Corrigendum: Kindly note that an incorrect link to the Cochlear Foundation (in the In News section) has now been replaced. We regret the error and apologize for the double mailing.

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.

World Hearing Forum Changemaker stories raise awareness and tackle stigma related to hearing loss

These stories inspire change for a better world and are helping to build a movement of support for implementation of the actions called for in the WHO’s World Report on Hearing “Hearing Care for All: Screen. Rehabilitate. Communicate”. 

Through their stories our Changemakers are also tackling societal misunderstandings about hearing loss and challenging stigma. These stories show that when hearing loss is identified and addressed, those with hearing loss are enabled to live life to their full potential and make invaluable contributions to their communities. 

Below you can read a couple of these stories which are also published on the Changemakers' Facebook group.

Alana Nichols - TV producer and host Changemaker

“I was born profoundly deaf with a common cavity malformation, which most surgeons declined to operate. Through my mother’s intense determination, I received a cochlear implant and started verbal therapy quite early in life.” My mother recalls my first ‘word’ being “ow”as I tried to ask her to sit down. Every day, I’m challenged by my unique hearing and communication needs. I’ve had trouble talking to taxi drivers, listening on the phone, and understanding conversations. At school, I struggled to hear my teachers and took measures to advocate for my needs such as sitting in the front of the class.”  My advice to anyone who is deaf or hard of hearing is to accept yourself for who you are, find peers who will do the same and live each day without giving up.” 

“I have learned that child deafness is invisible”- Bianca Birdsey Doctor and mother of three Changemaker, South Africa

“Till eight years ago, I hadn’t given hearing loss a second thought. When my twin daughters were already three years old, I discovered that they were deaf. All the dreams for future seemed to shatter under the weight of overwhelming uncertainty. Four months later, we learned that our youngest daughter was deaf too. As a medical doctor, I felt like I had failed the most important test in my life. The journey since then has been hard! I’ve had to learn a lot and unlearn a whole lot of preconceived ideas. I have learned that child deafness is invisible and that raising a deaf child requires intentional effort and ongoing advocacy.”  

“Meeting families on a similar journey has been an enormous source of encouragement. My shattered dreams have started to take shape again, and are now more purposeful. I refuse to accept the injustices that face my children and desire to support other families, so that they too can commit to seeing their deaf child thrive.”

The National Institute of Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH) in the United States, a member of the Forum worked with the WHF group to create a Wikipedia article on Safe Listening, which is now available in eight languages thanks to the coordination of Dr  Thais  Morata and other members of the forum. This page has aimed to improve the visibility of the topic in the general public, and the English page alone has been visited over 8000 times. 

Audicare made a presentation at the XVIII Encontro Internacional sobre Proteses Auditivas (EIPA- 18th International meeting on hearing aids) on the data and key messages presented in the World report on hearing to an international audience of over 600 physicians and speech therapists. The WHF member also broadcast a special episode of its online series ‘Pílulas Auditivas’ on the same subject. 

Centro de investigación de la audición, los sentidos y la comunicación-Universidad  del Desarrollo, Santiago, Chile is organizing ‘Semama I’ a week-long course integrated into the curriculum of university students, which focused, in 2020, on Make Listening Safe. Developed collaboratively with the Make Listening Safe Working Group, this course focused on creation, by students, of innovative social media campaigns to raise awareness on safe listening among their peers. 

The World Hearing Day working group, is pleased to share the WHD 2021 activity report, compiled with the support of Nonno Ascoltami, presenting an analysis of all activity reports submitted for the World Hearing Day this year and data from previous World Hearing Days with the aim to drive up member participation and increase the reach of World Hearing Day to all WHO Member States over the coming years.

The Make Listening Safe Working Group (WG) is supporting WHO and International Telecommunications Union (ITU) in its efforts to standardize and limit noise exposure in recreational settings. Given WHO and ITU’s current focus on sound exposure in e-sports and through automobile audio systems, the WG is seeking people with interest and experience in these, to undertake advocacy and raise awareness on these topics. 

Reach out to whf@who.int 

Launch of the ‘Hearing screening: considerations for implementation handbook

Following the March 2021 launch of the World report on hearing, WHO has developed a set of guidance documents to assist programme managers set up hearing screening programmes across the lifespan inlcluding among newborns, school children and older people. To share experiences from across the world and address challenges in setting up hearing screening programmes, WHO organized a series of three webinars. In case you missed them, reach to whf@who.int to get the webinars' recordings.

On World Hearing Day 2022, with the theme “To hear for life, listen with care” WHO will focus on the importance of safe listening as a means of maintaining good hearing across the life course. 

All stakeholders in the field are invited to organize events and activities to raise awareness on hearing loss and widely disseminate the WHO Global standard for safe listening entertainment venues to promote its adoption and implementation.

To better represent people with hearing loss, Apple has introduced a cochlear implant Memoji.

Ms. Malala Yousafzai, the world’s youngest Nobel Peace Prize laureate recently spoke in support of hearing care. She has partnered with the Cochlear Foundation to advocate for ear and hearing care and equal access to education in all societies. 

The singer-songwriter KT Tunstall has put her touring plans on hold after developing hearing issues in her right ear. Tunstall said the decision had been "extremely difficult" but she had to "put my hearing health first".

We would like to give a warm welcome to all our 2021 new members:  JSS Institute of Speech and Hearing, Mysuru (India), The House Institute Foundation (USA), Institute of Health Sciences, Bhubaneswar (India), American Neurotology Society (USA)  American Otological Society (USA), National Programme for Prevention and Control of Deafness, Kerala (India), First Voice Australia (Australia), SHRUTI (National Association of the Hard of Hearing and Deafened Nepal (Nepal).