Uganda will join the rest of the world to commemorate International Week of the Deaf People and the International Day of Sign Language (IDSL2025 in Mbarara City Minister for Youth Balaam Barugahara has confirmed.
According to the minister this year’s celebration will take place from September 22 to 26, 2025 under the theme: “No Human Rights without Sign Language Rights,” and will spotlight Ugandan Sign Language, Deaf culture, advocacy, and inclusion. The five-day event will feature public sensitization campaigns, cultural performances, community dialogues, and exhibitions.
Globally, the International Week of Deaf People is commemorated annually in the last full week of September, culminating in to the International Day of the Deaf on the final Friday or Sunday of the week, a tradition coordinated by the World Federation of the Deaf (WFD).
In Uganda, the event provides a national platform to celebrate Deaf identity and culture, raise awareness about sign language rights, and spotlight the challenges that Deaf people face in accessing services, information, and equal opportunities.
According to the 2024 national census by the Uganda Bureau of Statistics (UBOS), Uganda has 41,431 Deaf individuals, alongside 273,167 people with hearing difficulties and 6,314 individuals who are both deaf and blind.
However, UNAD estimates that the actual number of Deaf persons is significantly higher due to underreporting and data collection challenges.
“Communication barriers continue to isolate Deaf persons from meaningful participation in society,” UNAD notes. “That’s why our work focuses on promoting Uganda Sign Language and equipping the Deaf with technical and advocacy skills to thrive.”