The Global Appeal 2018 to end stigma against leprosy starts in New Delhi

The Global Appeal, an annual initiative by The Nippon Foundation to end stigma and discrimination against people with leprosy and their families, is being launched today in New Delhi.

Started in 2006, the Global Appeal, led by Yohei Sasakawa, chairman, TNF and the WHO Goodwill Ambassador for Leprosy Elimination, has been working to raise awareness on the issue and draw global support. For 2018, TNF has partnered with Disabled Peoples’ International (DPI), which is the world’s first successful cross-disability organization based in Canada.

First Global Appeal announced in India in 2006

DPI has an outreach in more than 130 countries across seven regions – Africa, Arab, Asia-Pacific, CIS, Europe, Latin America and North America and the Caribbean. Javed Abidi is the Global Chair of DPI. About 91 Member National Assemblies of the DPI have endorsed the Global Appeal and promised to work towards bridging the gap between the disability and the leprosy sectors by integrating people affected by leprosy into the
larger disability movement.

The opening remarks will be made by Javed Abidi, Global Chair, Disabled Peoples’ International, Dr. P.K. Gopal, Co-founder and President, IDEA (India), Shakuntala D. Gamlin, Secretary, Department of Empowerment of Persons with Disabilities, Ministry of Social Justice & Empowerment (TBC) and Yohei Sasakawa, Chairman, The Nippon Foundation.

After the launch, there will be a National Conference on Leprosy and Disability.