Crisis Map

Why This Map Matters

Every dot on this map represents a crisis where deaf communities face compounded risk — whether from earthquakes, floods, armed conflict, or displacement. Emergency sirens, radio broadcasts, and loudspeaker warnings are useless for 70 million deaf people worldwide. In conflict zones and refugee camps, the barriers multiply.

IDE works to ensure that existing emergency and humanitarian systems are accessible to deaf communities — through disaster risk reduction, advocacy, and partnership with national deaf associations via the World Federation of the Deaf. The blue diamonds on the map show where UNHCR has active field operations — many of these locations serve displaced deaf populations with no access to sign language services.