BY OMEIRE NATHANIEL KELLY

A new 100-day campaign has been launched by Sightsavers, a global organization working to prevent avoidable blindness and promote disability rights.

The campaign calls for immediate action to safeguard global disability rights in the face of an upcoming United Nations (UN) summit on the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) in September.

The SDGs, a set of 17 ambitious goals adopted by the UN and governments worldwide in 2015, aim to combat poverty and reduce inequality by 2030.

At the midway point of the SDGs, member states will convene at the SDG Summit in New York to evaluate progress and make new commitments. The outcome of the summit will be a crucial political declaration.

Sightsavers’ “Equal World” campaign is drawing attention to the potential jeopardy of the SDGs if marginalized groups, including people with disabilities, are left behind. A recent UN report highlights that urgent action is required to include those often-neglected groups if the SDGs are to be achieved.

Speaking at the event held in Accra, Ghana, Grace Antwi-Atsu, Global Advocacy Advisor at Sightsavers, expressed concern, stating, “Progress on the SDGs has derailed as we approach the halfway point of the 2030 deadline. The promise to leave no one behind is in peril.”

David Agyeman, Senior Programs Manager at Sightsavers, emphasized the disproportionate impact on people with disabilities, saying, “People with disabilities are disproportionately affected by poverty and inequality. Globally, up to twice as many individuals with disabilities live below the poverty line compared to those without disabilities.”

Sightsavers is urging world leaders to accelerate action on the SDGs and ensure inclusivity for people with disabilities. They insist that the Political Declaration and national commitments made at the summit must prioritize reaching those who are being left furthest behind. This represents a crucial opportunity to realign efforts and get the Goals back on track.

The COVID-19 pandemic has exacerbated existing inequalities, disrupted education, strained weak health systems, and intensified the challenges posed by conflicts and the climate crisis. People with disabilities, particularly women and girls, bear a disproportionate burden from these crises.

“In order to achieve sustainable change, attain the SDGs, and create a more equal world, global decision-makers must acknowledge the 16% of the global population who have disabilities,” asserts Joseph Atsu Homadzi, President of Ghana Federation of Disability Organizations (GFD).

“With less than 100 days remaining until the SDG Summit in September, immediate action is imperative to rescue the SDGs and ensure that no one is left behind,” he added.