individuals with partial hearing loss who may rely on hearing aids, lip reading, or implants

• Sign language - Fully developed visual languages with their own grammar and syntax, such as British Sign Language (BSL) in the UK

• Deaf culture - A rich, shared identity rooted in sign language, community, and advocacy.

These distinctions are not academic - they influence whether organisations comply with the law, meet inspection standards, and deliver accessible services.

Why International Week of the Deaf matters

Globally, over 430 million people live with disabling hearing loss (WHO, 2024). In the UK, around 1 in 6 people are affected, and approximately 87,000 BSL users rely on sign language as their main language.

Yet despite these numbers, deaf people routinely face barriers in health, education, employment, and everyday services:

• A patient cannot give informed consent without an interpreter

• A learner cannot thrive in school if teaching materials are inaccessible

• An employee cannot contribute fully if workplace training excludes them.

These examples show why this year’s theme is so urgent: “No Human Rights Without Sign Language Rights.” Without accessible communication, other rights - healthcare, education, safety, and work - remain out of reach.

Daily themes and global focus

For 2025, the World Federation of the Deaf has confirmed a set of daily themes under the banner “No Human Rights Without Sign Language Rights.” These themes provide organisations with opportunities to focus awareness activities throughout the week:

• Monday, 22 September - “Deaf Communities Leading”
  Highlighting the leadership, resilience, and contributions of Deaf organisations in advancing rights and inclusion

• Tuesday, 23 September - “No Human Rights Without Sign Language Rights”
  Reinforcing the central theme of IWD 2025: sign language access is fundamental to dignity, equality, and justice

• Wednesday, 24 September - “Multilingual Education for Deaf Learners”
  Advocating for equal opportunities in education, where sign languages are recognised alongside spoken and written languages

• Thursday, 25 September - “Deaf Rights in Crises”
  Addressing the vulnerability of Deaf people in emergencies and ensuring accessible communication during disasters

• Friday, 26 September - “Recognition of National Sign Language”
  Urging governments to formally recognise sign languages as equal to spoken languages, ensuring legal protection and visibility

• Saturday, 27 September - “Sign Language Access Services”
  Emphasising the need for professional interpreting, captioning, and relay services to remove barriers to participation

• Sunday, 28 September - “Set the Basis for the Future: Together We Can Innovate, Inspire, and Impact!”
  Looking ahead, Deaf communities and allies can shape an inclusive future through collaboration, innovation, and advocacy.

These daily themes allow organisations to plan targeted activities across the week - whether hosting staff workshops, reviewing policies, or celebrating Deaf culture - and to link awareness to real, actionable change.

Legal and regulatory frameworks in the UK

For regulated organisations, IWD is not just an awareness exercise - it is tied to law and compliance. Key frameworks include:

• Equality Act 2010 - Requires “reasonable adjustments”, such as interpreters and accessible communication formats.

• BSL Act 2022 - Recognises British Sign Language as an official language and requires government departments to promote its use.

• Care Quality Commission (CQC) Single Assessment Framework - Inspects whether health and social care providers meet accessibility and responsiveness standards.

• Ofsted Education Inspection Framework (EIF) - Holds schools accountable for inclusive provision for learners with special educational needs and disabilities.

• Health and Safety Executive (HSE) - Requires employers to ensure communication is clear and accessible in risk-sensitive environments.

For organisations in regulated sectors, failing to provide access for deaf people can result in inspection failures, reputational damage, or even legal action.

Practical implications for highly regulated organisations

For organisations in health and social care, education, and other regulated sectors, International Week of the Deaf 2025 is more than an awareness exercise. It highlights the everyday responsibilities that leaders and managers must embed into governance, training, and service delivery. Addressing deaf inclusion is not optional - it is central to compliance, safeguarding, and inspection readiness. Below are four key areas where action is most critical:

1. Health and social care

• Offer qualified BSL interpreters during medical appointments and safeguarding discussions.

• Ensure accessible booking systems with video relay options.

• Train staff in deaf awareness and safeguarding practices.

2. Education and early years

• Provide specialist support workers for deaf learners.

• Caption teaching materials and ensure digital resources are accessible.

• Integrate deaf awareness into safeguarding and SEND strategies.

3. Workplace compliance

• Ensure job interviews, inductions, and training are captioned or interpreted.

• Provide adjustments such as hearing loops, visual alarms, and text relay services.

• Embed deaf awareness into mandatory EDI training for all staff.

4. Governance and risk management

• Include deaf inclusion in risk registers, policy frameworks, and audits.

• Record accessibility measures as part of inspection readiness evidence.

• Use digital compliance systems like ComplyPlus™ to monitor accessibility commitments.

Beyond compliance - Building a culture of inclusion

Meeting legal duties is the baseline. The deeper challenge for leaders is building cultures where deaf people feel valued, respected, and included. This means:

• Listening to lived experience by consulting Deaf communities.

• Promoting deaf leadership and role models within organisations.

• Investing in staff skills, such as basic sign language or visual communication strategies.

• Celebrating Deaf culture as an asset that enriches organisational life.

When organisations go beyond compliance, they don’t just avoid risk - they build stronger, more trusted relationships with service users, employees, and regulators.

Awareness with accountability

International Week of the Deaf 2025 is a reminder that access to sign language is a human right. For regulated organisations, this is a call to embed accessibility into every aspect of service design, workforce development, and compliance reporting.

Awareness alone is not enough. By taking action - auditing systems, training staff, celebrating Deaf culture, and embedding sign language rights into compliance frameworks - organisations can move from symbolic gestures to sustainable change.

Strengthen compliance and inclusion with ComplyPlus™

At The Mandatory Training Group, we know that inspection readiness depends on more than policies on paper. ComplyPlus™, our all-in-one compliance ecosystem, helps organisations demonstrate accessibility, track training, and evidence inclusivity at the click of a button.

Whether you operate in health and social care, education, or other regulated sectors, ComplyPlus™ ensures your organisation can prove compliance while building a culture of trust and inclusion.