About the World Hearing Forum

Over 430 million people globally require rehabilitation to address their hearing loss. Of these, 34 million are children. In addition, 1.1 billion young people are at risk of hearing loss due to exposure to noise in recreational settings and through personal audio devices. It is expected that these numbers will rise considerably in the coming decades, unless action is taken to prevent and treat hearing loss.

Spurring action

The World Hearing Forum is filling a critical gap by bringing a collective vision to advocacy and collaboration across hearing care. By sharing knowledge, skills and experiences from the field, the forum is galvanizing action towards a world in which no person experiences hearing loss due to preventable causes – and those with hearing loss can achieve their full potential through early identification and appropriate management of their condition.

The World Hearing Forum commits to facilitating implementation of the World Health Assembly resolution WHA70.13 on “Prevention of deafness and hearing loss” and supporting Member States in this regard. Members include non-governmental organizations, private sector entities, philanthropic foundations, and academic institutions. If you represent an organization that would like to become a member of the World Hearing Forum, please visit the World Health Organization website for information on how to join.

World Hearing Day 2023

Each year, the World Hearing Forum organizes World Hearing Day – a global advocacy event for raising awareness of hearing loss and promoting ear and hearing care. This year, World Hearing Day (3 March) will highlight the importance of integrating ear and hearing care within primary care – and the World Health Organization will launch a training manual, accompanied by a trainer’s handbook and other community resources. Visit worldhearingday.org to learn more and register an event.

Get involved

Would you like to help us raise awareness about ear and hearing care? Please email us to find out more about ways to get involved at whfchangemakers@gmail.com.