Spanish Federation of Deafblindness

The Spanish Federation of Deafblindness (Federación Española de Sordoceguera, FESOCE) is a Spanish non-governmental organization that brings together associations working for and with people who are deafblind. It functions as a national umbrella body, coordinating member entities across Spain and representing the deafblind collective in public policy, healthcare and social-service debates. Its official website describes it as 'Declarada de Utilidad Pública y certificada por la ISO 9001' — declared of public utility and ISO 9001 certified — signalling both its recognized public-interest role and a formal quality-management commitment. FESOCE's activity centres on advocacy, awareness and the promotion of specialized care. It organizes institutional events, most prominently around the World Day of Deafblindness (Día Mundial de la Sordoceguera), including a 2026 institutional session held at the Congress of Deputies (Congreso de los Diputados), Spain's lower house of parliament. At that event, professionals and associations called for a unified national model of care and a reference centre for deafblindness, citing a collective of 245,000 people in Spain. The federation also engages in research and project work, such as the ERSC project on congenital deafblindness and rare diseases that cause deafblindness. As a federation, FESOCE's 'product' is representation and coordination rather than a commercial good: it connects member organizations, shares good practice, supports families and professionals, and pushes for integrated, specialized attention. Its member base includes regional entities; the Galician sensory-diversity organization XOGA, a FESOCE member since 2017, was recognized in a social-labour category for its advocacy trajectory. FESOCE also maintains European links, publicly commemorating figures such as William Green for their commitment to families and people with deafblindness in Europe. The organization operates in Spain and communicates primarily in Spanish. It is a civil-society body rather than a listed company; no parent company, ownership group or stock ticker applies. Its public profile rests on institutional advocacy, awareness days, research projects and quality certification.

The Spanish Federation of Deafblindness (Federación Española de Sordoceguera, FESOCE) emerged as a national umbrella organization for associations serving people with deafblindness in Spain. Its role is to give the deafblind collective a single voice before public administrations, healthcare systems and social services, and to coordinate the work of regional and local member entities. The federation has been declared of public utility and is certified under ISO 9001, reflecting both official recognition of its public-interest mission and an internal commitment to quality management. Over time FESOCE has built a member network across Spain. The Galician sensory-diversity organization XOGA has been a FESOCE member since 2017, illustrating the federation's regional reach; XOGA was later honoured in a social-labour category for its advocacy trajectory. FESOCE also maintains European connections, publicly commemorating figures such as William Green for their commitment to families and people with deafblindness in Europe. A central strand of FESOCE's recent history is its push for a unified national framework of care. On 26 June 2026 it organized an institutional session at the Congress of Deputies, Spain's lower house, on the occasion of International Deafblindness Day. The event brought together professionals, associations and socio-health specialists, and concluded with a shared demand: coordination, networking, integrated attention, training, more research and a person-centred approach — in short, a unified national framework guaranteeing specialized resources and a reference centre to coordinate care. Participants cited a deafblind collective of 245,000 people in Spain and called for the issue to be placed on the public agenda. FESOCE also pursues research and project work. Its ERSC project addresses congenital deafblindness and rare diseases that cause deafblindness, linking the federation's advocacy to the medical and scientific community. Through awareness days, institutional events, research and member coordination, FESOCE has positioned itself as a reference civil-society actor for deafblindness in Spain.

• Galician organization XOGA becomes a FESOCE member.

• FESOCE organizes an institutional session at the Congress of Deputies for International Deafblindness Day, demanding a unified care model and a reference centre.

• FESOCE publishes a tribute to William Green for his commitment to families and people with deafblindness in Europe.

A public-utility, ISO 9001-certified national umbrella federation advocating for specialized, integrated care and recognition of deafblind people in Spain.

• ERSC project

  Project on congenital deafblindness and rare diseases that cause deafblindness.

• World Day of Deafblindness institutional session

  Annual institutional event, including a 2026 session at the Congress of Deputies.

1. 1Federación Española de Sordoceguera (FESOCE) — official websitefesoce.org
2. 2FESOCE organiza una jornada en el Congreso de los Diputados con motivo del Día Internacional de la Sordoceguera 2026fesoce.org
3. 3Spanish Federation of Deafblindness — Wikidatawikidata.org