Leprosy is one of the oldest diseases known to humankind. Long feared for its disfiguring effects, it is now fully curable with multidrug therapy, a treatment introduced in the 1980s. Today, the annual number of new cases reported worldwide is below 250,000. With early diagnosis and treatment, the disease leaves no trace.
However, deep-rooted myths and misconceptions about the disease mean that people affected by leprosy, and even their families, continue to suffer discrimination in many parts of the world. Leprosy is not just a health issue; it is also an issue of basic human rights.
In December 2010, the United Nations General Assembly unanimously adopted Resolution A/RES/65/215, which calls for eliminating discrimination against persons affected by leprosy and their family members. Accompanying the resolution are principles and guidelines for achieving this objective.
The Symposium on Leprosy and Human Rights – the fifth and final symposium in a series covering Asia, the Americas, Africa, the Middle East and now Europe – is organised by the Nippon Foundation, a private foundation based in Japan, in collaboration with the Global Health Programme at the Graduate Institute of International and Development Studies. It will bring together legal and human rights experts, representatives of international organizations such as the World Medical Association (WMA), International Bar Association (IBA), International Council of Nurses (ICN), International Federation of Anti-Leprosy Associations (ILEP), as well as people affected by leprosy, to discuss plans of action to be taken by states and other stakeholders in order to implement the principles and guidelines.
A keynote address will be given by Mr. Yohei Sasakawa, Chairman of The Nippon Foundation, who has made the elimination of leprosy and related discrimination his life’s work. He is also WHO Goodwill Ambassador for Leprosy Elimination and Japanese Government Goodwill Ambassador for the Human Rights of Persons Affected by Leprosy. Professor Ilona Kickbusch, Director of the Global Health Programme will also address the symposium.