The GPZL research reports are now online

31 Aug 2019

The GPZL’s Research Agenda Working Group analysed leprosy research and developed priorities in the key areas that are expected to accelerate progress towards zero leprosy. This completed body of work now forms globally agreed research agenda for leprosy. The reports […]

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MacArthur Foundation proposal final submission

31 Aug 2019

A proposal for the 100&Change, a MacArthur Foundation competition for US $100 million, was submitted on August 6. MacArthur’s goal is to use its investments to take on problems that cannot be solved any other way than through a huge […]

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NTD Roadmap 2021-2030 to incorporate consequences of leprosy

31 Aug 2019

ILEP, in association with the NNN (NGO NTDs Network), has been advocating to make sure that the new NTDs Roadmap fully incorporates the ongoing consequences of NTDs like leprosy. While we recognise the enthusiasm to see a 90% reduction in […]

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Updated list of discriminatory laws

31 Aug 2019

In order to track progress towards the goal of Zero Discrimination and Stigma, ILEP has reviewed and updated the list of discriminatory laws found worldwide.  The current list shows a total of 139 laws that discriminate against people affected by leprosy in […]

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ILEP hosts a booth at the ILC

31 Aug 2019

From September 11 to 13, ILEP will be at its booth at the International Leprosy Congress (ILC). We hope that you’ll come and visit us! ILEP would love to showcase the breadth of work that is going on in the […]

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Reduce Stigma and Improve Mental Wellbeing in NTDs

13 Aug 2019

Guides on Health-Related Stigma and Mental Wellbeing Health and social welfare departments, non-governmental organisations and other agencies need help to better understand what stigma is and what can be done to reduce its impact. Responding to this need, ILEP and the Neglected Tropical Disease […]

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The Path Ahead for GPZL’s Resource Mobilisation Efforts

31 Jul 2019

Resource mobilisation is a key part of the function of the partnership, and GPZL is actively working to increase the alignment of existing leprosy funding and to identify and secure new funds. A partnership and resource mobilisation strategy is being […]

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The missing billion

31 Jul 2019

A billion people around the world who live with disabilities are being left behind without access to healthcare. The London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine has issued a major publication on access to health services for the billion people […]

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WHO Africa Region NTDs conference

31 Jul 2019

ILEP representatives participated in the meeting of NTD programme managers in Addis Ababa in July. The three-day meeting started with a review of progress on the WHO Roadmap on NTDs from 2012-2020, and went on to look at progress in […]

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Rehabilitation in health systems: a guide for action

31 Jul 2019

A new publication from WHO advises countries on how to strengthen rehabilitation in health services. ILEP Members involved in rehabilitation are advised to take note. This month, as part of the Rehabilitation 2030 initiative, WHO published Rehabilitation in health systems: guide […]

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Inclusion of NTDs in Universal Health Coverage: call for research proposals

31 Jul 2019

The NTD Support Center has invited proposals for operational research on how to include NTDs within Universal health coverage (UHC) in national health systems. UHC is one of the cornerstones of the Sustainable Development Goals. The core principle is that all people have […]

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Meet Dr Ann Aerts, Head of the Novartis Foundation

30 Jun 2019

Interviewed by Andie Tucker from Global Partnership for Zero Leprosy Communications Dr Ann Aerts leads the Novartis Foundation. She has been a catalyst in the formation of the Global Partnership for Zero Leprosy and a key adviser to the partnership. […]

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Mental Motivators – Tackling the Mental Health Problems of Leprosy

30 Jun 2019

By Lepra UK Why Mental Health Matters Mental health issues are not something that can immediately come to mind when you think of leprosy or lymphatic filariasis diagnosis. Many people may see the physical effects of the disease first without […]

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GPZL update – June 2019

30 Jun 2019

Julie Jacobson (formerly Gates Foundation) has been contracted by the GPZL Secretariat to help identify and design approaches to potential new major donors for zero leprosy. The focus is to fund the Research Agenda (that is, the consensus set of […]

