Why is WHO making this call?
Hearing loss is on the rise. Currently, 20% of the population lives with some degree of hearing loss and unless prompt and proper actions are initiated, this proportion could rise to nearly 25% in just three decades.
Every day, over 1 billion young people worldwide are exposed to potentially harmful sound levels (WHO, 2022). These exposures occur in recreational settings such as music venues, clubs, concerts, and through the use of personal listening and video gameplay devices. By taking action now, we can protect current and future generations from avoidable hearing loss while enabling everyone to enjoy music, entertainment, and social connection in safe and healthy ways.
To reduce the occurrence of avoidable hearing loss, WHO invites all stakeholders working in fields related to recreational sound to commit themselves to action for safe listening.
Your commitment today can help protect the hearing of millions tomorrow.
Why commit?
By committing to safe listening, individuals, organizations and groups can:
- Align with internationally recognized global standards, developed by WHO and the International Telecommunication Union (ITU).
- Demonstrate leadership in protecting hearing health.
- Be recognized by WHO through the public sharing of commitments, amplifying your role in this important global initiative.
Who should commit to ‘Make Listening Safe’?
The World Health Organization (WHO) invites all stakeholders working in areas related to recreational sound to commit to safe listening. This includes (but is not limited to):
- Stakeholders involved in music and sound production
- Stakeholders involved in the design, manufacturing and provision of personal listening devices (e.g. smartphones, MP3 players, headphones), video gameplay devices and software
- Stakeholders in other fields of recreational audio (e.g. toys, noise-generating products, car audio)
- Owners of clubs and music venues
- Organizers of music or esports events
- Academia
- Civil society organizations
- Non-governmental organizations
- Streaming and content creators and their platforms
- Youth groups, professional associations, and governments
Where can find more information?
If you are interested in making a commitment to Make Listening Safe, or would like to learn more, please get in touch.
- Contact: mls@who.int
- Download the commitments guide: Download here
- Download the submission form: Download here
Example commitments and associated actions
(This is not an exhaustive list)
Commitment | Example actions |
Implement WHO-ITU Global Standard for Safe Listening Devices (ITU-T H.870) | - Adopt and implement standard in devices by (date/year) |
Implement WHO Standard for Safe Listening Venues and Events | - Pilot safe listening at public events |
Implement WHO-ITU Standard for Safe Listening in Video Gameplay (ITU-T H.872) | - Apply standard to gaming devices/software |
Raise Awareness Among Youth and Adolescents | - Integrate WHO content in school health curricula |
Advocate for Policy Change | - Encourage governments to adopt WHO-aligned regulations |
Undertake Research | - Study listening habits and risks |
Promote Accessibility and Inclusivity | - Translate/adapt materials for literacy and language access |