Advocacy
Leprosy is curable, treatment is free, and discrimination has no place.
Conveying these simple messages to as many people as possible through media is one of our important tasks.
Advocacy
Global Appeal
Global Appeal to End Stigma
and Discrimination against People Affected by Leprosy
The Global Appeal is an annual message to raise awareness of leprosy and the problem of related discrimination. It is issued every January to coincide with World Leprosy Day.
First launched in 2006 by The Nippon Foundation, the Global Appeal is endorsed each year by individuals and organizations around the world in many different fields, including religion, business, education, medicine, and law. Coverage by local media has the potential to reach out locally and change the mindset of people and society at large.
WHO GoodwillAmbassador’sNewsletter
WHO Goodwill Ambassador’s Newsletter is issued bi-monthly by Sasakawa Health Foundation. It includes reports on the work of the WHO Goodwill Ambassador, features of elimination activities in endemic countries, and individual stories that need to be shared. With a circulation of 5,000, it reaches a readership of health workers and health ministries, WHO, NGOs, foundations, embassies, leaders of the world, and individuals who are concerned about the issues related to leprosy.
HuffPost
Project Zero is a series of articles issued by HuffPost, to raise public awareness of neglected tropical diseases (NTDs) and efforts to fight them. Yohei Sasakawa, WHO Goodwill Ambassador for Leprosy Elimination, has contributed articles to introduce issues related to leprosy, which is classified as one of the 18 NTDs, activities to eliminate it, and the struggle against associated stigma and discrimination.