There are over one billion people – 15 per cent of the world’s population – living with a disability. In many countries, they are the most excluded and stigmatised of all groups. This needs to change: persons with disabilities must have a say in the decisions that affect their lives, and the chance to fulfil their potential and contribute to their communities.
In 2015 that chance has never been closer. To echo the ‘leave no one behind’ mantra of the Sustainable Development Goal (SDG) process, Framing Perceptions focuses on people who have historically been left out of the picture of international development.
The Promise in Peril campaign culminated at the SDG summit with a declaration reaffirming commitments to achieving the global goals that explicitly references disability rights.
As learners with disabilities are disproportionately affected by global crises such as climate change, we're urging governments to build more resilient education systems for everyone.
The event served as a platform for myself and other Sightsavers colleagues to engage in discussions about how to dismantle barriers and tackle the obstacles impeding progress around women’s rights.