Equal World: calling for a fairer future

Around the world, people with disabilities are frequently denied their human rights.

They may face barriers to education, healthcare and citizenship – and compared to people without disabilities, they face higher rates of exclusion, abuse, violence and early death. People with disabilities are also more likely to be affected by humanitarian and climate disasters. This inequality is caused by stigma, discrimination and negative perceptions.

The Equal World campaign aims to change this. Our global campaigners hold decision-makers to account and amplify the voices of people with disabilities, particularly young people and women.

What we’re doing in 2026

The Equal World campaign is calling for global leaders, including the UK government, to take action on disability inclusion as they rethink the future of global development cooperation and redefine their priorities and partnerships.

The Global Partnerships Conference and G20

In May, the UK hosted The Global Partnerships Conference, which aimed to build new international coalitions and tackle shared global challenges.

At the conference, our Equal World campaign ambassador Abia Akram contributed by speaking directly with leaders including Yvette Cooper MP and Baroness Jenny Chapman. Drawing on insights from our consultation report, Abia called for women and girls with disabilities to be placed at the centre of UK development policy. She also took part in a session on preventing violence against women and girls.

From December, the UK will take its turn as president of the G20, a forum of the world’s largest economies.

Through our three campaign calls, global leaders must engage, reflect and act by investing in disability inclusion and the recommendations in our consultation report. We must seize the opportunity to build and deliver an equal world where everyone can learn, earn and thrive.

Our consultation with women with disabilities

In April, Sightsavers held a consultation with 16 women with disabilities from a range of countries, backgrounds, ages and leadership levels. The women discussed their views on five themes: participation, health, education, climate change, and violence against women and girls. They also discussed their thoughts on what global leaders need to do to create a more equal world.