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International Day of Sign Languages 2026: Declaring Deaf People's Human Rights
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News18•23-09-2026, 07:00
International Day of Sign Languages 2026: Declaring Deaf People's Human Rights
- •International Day of Sign Languages is observed annually on September 23 to raise awareness about the importance of sign languages for the human rights of Deaf people.
- •The 2026 theme, –Declaring Deaf People’s Human Rights,– emphasizes recognition, protection, and promotion of Deaf people’s rights, including full access through national sign languages.
- •The 2026 observance marks the 75th anniversary of the World Federation of the Deaf (WFD) and 20 years since the UN Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities (CRPD) adoption.
- •The UN General Assembly proclaimed September 23 as the International Day of Sign Languages in 2017, chosen to commemorate the establishment of the World Federation of the Deaf in 1951.
- •Indian Sign Language (ISL) is a visual-manual language used by the Deaf community in India, with its own vocabulary and grammar, and resources like ISLRTC offer basic self-learning courses.
Key Questions Answered
The theme for the International Day of Sign Languages in 2026 is “Declaring Deaf People’s Human Rights,” which calls for recognition, protection, and promotion of Deaf people's rights including full access through national sign languages.
September 23 marks the date when the World Federation of the Deaf was established in 1951.
The occasion marks the 75th anniversary of the World Federation of the Deaf and 20 years since the adoption of the UN Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities.
