IN ITS VERY FIRST MAJOR NATIONAL INITIATIVE, AIFDWS, IN COLLABORATION WITH THE PEOPLE WITH HEARING IMPAIRED NETWORK (PHIN), TELANGANA, SUCCESSFULLY ORGANISED THE 1ST AIFDWS DEAF WOMEN CONFERENCE 2025, HELD ON 13–14 DECEMBER 2025 AT ST. ANN’S, TARNAKA, SECUNDERABAD, TELANGANA.

THIS HISTORIC CONFERENCE BROUGHT TOGETHER MORE THAN 150 DEAF WOMEN FROM 16 STATES ACROSS INDIA, MARKING A SIGNIFICANT STEP FORWARD IN BUILDING NATIONAL PLATFORMS FOR DEAF WOMEN’S LEADERSHIP, LEARNING, AND SOLIDARITY. THE THEME OF THE CONFERENCE, “EMPOWERING DEAF WOMEN’S RIGHTS,” REFLECTED THE COLLECTIVE ASPIRATION FOR EQUALITY, DIGNITY, AND INCLUSION.

THE NATIONAL CONFERENCE FOCUSED ON ADVANCING THE RIGHTS AND VISIBILITY OF DEAF WOMEN IN INDIA. IT AIMED TO PROMOTE LEADERSHIP AMONG DEAF WOMEN, STRENGTHEN AWARENESS ON GENDER EQUALITY AND DEAF RIGHTS, DISCUSS CHALLENGES RELATED TO EDUCATION, EMPLOYMENT, ACCESSIBILITY, AND SAFETY, ENCOURAGE ADVOCACY FOR INCLUSIVE PUBLIC POLICIES, AND CELEBRATE THE ACHIEVEMENTS OF DEAF WOMEN ROLE MODELS. THE TWO-DAY EVENT INCLUDED KEYNOTE ADDRESSES, PANEL DISCUSSIONS, INTERACTIVE SESSIONS, INDIAN SIGN LANGUAGE (ISL) WORKSHOPS, AND SHARING OF LIVED EXPERIENCES TO INSPIRE THE NEXT GENERATION OF DEAF WOMEN LEADERS.