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The situation of children affected by leprosy represented globally

30 Jun 2019

As part of its global advocacy strategy to mainstream the rights of persons affected by leprosy within the disability rights movement, The Leprosy Mission International (TLMI) took part in the Civil Society Forum (CSF) and the Conference of the States […]

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Leprosy at the 41st Human Rights Council

30 Jun 2019

In her capacity as UN Special Rapporteur on the elimination of discrimination against persons affected by leprosy and their family members, Alice Cruz delivers a report each year to the UN Human Rights Council. This year her focus was women […]

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Fontilles’ Historical Portal

30 Jun 2019

Earlier this year, Fontilles launched a Spanish portal and an English overview dedicated to the history of their organisation. Historical archives, developed by Fontilles and the University of Alicante in collaboration with the Sasakawa Health Foundation, are meant to increase […]

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Join us on June 27 for Leprosy, dehumanisation and extreme vulnerability at the Palais des Nations

18 Jun 2019

How to fulfil the 2030 Agenda for stigmatised social groups Geneva, 18 June 2019 – What is known about leprosy as a condition, from a scientific or biomedical perspective, does not address how people affected by the disease are dehumanised – day […]

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ILEP Annual Report 2018

3 Jun 2019

ILEP’s Annual Report covers our activities in 2018. We are proud to share this report with you as we continue to work collaboratively towards #zerotransmission, #zerodisabilities and #zerodiscrimination. Read the full report here.

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Meet Dr Ibtissam Khoudri from Morocco’s Ministry of Health

31 May 2019

Interviewed by Jessica Cook and Andie Tucker, Global Partnership for Zero Leprosy Communications Dr Ibtissam Khoudri leads the leprosy programme in Morocco’s Ministry of Health and is a chairperson for the Operational Excellence working sub-group 5 on infrastructure and operational capacity. […]

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ILEP at the 72nd World Health Assembly

31 May 2019

We have written short précis on four topics that may be of interest to ILEP Members. The speech of WHO Director-General, Dr Tedros, in the WHA Opening Session referred to Universal Health Coverage, primary health care, reforms to the WHO, […]

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A Paralympian from GB with a prosthetic limb from The Leprosy Mission’s Anandaban Hospital in Nepal

31 May 2019

GB Paralympian Stef Reid lost her right foot in a boating accident at aged 15. Despite her talent and tenacity seeing her fulfil her dream of becoming a professional sportsperson, she has a calling to encourage and mentor those struggling […]

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GPZL Zero Leprosy Country Model

31 May 2019

In a webinar on 29 May 2019 the Global Partnership for Zero Leprosy (GPZL) has outlined its Zero Leprosy Country Model. This consists of four elements: Zero leprosy toolkit of best practices, which is currently under development through the work of […]

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Nominations for the 2019 REACH Awards

31 May 2019

The Recognizing Excellence Around Champions of Health (REACH) Awards acknowledge those who have demonstrated extraordinary leadership and commitment in the field of disease elimination. From boots-on-the-ground innovators to local community health workers, the REACH Awards aim to celebrate critical contributions […]

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UN Special Rapporteur on leprosy visits Brazil

31 May 2019

Alice Cruz, the UN Special Rapporteur on the elimination of discrimination against persons affected by leprosy and their family members, made her first official visit since the creation of her mandate, to Brazil from 7 to 14 May 2019. As […]

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A Summary of the WHO Leprosy Targets Survey

31 May 2019

With 198 respondents, the first survey on indicators around leprosy will be used to develop the WHO’s post-2020 global leprosy strategy, expected to be released in the next year. In February and March 2019, the Global Partnership for Zero Leprosy […]

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Together they are NLR until No Leprosy Remains

31 May 2019

Netherlands Leprosy Relief has changed its name and organisational structure, but they continue to push towards a reality where No Leprosy Remains. Netherlands Leprosy Relief has worked towards a world without leprosy over the past 50 years. As their ambition […]

