News Desk
Lahore – In a milestone for inclusive communication, Pakistan’s first-ever sign language podcast produced by Deaf youth for Deaf youth has been launched, featuring six episodes dedicated to health, rights, and well-being.
The series, produced by the Institute for Social and Youth Development (ISYD), Y-PEER Pakistan, and Disabilities2030 with support from various partners, delivers visually accessible and culturally relevant content entirely in sign language. It offers a platform for Deaf youth to engage in meaningful discussions on life skills-based education, youth-friendly health services, stigma and discrimination, cultural and traditional barriers, family planning, and gender-based violence.
“For the first time, I felt like someone was talking directly to me, talking for me, in my language, about things that matter to me,” said a Deaf youth participant from Lahore. “The episode on Life Skills-Based Education helped me understand options I never knew existed, especially the skills that matter for our daily life.”
Joshua Dilawar, National Coordinator of Y-PEER Pakistan, described the initiative as “more than just a podcast,” calling it “a declaration that Deaf youth in Pakistan will not be left out of the conversation on rights, health, and empowerment.”
ISYD Program Coordinator Fatima Yaseen emphasized the organization’s commitment to inclusive advocacy: “We believe every young person deserves access to information about their rights, their bodies, and their choices, and the Deaf community must be included in these conversations.”
ISYD urged media outlets, civil society organizations, and government partners to join efforts in amplifying the voices of Deaf youth and ensuring that inclusive, accessible, and rights-based health information is available to all.