Policy and advocacy

At Sightsavers, policy change is a global priority delivered by our country offices, the policy and advocacy team and technical teams.

While more than 1.3 billion people worldwide have a disability, people with disabilities are often denied their basic rights and excluded from decision-making. Our policy work aims to improve outcomes in eye health, education, social inclusion, economic empowerment and neglected tropical diseases for everyone, particularly people with disabilities.

We promote international frameworks and treaties such as the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) and the UN Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities. We also provide technical support to governments, enabling them to adopt laws and policies in line with international disability frameworks that help them to fulfil their commitments and ensure no one is left behind. Partnerships with other organisations help us promote and advance inclusive policies at a global level.

Policy and advocacy are also key to Sightsavers’ mission to deliver sustainable programmes that ensure people with and without disabilities can continue to fully enjoy their rights beyond our work.

Our key policy and advocacy achievements

• Disability is now included within mandatory processes and major funding streams at the World Bank.
• The UN General Assembly unanimously adopted the resolution “Vision for Everyone”, which placed eye health as key to achieving the SDGs for the first time.
• Kenya, Nigeria, Senegal and Sierra Leone became champions of the Inclusive Data Charter.
• Bangladesh, Kenya, Nigeria, Pakistan, Uganda and Zimbabwe acceded to the Marrakesh Treaty.
• Uganda developed and implemented the National Disability Inclusive Planning Guidelines.
• Kenya, Pakistan, Zambia and Zimbabwe integrated the Washington Group questions into their censuses.
• The electoral code in Senegal was revised to ensure people with disabilities can access polling stations.
• Sierra Leone and Liberia launched new national eye health policies.
• Pakistan introduced 67 disability-focused indicators into the national SDG reporting system.