DeafKidz International appoints Boldspace to PR and campaigning brief

DeafKidz International, the global leader for the protection of deaf children and young people from abuse and exploitation, has appointed Boldspace to drive its PR and campaigns.

Boldspace will work with DeafKidz International to build fame as the charity safeguarding deaf children internationally, ensuring deaf children are included in mainstream conversations about the protection of children.

Deafness is the third largest disability globally with 466 million deaf people worldwide. Deaf children are three times more likely to be abused than those who hear. Despite the shocking statistics, there remains relatively low levels of awareness of the issues some of the most vulnerable children face around the world today.

The account will be led by Boldspace Co-founder and Managing Director, Mike Robb, reporting to DeafKidz International Chief Executive Officer, Kavita Prasad.

A word on the appointment

Kavita Prasad, Chief Executive Officer of DeafKidz International, said: “We exist to ensure deaf children and young people live safely and without fear of abuse and exploitation. We will not rest until we have ended the appalling abuse deaf children face around the world. We want to empower deaf children and young people living in some of the most challenging situations, and create a platform for them to succeed, ensuring no deaf child is left behind. We are delighted to be working with Boldspace to tell our story and help us make this a reality.”

Mike Robb, Co-founder and Managing Director of Boldspace, said: “The abuse and exploitation of deaf children in many parts of the world is simply shocking and not something any of us could have imagined to be the case before speaking to Kavita and her team. The international community must understand the scale of the issue faced by deaf children; we must do more to bring an end to the exploitation and abuse faced by so many. We can’t wait to work with DeafKidz to drive action.”

Late last year, DeafKidz International was awarded funding by the Global Partnership to End Violence Against Children for a project to help deaf children aged 5 to 10 stay safe from online abuse and exploitation. As part of this project, which will be piloted in South Africa and Pakistan, the charity is developing DeafKidz Defenders, an interactive, accessible digital platform to help deaf children stay safe from online abuse and exploitation. Through educational games, children will learn to protect themselves from online risks, exploring what an inappropriate chat conversation might look like, understanding warning signs of abusers, and more.