Issue 2
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The World Hearing Forum is a global network of stakeholders promoting ear and hearing care worldwide. Members of this advocacy network facilitate implementation of World Health Assembly resolution WHA70.13 on “Prevention of deafness and hearing loss” and work to raise awareness for hearing care globally.
WHF membership applications for 2022 is now open until 30 June 2022.
Ricky Kej (Indian music composer and member of the Make Listening Safe working group) and Stewart Copeland (American musician and composer) receive the Grammy award for their album titled ‘Divine tides’
We are honoured to announce that Ricky Kej, our host this year on the World Hearing Day and a UNCCD Land Ambassador has been awarded with his second Grammy. He is a proud Indian and his music transmits the passion he carries for mother nature. Congratulations to Ricky and his associates for this landmark achievement!
World Hearing Forum Changemaker stories tackle societal misunderstandings about hearing loss and challenge related stigma.
Below you can read some of these stories which are also published on the Changemakers' Facebook group.
“I was just two years old when I lost my hearing after a viral infection. It wasn’t the start to childhood that my parents had expected for me, but with their love and support I’m achieving more than anyone had wished for and my life is full of color,” says Elenora Simonyan. “At that time, I simply wished to be like my friends. I soon realized that wishing for things that would never be would only hold me back. I learned to accept my deafness and embraced my cochlear implant. Following my passion for communications, I learned to speak three languages and am now studying to be a lawyer. I am glad to have the opportunity to share my experiences through writing a blog. In addition, I volunteer and speak to parents of deaf children about their problems and hopes, in order to inspire them and help children achieve their highest potential.”
“I wore hearing aids from age two, but it was sudden hearing loss in my late twenties that changed my life”, says Laura Lowles. “When I first lost my hearing, it felt like a part of my identity and self-confidence disappeared with it. The hardest thing was not being able to communicate with my family in the same way that I’d always done. Using the telephone was impossible and I shied away from social events. But living through that and overcoming the isolation with the use of hearing technology made me realize how strong and capable I really am. Today, at the age of 34 years, I love to travel. I’m an author, a wife, a baker, and a volunteer.
To make sure that others on the journey of hearing loss do not face the difficulties and isolation which I did, I volunteer with hearing loss charities and work as a hearing mentor. By sharing experiences though my blog and book, I hope that I can empower others with hearing loss to be confident and embrace who they are.”
In line with the recommendations made in the World report on hearing, the International Federation on Ageing convened a “Think Tank on Hearing in Later Life”. The think tank aims to stimulate policy discussions with key decision makers from government, industry, audiology professionals, and civil society on the issue of improving access to screening and hearing care among older adults. A virtual meeting of the think tank was held in 2020, followed by a convention in 2021. These resulted in the development of a 5-year action plan for recognition of hearing loss as an urgent public health issue requiring policy attention.
Uganda Federation of hard of hearing in collaboration with its allies and partners (Universities, schools, civil society organizations and communities) has worked to raise awareness of safe listening among youth groups, with the aim to mitigate noise induced hearing loss among youth. Over the past two years, students at two universities and six schools in Uganda were sensitized to the practices of safe listening through outreach programmes, workshops and personal testimonials. In addition, twelve meetings were held with managers and owners of entertainment venues for adoption and implementation of safe listening practices.
To implement recommendations made by the World report on hearing, the National Foundation for Deaf & Hard of Hearing of New Zealand organized a virtual launch of the report. The event was co-hosted by Minister for Health - Andrew Little and Minister for Disability Issues - Carmel Sepuloni. This launch was followed by subsequent discussions that have brought together the hearing industry, government and policy makers for developing a Public Health Programme that aims to improve hearing health care in New Zealand. This programme is expected to be launched in 2022.
The WHF Changemakers WG has released this powerful video which supports the call for action made in the World report on hearing 2021.
The project was led by Alana Nichols, a member of the WHF and a travel show host. Alana uses film making as a tool to impact social change. This short film was submitted for the 3rd Edition of the Health for All Film Festival.
With support of members of the forum, WHD 2022 advocacy materials were translated into 28 languages. Over 465 activities from 95 countries were registered for the World Hearing Day 2022.
To facilitate conduct of activities, the WHD working group of the forum and the Coalition for Global Hearing Health coordinated the ‘Small grant scheme’, with support of CBM International, European Hearing Instruments Manufacturers’ Association, and the House Institute . Over 200 applications were received from across the world and 51 organizations in 29 countries were awarded with a small financial award of $800 each to assist in conduct of their WHD 2022 activities. The list of awardees can be found here.
To get to know about the activities and global projects organized on the World Hearing Day 2022 click here.
To mark the World Hearing Day this year, WHO was joined by two Grammy award winning musicians, Ricky Rej and Lucy Kalantari who made of the event an unforgettable musical experience. If you were unable to attend the launch you can access the recording here.
On this day, WHO launched a series of products to promote #safelistening:
The Global standard for safe listening venues and events: the Standard comprises six “features” to be implemented in clubs, concert halls, bars and other places playing amplified music. When implemented, these will allow audience members to enjoy amplified music with protection of their hearing, while also preserving the integrity of the artistic experience.
Be healthy, be mobile. A handbook for implementation of mSafeListening: the handbook provides evidence-based message libraries for the promotion of safe listening behaviours and prevention of hearing loss. It includes guidance on how to develop, integrate, implement and evaluate a national mSafeListening programme.
Media brief on #Safelistening: this clearly communicates key details on hearing loss, unsafe listening practices, and how to listen safely. It also contains useful information for communicating about safe listening and the work of WHO, including digital media tools and story ideas for journalists.
If you have any questions, please contact us at whf@who.int
"CODA", a comedy-drama about a teenage girl growing up as the only hearing member of a deaf family, was the big winner of this year Oscars’ edition and Troy Kotsur made history as the first deaf man to win an Academy Award for acting.
The legendary rock band Pearl Jam joined the WHD 2022 advocacy efforts by raising awareness on safe listening.
“Wear hearing protection or you’ll end up with a 1.5k ring in both ears every night when you go to bed or worse, when you are trying to enjoy the serene quiet of an empty desert or forest, again like me” bassist Jeff Ament said.
A scoping review to measure the Impact of SARS-CoV-2 Virus (COVID-19) preventative measures on communication concluded that the use of face coverings should be supplemented with augmentative compensatory strategies to support clear and effective communication to help mitigate their negative psychosocial effects.
We would like to give a warm welcome to all our 2022 new members: Alexander Graham Bell Association for the Deaf and Hard of Hearing (AG Bell), Center of Pediatric Audiology, Centre of Excellence Otolaryngology, Rajavithi Hospital, Department of Audiology Speech Language Pathology, Vinayaka Missions Research Foundation, Poducherry, Gibraltar Hearing Issues & Tinnitus Association, Living with Hearing Loss, Ministry of Health, Oman, ONICI, Independent Information & Research Centre on Cochlear Implantation, Ouvir, Portuguese Association of Hearing Aids and Implants Users, Research Institute of Hearing Enhancement, Smenadi, Swarsangya Foundation, The Acoustical Society of New Zealand and VConnect Foundation.
