ILEP Statement of commitments – Global Disability Summit 2022

ILEP member staff were among the 7,000 participants at the Global Disability Summit (GDS) this month, the world’s biggest event focused on disability inclusion. A vital feature of the GDS is the commitments made by states, NGOs, companies and others, about what they will do to boost the meaningful engagement of persons with disabilities. ILEP’s nine global commitments, based on our 2021-2025 strategy, are listed below.

ILEP will lobby and advocate towards a minimum 50% reduction in the number of laws and regulations (numbering 130 worldwide as at January 2022) that discriminate against persons affected by leprosy.
ILEP will put systems in place to monitor anti-leprosy stigma levels in countries, especially at community level, at regular intervals; and ILEP Member associations will strive at all levels towards positive attitudinal change and an end to leprosy-related stigma and discrimination.
ILEP will continue to publicise its Statement on Participation by persons affected by leprosy, and advocate for the practical application of the Statement by member associations.
ILEP will consult regularly with the Advisory Panel of Persons Affected by Leprosy, particularly on strategic and policy issues, and through the Panel will amplify the voice of national organisations of persons affected by leprosy; and ILEP, in participation with existing national organisations, will encourage and appropriately support a 50% increase in the number of countries with credible national organisations representing persons affected by leprosy.
ILEP member associations will consider appropriate support for formation and sustainability of autonomous national organisations that represent persons affected by leprosy.
ILEP will encourage and support countries to maintain accurate records of patients with disabilities and/or at-risk, both during and at completion of anti-leprosy drug treatment.
ILEP will work to increase to 20 the number of countries that specifically include leprosy in their national human rights frameworks, in line with the CRPD-influenced Principles and Guidelines for the Elimination of Discrimination against Persons Affected by Leprosy and their Family Members.
ILEP will encourage and provide practical support to organisations representing persons affected by leprosy, to build capacity to make direct submissions or reports to the CRPD Committee and other relevant instruments of the OHCHR.
ILEP will (a) promote usage in national training programmes of ILEP/NNN Guides on Stigma and Mental Wellbeing; and (b) support and advocate for access to basic psychological support at points of care, and to referral services to address mental health needs of persons affected by leprosy in the health system.

ILEP Statement of commitments – Global Disability Summit 2022

ILEP will lobby and advocate towards a minimum 50% reduction in the number of laws and regulations (numbering 130 worldwide as at January 2022) that discriminate against persons affected by leprosy.

ILEP will put systems in place to monitor anti-leprosy stigma levels in countries, especially at community level, at regular intervals; and ILEP Member associations will strive at all levels towards positive attitudinal change and an end to leprosy-related stigma and discrimination.

ILEP will continue to publicise its Statement on Participation by persons affected by leprosy, and advocate for the practical application of the Statement by member associations.

ILEP member associations will consider appropriate support for formation and sustainability of autonomous national organisations that represent persons affected by leprosy.

ILEP will encourage and support countries to maintain accurate records of patients with disabilities and/or at-risk, both during and at completion of anti-leprosy drug treatment.

ILEP will work to increase to 20 the number of countries that specifically include leprosy in their national human rights frameworks, in line with the CRPD-influenced Principles and Guidelines for the Elimination of Discrimination against Persons Affected by Leprosy and their Family Members.

ILEP will encourage and provide practical support to organisations representing persons affected by leprosy, to build capacity to make direct submissions or reports to the CRPD Committee and other relevant instruments of the OHCHR.