On 3 March, the world comes together to mark World Hearing Day, an annual global advocacy event led by the World Health Organization to raise awareness about hearing loss and promote ear and hearing care for all.
This year’s theme, “From communities to classrooms: hearing care for all children.”, highlights how hearing improves a child’s ability to learn, connect, and thrive. At Hear the World Foundation, this mission is at the heart of everything we do.
According to the WHO, around 90 million children aged 5–19 years live with hearing loss and over 60% of childhood hearing loss is preventable through simple, cost-effective public health measures.1 Early identification and care are essential to prevent long-term impacts on language development, education, and future opportunities. Yet in many low- and middle-income countries (LMICs), access to ear and hearing care remains limited due to shortages of trained professionals, financial barriers for families, and a lack of systematic screening and early identification.
At Hear the World Foundation, we work with trusted local project partners to strengthen ear and hearing care for children. Through our project partnerships, we help to:
- Strengthen community-based ear and hearing care services
- Support awareness campaigns for parents, teachers, and caregivers
- Improve access to preventive care, treatment, and (re)habilitation
- Train and support in the development of local healthcare professionals in ear and hearing care
By building local capacity, we contribute to sustainable systems that protect children’s hearing from the start. Although hearing care does not just begin in clinics or hospitals alone. It also begins in communities and classrooms, where parents, caregivers and teachers can also learn about the signs of ear disease, where health workers can be trained, and where awareness can help reduce stigma.
This 3 March, we stand with the global community in calling for:
- Stronger integration of hearing screening into school and child health programs
- Investment in early intervention services
- Greater awareness that childhood hearing loss is largely preventable
- Action to ensure that every child, regardless of where they are born, has the chance to hear, learn, and succeed
On World Hearing Day 2026, Hear the World Foundation reaffirms its commitment to supporting sustainable ear and hearing care solutions for children worldwide.
1.World Health Organization. (2016). Childhood hearing loss: Act now, here’s how! WHO.https://cdn.who.int/media/docs/default-source/documents/health-topics/deafness-and-hearing-loss/whd2016_brochure_en_2.pd