Over 1.3 billion people have a disability worldwide, with many experiencing health inequities such as earlier deaths and higher disease risks arising from unfair and avoidable conditions within and beyond the health system. A global mechanism is urgently needed to better prioritize and collaborate on efforts to improve the health outcomes for persons with disabilities and achieve progress towards health for all. The WHO Global initiative on health equity for persons with disabilities aims to play this critical role.
Objective
The WHO Global initiative on health equity for persons with disabilities was officially launched on 10 June 2025, during a side event of the 18th session of the Conference of States Parties to the Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities at the United Nations Headquarters in New York.
The event introduced and elevated the visibility of the WHO Global initiative on health equity for persons with disabilities. High-level representatives from Member States and key health and disability stakeholders discussed the importance of the initiative, its priorities, and the roles of its members.
Partners and co-sponsors
Partners and co-sponsors included several Member States (Australia, Germany, Norway and Sweden), the Global Disability Fund (GDF), the International Disability Alliance (IDA), the Christian Blind Mission (CBM), Down Syndrome International (DSI), Humanity and Inclusion (HI), the International Disability and Development Consortium (IDDC), Sightsavers, Special Olympics (SO), and the World Health Organization (WHO).
Logistics
The event was held in person on 10 June 2025, 11:30-12:45 EDT, in conference room 7 of the United Nations, New York. The event was also broadcast on UN Web TV for anyone to follow online.
The event was conducted in English, with International Sign Language interpretation and captioning available.
Contact Information
For more details, please contact us:
