Hearing impaired youth launch sign language podcast

LAHORE:

In a historic initiative, deaf youth have launched a podcast entirely in Pakistani Sign Language (PSL) - a groundbreaking digital series that puts young people with the impairments at the centre of long-overdue conversations on health, rights, and empowerment.

The six-episode series has been produced in Lahore by the Institute for Social and Youth Development (ISYD) in collaboration with Y-PEER Pakistan, Disabilities2030, and other partners. Each episode is developed, hosted, and conceptualised by youth with hearing impairment, offering representation and visibility where it has long been missing.

The podcast tackles critical - and often taboo - subjects such as life skills-based education, reproductive health, family planning, stigma and discrimination, mental health, and gender-based violence. These themes, rarely made accessible to young people with disabilities in Pakistan, are presented through a visually rich and culturally grounded lens.

"We have waited our whole lives for someone to speak to us in our language. No one did. So we became our own voice," said Rabia, one of the hosts.

According to the World Health Organisation, around 1.5 billion people globally live with some degree of hearing loss, and accessible health communication remains a major barrier - especially in low- and middle-income countries. In Pakistan, where PSL is not widely integrated into public services or media, this podcast marks a significant leap toward inclusive communication.