Uniting to Combat NTDs

Uniting to Combat NTDs was established after the signing of the London Declaration on NTDs in 2012. During 2020, as part of a total review of structure and strategy, Uniting expanded its focus from 10 to all 20 NTDs. One facet of the new structure is a consultative forum, which includes Dr Wim van Brakel, chair of the ILEP Technical Commission.

Uniting’s new mission is to create political will and an enabling environment for countries to achieve the WHO NTD road map targets and deliver the SDG goal to end NTDs by 2030. Recognising that there are many organisations working in the NTD ‘space’, UTC wants to add value in four ways:

  • providing a platform for collective advocacy
  • facilitating communications and active partnership across all the NTDs
  • being a trusted and credible voice to open doors at the international level
  • using its power to convene partners across and beyond NTDs to raise the profile of NTDs globally

The new strategy ‘Coming together to end the neglect’ has three main aims.

The first is to increase the relevance of NTDs in global and regional agendas. This includes using existing frameworks to provide accountability for policy and funding commitments, cultivating endemic country leaders as champions for NTDs, and working with partners to build strong campaigns to influence new and existing donors and endemic countries.

The second aim is to mobilise national and international resources for NTDs. This includes not only ongoing commitments from key NTD donors and the pharmaceutical industry, but also additional resources from key international donors, the private sector, and foundations. In line with the NTD Roadmap, there is also a focus on promoting inclusion of NTDs in endemic countries’ domestic health funding.

The third aim is to facilitate an engaged partnership to support NTDs. This involves working closely with NTD partner networks, like ILEP, to share information and create a unified voice throughout the NTD community, make connections among partners for collective advocacy and resource mobilisation, and collaborate so as to magnify partners’ own advocacy and resource mobilisation efforts.

A summary of the strategy can be read here. ILEP appreciates the particular capabilities that Uniting to Combat NTDS brings to the NTD world, especially towards building stronger international collaborations and mobilising new resources. ILEP looks forward to engaging with Uniting towards our mutual objectives.