Connecting for change: integrating disability equity across global health agendas

This side event, held during the Seventy-ninth World Health Assembly (WHA79), brought together civil society, global health actors and the WHO Disability Health Equity Network to strengthen collaboration on disability inclusion in the health sector and explore practical ways to integrate disability equity across global health agendas.

Background

Persons with disabilities continue to face persistent health inequities, including barriers to access, affordability, and quality of care. While disability inclusive approaches are increasingly recognized as essential to achieving universal health coverage (UHC) and broader global health goals, meaningful integration across major health agendas remains uneven. This side event responded to this gap by fostering dialogue, sharing evidence, and building alliances between disability advocates and actors working across UHC and related global health processes.

Objectives

The session aimed to:

• Introduce the WHO Disability Health Equity Network as an ally in advocacy for UHC.
• Connect members of the WHO Disability Health Equity Network and the broader global health community working on UHC to build relationships and mutual understanding.
• Explore key insights and evidence on health equity for persons with disabilities, including major gaps and opportunities.
• Identify shared priorities, natural alignment points, and practical ways to collaborate across mainstream global health agendas and initiatives.
• Co-create ideas for strengthening disability inclusion within UHC and global health agendas through partnership and collective action.

In-person attendees were invited to join this event at the following address:

If you have any questions or comments about this event, please contact us.