Pre-Conference 2025

Preliminary Programme

Key Presenters

Lizzie Kamukwamba (Zambia)

Consequences for deaf women when they do not receive education or information in sign language

Lizzie Kamukwamba talks about how the lack of access to information, education and community resources affects deaf women in Zambia. When sign language is not available in schools, healthcare and society, this has serious consequences: poorer health, limited opportunities for education and work, and an increased risk of violence and social exclusion.

She also highlights how poverty, low digital literacy and a lack of interpreters reinforce exclusion. At the same time, Lizzie shows solutions – how deaf women can be empowered through education, leadership, community and political advocacy.

Theme: Access to information, education and independence – deaf women's rights in practice

Priti Soni (India)

How a national association can work to empower deaf women through education, leadership and financial independence

Priti Soni, founder of the Deaf Can Foundation (DCF) in India, talks about how deaf women can become strong leaders and agents of change when they receive the right support. She has travelled all over India to meet deaf women in vulnerable areas, and through education, workshops and concrete projects, she has strengthened the self-confidence and opportunities of hundreds of women.

DCF is run almost entirely by deaf women and works practically to spread knowledge about rights, improve access to education, create job opportunities and change attitudes in society. Priti shares her work with her own educational materials, support for self-sufficiency, legal advocacy and media initiatives – all to create an inclusive future.

Theme: Empowerment and collaboration – how deaf women are building change from the bottom up

Other Presenters/Moderators

Empower to Impact: Strengthening the Voice and Agency of Deaf Adolescents

Co-host: Fedwen (Kenya)

Rahab Kimatu: The critical role of Deaf Women led organisations in strengthening capacity and voice of Deaf adolescents and young people.

Support measures for deaf women and children in vulnerable situations – experiences from practical work

Co-host: NKJT (Sweden)

Mia Modig, executive director for the National Women's Shelter and Sign Language Support (NKJT), presents the organisation's work to support deaf and hard-hearing women in vulnerable situations. An overview of NKJT's reports highlights issues such as economic violence, treatment by authorities and the situation of older deaf people. The presentation also focuses on NKJT's digital support for children, young people and women across the deaf community – from people with intellectual disabilities to those with various diagnoses – where sign language is the foundation. NKJT serves as a resource for both society and the Swedish Deaf Association, where practical work contributes knowledge to advocacy work.

Theme: Bridging practice and policy – support work with deaf women and children as a driver for systemic change

WFD

The WFD will introduce an international approach and present the WFD policy on women's rights and gender equality, focusing on SDG #5.

Deaf Researchers

Feminist Participatory Action Research to Capture the Impressions and Situation of Deaf Ukrainian Women after Migration in Berlin since 2022 - Inna Shparber (Germany)

This presentation is based on a master’s thesis exploring the experiences of Deaf Ukrainian women who migrated to Berlin following the outbreak of war in 2022. Using feminist participatory action research, Inna Shparber highlights the women’s impressions, current situations, and feminist perspectives. The study examines how migration, language, and gender intersect to shape complex identities, and how encountering new social norms in Berlin has inspired change. The talk also addresses the accessibility of feminist discourse for marginalized groups and illustrates how diverse forms of feminism can coexist and empower one another.

Empowering deaf women's participation through self-managed spaces - Naiara Larrakoetxea (Spain)

Despite facing multiple forms of discrimination—both within the deaf community and in mainstream feminism—signing deaf women in Spain have shown strong resilience by creating their own autonomous spaces for expression and empowerment. Barriers to participation in public feminist debates led to the organisation of the first feminist meeting by and for deaf women, where they shared experiences, built support networks, and developed strategies to address intersectional oppression. These self-managed spaces not only foster sisterhood and community-building but also allow deaf women to influence feminist and deaf agendas based on their real needs, promoting greater equality and inclusion.

Deaf Women and collective claims - Laure Abdelmoumeni (France) (Online presentation)

The presentation focuses on the inception of my doctoral research, which was prompted by the #metoosourd incident in April 2021, a pivotal moment in her reflections as a deaf woman. The aim of this work is to develop a nuanced understanding of the position of deaf women within deaf communities by exploring their claims, identity dynamics and involvement in collective struggles. This raises several questions, particularly: is there a hierarchy among struggles, or can we envisage an equal convergence of demands? Through this exploration, I hope to facilitate dialogue and exchange, enabling everyone to contribute to our collective understanding.

She is a Deaf doctoral student from Toulouse, France, currently pursuing my PhD at the University of Ottawa, Canada, since 2021. Alongside her research, she works as a research assistant at the Chair of Deaf Citizenship at UQAM in Quebec. Their work focuses on the ethical questions and practices involved in research with deaf people, with the goal of promoting respectful approaches within our communities.

Panel Discussion: “Challenges faced by deaf women in leadership and ways to strengthen their leadership in organisations”

Host: WFD

Moderator: Susana and Hjordis

Panelists:
  • Drisana Levitzke-Grey, WFDYS Board Member

Panel Discussion: “Access to justice for the deaf women“

Moderator: Josephine Odera

Panelists:
  • Priti Soni (India)
  • Camilla Lindahl (Sweden)
  • Tungi Mwanjala (Tanzania)

Art session on self-expression - Pamela Wango

A mental health session focused on self-expression and personal reflection. Through art, participants will have the opportunity to explore and share their life journeys in a creative and meaningful way. The session will be facilitated by Pamela Wango, a psychologist.

DAY 1 - 10th August 2025

Time Duration Activity
8.30 - 09:45 1 hour 15 Registration
09:45 - 10.45 60 min Opening Ceremony
10.45 - 11.00 15 min Break
11.00 - 11.40 40 min Keynote presentation
How a national association can work to empower deaf women through education, leadership and financial independence
Priti Soni (India)
11:45 - 12:30 45 min Reflective workshops accompanying the lecture
12.30 - 14.00 1 hour 30 Lunch
14.00 - 14:50 50 min Presentation
International approach and policies on women's rights and gender equality
WFD
14:55 - 15:30 35 min Online Presentation
Deaf Women and Collective Claims
Laure Abdelmoumeni (France)
15.30 - 16.00 30 min Break
16:00 - 16:30 30 min Panel Discussion
Challenges faced by deaf women in leadership and ways to strengthen their leadership in organisations
17:00 - 18:30 1h30 Art session on self-expression
(maximum 20 people)

DAY 2 - 11th August 2025

Time Duration Activity
9.00 - 9:30 30 min Keynote presentation
Consequences for deaf women when they do not receive education or information in sign language
Lizzie Kamukwamba (Zambia)
9:30 - 10:15 45 min Reflective workshops accompanying the lecture
10.15 - 10.45 30 min Break
10:45 - 11:10 25 min Presentation
Empower to Impact: Strengthening the voice and the agency of deaf adolescents
Fedwen (Kenya)
11:10 - 11:45 25 min Presentation
Support measures for deaf women and children in vulnerable situations
NKJT (Sweden)
11.45 - 12:30 45 min Panel discussion - Access to justice for the deaf women
12.30 - 14.00 1h30 Lunch
14.00 - 14:30 30 min Presentation
Feminist participatory action research to capture the Impressions and Situation of Deaf Ukrainian Women after Migration in Berlin since 2022
Inna Shparber (Germany)
14.30 - 15.00 30 min Presentation
Empowering deaf women's participation through self-managed spaces
Naiara Larrakoetxea (Spain)
15:00 - 15:40 40 min Conclusion & Closing Ceremony