On International Day of Sign Languages, we celebrate sign languages as human rights and call for a world where deaf people can sign anywhere.
Sign language is more than communication
Every day, millions of deaf people around the world use sign languages to communicate, learn, work, build relationships and participate in their communities. National sign languages are not simply tools for accessibility. They are natural languages, with their own grammar, history, culture and identity.
Yet for many deaf people, the freedom to use their language is still limited by the environments around them.
A deaf person should not have to wonder whether they can communicate when they visit a doctor, attend school, apply for a job, access public information, meet with government officials, or simply participate in everyday life. Being able to sign should not depend on where someone lives, who happens to be present, or whether an institution has decided that communication access is important.
This is why the World Federation of the Deaf (WFD) works towards a simple but transformative vision: a world where deaf people everywhere can sign anywhere.
Language rights are human rights
The United Nations established 23 September as the International Day of Sign Languages, recognising the importance of sign languages in the full realisation of the human rights of deaf people. The date also marks the founding of the World Federation of the Deaf in 1951.
This year is particularly significant. In 2026, the WFD celebrates its 75th anniversary, while the International Week of Deaf People takes place from 21 to 27 September under the theme “Declaring Deaf People’s Human Rights.”
These milestones remind us that recognition alone is not enough.
The Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities recognises sign languages and requires States to facilitate their learning and promote the linguistic identity of deaf communities. But legal recognition must translate into real access: access to education in sign language, healthcare communication, public information, employment, justice, political participation and cultural life.
What does “sign anywhere” really mean?
Imagine a world in which a deaf child can grow up with their national sign language from the beginning of life.
A world in which parents receive clear information about sign language and are connected with deaf communities.
A world in which a learner can receive an education through their national sign language, rather than having to fight for basic communication access.
A world in which a deaf patient can communicate directly with healthcare professionals, understand their diagnosis and make informed decisions about their own health.
A world in which an employee can participate fully in meetings, training and workplace conversations.
A world in which emergency warnings, public services and essential information are available in sign language.
And a world in which deaf people are not merely consulted about decisions that affect them, but are leading those decisions.
This is not an idealistic wish. It is a matter of equality and human rights.
Deaf people must be part of the decisions
Creating inclusive societies requires more than providing services to deaf people. The principle of “Nothing About Us Without Us” is central to the global deaf movement. Deaf people and their representative organisations must have meaningful participation in the policies, laws and programmes that affect their lives.
This is especially important in areas such as education, healthcare and accessibility, where decisions made without deaf people can unintentionally create new barriers.
Across the world, deaf-led organisations are working with governments, institutions and allies to advance sign language rights. The WFD supports national associations of deaf people in advocating for the legal recognition and implementation of national sign languages, while strengthening deaf leadership and capacity around the world.
From awareness to action
International Day of Sign Languages is an opportunity to celebrate the richness of sign languages and the achievements of deaf communities. But it is also a call to action.
For governments and policymakers, this means recognising national sign languages and ensuring that recognition is accompanied by implementation.
For educators and families, it means recognising that access to sign language from the earliest possible age is fundamental to a deaf child’s linguistic, educational and social development. The WFD emphasises that deaf children have the right to acquire and use sign language and to develop their linguistic and cultural identity.
For employers, it means creating workplaces where deaf employees can participate fully and advance on an equal basis.
For healthcare professionals, it means ensuring that deaf patients can communicate effectively and access information in their language.
And for all of us, it means understanding that accessibility is not something that should be added afterwards. Inclusion begins when we recognise language as a fundamental human right.
A world where everyone belongs
More than 70 million deaf people live around the world, using more than 300 different sign languages. These languages reflect the extraordinary linguistic and cultural diversity of deaf communities.
Canada has an important role to play in this global movement. Building inclusive communities means creating spaces where deaf people can participate, lead and communicate without unnecessary barriers, in every part of society.
The goal is not simply to make the world more accessible to deaf people.
The goal is to build a world in which deaf people do not have to ask for permission to use their language.
A world where signing is possible at school and at work, in hospitals and public spaces, at home and in the community.
A world where deaf children can grow up knowing that their language belongs everywhere they do.
A world where deaf people everywhere can sign anywhere.
That is the world we are working to build. And everyone has a role in making it a reality.
Join the movement: wfdeaf.org.