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Report from IDDC

31 May 2019

The International Disability and Development Consortium (IDDC) General Assembly this month focused on Leaving No One Behind: ensuring persons with disabilities and other marginalised groups are included in development cooperation. ILEP and some of its Member associations are also members […]

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Leprosy at Novartis Foundation

31 May 2019

Since 1 May 2019 the leprosy work at the Novartis Foundation has been reallocated and integrated into the new Global Health & Corporate Responsibility organisation of Novartis. For over 30 years, Novartis and the Novartis Foundation have been working with […]

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Innovation – A big part of the solution

2 May 2019

The World Health Organization (WHO) and the United Nations (UN) have said that disease prevention and treatment will help to reduce poverty and economic disparity. According to Dr Paul Saunderson, the Medical Director at American Leprosy Missions and chair of […]

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World Leprosy Day 2019: Time to end the stigma and discrimination of leprosy!

27 Jan 2019

ILEP President’s Statement by Jan van Berkel This World Leprosy Day, Sunday 27 January, provides an important opportunity to draw attention to the often-neglected aspects of leprosy – the negative social implications many persons affected by the disease experience on […]

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Mohan’s story: overcoming stigma and despair, and helping others to do the same

24 Jan 2019

Born in 1982, Mohan was afflicted with lameness from polio at the age of 2. After his diagnosis of leprosy, however, what slowed him down were not his physical difficulties, but the discrimination he faced from family, relatives, friends, and […]

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Maksuda’s Story: A model of leadership and giving back to others with leprosy

22 Jan 2019

Maksuda first met Lepra staff when she was diagnosed with leprosy and received treatment at a local clinic at Sirajganj, Bangladesh. At the time of her diagnosis, she was married; however, she returned to her father’s home with her daughter […]

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Ajay’s story: Leprosy’s impact on families

21 Jan 2019

Meet Ajay, aged 40, from Amroha, India. This is his story, told in his own words, to help raise awareness of stigma and discrimination this World Leprosy Day. “When I was only fifteen years old, leprosy changed my life. I […]

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Neru’s Story: Losing out on childhood and schooling

17 Jan 2019

Neru was only eight when she discovered she had leprosy. Her mother had noticed patches on Neru’s body and Neru also complained of numbness in her right hand and right leg. As time went on this numbness worsened and her […]

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World Leprosy Day: Up to half of leprosy affected people face mental health issues

16 Jan 2019

ILEP releases interactive report on leprosy and stigma ahead of World Leprosy Day ILEP is shining a light on the invisible scars of stigma ahead of this year’s World Leprosy Day–themed around ending the stigma and discrimination associated with leprosy–with […]

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Valdenora’s Story: Amazonian trailblazer fighting for equality

14 Jan 2019

Ahead of World Leprosy Day 2019, we meet inspiring people fighting against the stigma and discrimination associated with leprosy. From Brazil, this is Valdenora’s remarkable story of survival, recovery and advocacy. Valdenora da Cruz Rodrigues was born on May 24, […]

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Open Letter to President Emmanuel Macron

10 Dec 2018

Open letter to President Macron of France, organised by an informal, global network of people affected by leprosy. Dear Mr. President, As women and men who have experienced Hansen’s disease, more commonly known as leprosy, we were disheartened to read […]

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« Flower power » : s’armer de roses contre la stigmatisation

6 Dec 2018

Le docteur Sushil Koirala lutte en faveur des droits humains et de la paix depuis plus de 15 ans. Surnommé « The Rose Doctor », il a fondé la campagne « The Rose Movement », dont l’objectif est d’apporter la paix et le bonheur aux […]

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Flower Power: How roses have become a powerful weapon in the battle against stigma

6 Dec 2018

Dr. Sushil Koirala ’The Rose Doctor’ has been a human rights and peace activist for over 15 years, and is the founder of the Rose Movement, a campaign to help bring peace and joy to others. We reached out to […]

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