vision 2020: the right to sight advocacy in action working together to eliminate avoidable blindness
TRANSCRIPT
VISION 2020: The Right to Sight
ADVOCACY in Action
WORKING TOGETHER TO ELIMINATE AVOIDABLE BLINDNESS
VISION 2020: The Right to Sight is the
global initiative for the elimination of avoidable blindness,
a joint programme of the World Health Organization and the International Agency for the Prevention of Blindness, together with its global membership of NGOs, professional bodies, institutions & corporations.
Working together to eliminate avoidable blindness
VISION 2020 & IAPB
VISION 2020: The Right to Sight• Launched 1999 • Joint programme of IAPB and World Health Organization (WHO)• Facilitating development & implementation of national eye care plans• Collaboration between private organisations & public (government) agencies
International Agency for the Prevention of Blindness (IAPB)• Founded 1975• Umbrella organisation leading global efforts for the prevention of blindness• Over100 members:
• 80+ International NGDOs,
• Global professional peak bodies – optometry & ophthalmology
• World-leading academic & medical institutions
• Concerned corporations & foundations
• World Blind Union• Mobilising resources; Advocacy & awareness; Facilitating programmes
VISION 2020 Advocacy With Governments
• VISION 2020 workshops – reaching 150 countries
• National prevention of blindness committees established in 118 countries
• National eye care plans in 104 countries
• Recent examples: • Indian government commitment of
USD$265m
• Pakistani government committed $50m
• Australian government commitment of at least AUD$45m
IAPB Global Advocacy
• World Health Assembly (WHA) Resolutions 56.26 & 59.25, urging all WHO Member states to formulate integrated & sustainable national eye health plans
• WHO Mid-Term Strategic Plan (MTSP) 2008-13 visual impairment is now specifically mentioned under Strategic Objective #3
• WHO Action Plan for Prevention of Blindness & Visual Impairment – adopted by World Health Assembly, 2009
• Thanks to advocacy of IAPB & members, all 193 WHO member states are formally committed to investing in eye care for their populations