The Global Forum of People’s Organizations on Hansen’s Disease brings together representatives from organizations of persons affected by Hansen’s disease, together with major stakeholders as observers, for four days of exchanges ahead of the 20th International Leprosy Congress in Manila,Philippines. We are expecting about 80 participants from more than 20 countries.
Background Information
Hansen’s disease, also known as leprosy, is a curable infectious disease treated with multidrug therapy (MDT) available free of charge worldwide. Since the introduction of MDT in the early 1980s, some 16 million persons have been treated and cured, while annual new case numbers have plateaued at around 200,000 in recent years.
Regardless of the progress made, challenges remain to breaking transmission of the disease and further reducing case numbers to achieve the goal of “zero leprosy”. Meanwhile, persons diagnosed with Hansen’s disease and their family members continue to face stigma and discrimination, which acts as a barrier to early case detection and treatment, limits their opportunities in life, and leads to social and economic exclusion.
Over the years, organizations of persons affected by Hansen’s disease have formed that are actively engaged in the struggle for an inclusive society, free from discrimination and prejudice. Both The Nippon Foundation and Sasakawa Health Foundation have been supporting a number of these organizations for more than 20 years in some cases.
But while the active participation and wider involvement of People’s Organizations in policy-making and medical and social programs is seen as crucial to making further progress against Hansen’s disease, People’s Organizations face a number of challenges in common, including a lack of organizational sustainability and capacity to enable them to achieve their long-term goals.
The purpose of the Global Forum is to discuss these and other issues important to People’s Organizations and provide delegates to the 20th International Leprosy Congress with a “people’s perspective” on Hansen’s disease issues to help sharpen efforts against the disease by all stakeholders going forward.
Objectives of the Global Forum
1. Strengthen the ability of People’s Organizations to make their voices heard.
2. Provide training to build organizational sustainability and capacity of People’s Organizations.
3. Promote networking among People’s Organizations and stakeholders.
4. Enable People’s Organizations to learn from the successes and failures of their counterparts.
5. Identify key priorities for People’s Organizations
6. Explore the role of People’s Organizations can play in Hansen’s disease services.
7. Provide ILC delegates with perspectives on the key issues that matter to People’s Organizations and to present them with a list of recommendations.
Expected Outcomes
1. Enhance the ability of People’s Organizations to make their voice heard.
2. Stronger ties between People’s Organizations and stakeholders.
3. Regional Alliance/Global Alliance of People’s Organizations
4. Take a join action on World Leprosy Day.
Date
September 7-10, 2019 (4 days)
All the participants will attend the first day of the 20th International Leprosy Congress where the results of the Global Forum will be shared and discussed.
Program
Program (PDF)
DAY 1: Saturday, September 7, 2019
8:00-9:00 Registration
9:00-10:00 Opening Session
Welcome Message & Introduction of Participants: Dr. Arturo C. Cunanan, Jr., Medical Center Chief I, Culion Sanitarium and General Hospital
Key Note Speech: Dr. Francine Laxamana, Assistant Secretary, Philippine Department of Health
Message: Dr. Huong Tran, Director, Diseases Control Division, WHO Regional Office for the Western Pacific
Message from the Organizer: Dr. Takahiro Nanri, Sasakawa Health Foundation
10:00-10:30 Coffee Break
10:30-12:00 Result of Reginal Assembly (Plenary Meeting)
Africa: Mr. Tesfaye Tadesse, Managing Director, ENAPAL, Ethiopia
Asia: Mr. Frank Onde, Chairman, CLAP, Philippines
Latin America: Mr. Faustino Pinto, MORHAN, Brazil
12:00-13:00 Lunch
13:00-15:00 Training Workshop 1: Social Business/Fundraising/Management
Mr. Earl Parreno, the Chairperson of Alter Trade Foundation Inc. (ATFI)
15:00-15:30 Coffee Break
15:30-17:30 Training Workshop 2: Networking and Volunteers
Mr. Artur Custodio Moreira de Sousa, MORHAN, Brazil
Mr. Faustino Pinto, MORHAN, Brazil
19:00-20:30 Dinner (Regional tables)
DAY 2: Sunday, September 8, 2019
8:30-9:00 Registration
9:00–10:30 Human Rights Session 1
Ms. Alice Cruz, UN Special Rapporteur
・Lecture on current challenges and issues on Human Rights
– Where we are now? Where is the problem?
・ Report on Japanese Lawsuit (Dr. Ai Kurosaka, Japan)
・Group discussion
10:30-11:00 Coffee Break
11:00-12:00 Human Rights Session 2
・Group discussion & result sharing
12:00-13:00 Lunch
13:00-15:00 Sustainability Session 1: Social Business, Marketing, Fundraising
Dr. Marie Lisa M. Dacanay, Institute for Social Entrepreneurship in Asia (ISEA)
15:30-16:00 Coffee break
16:00-17:00 Sustainability Session 2
19:00-20:30 Dinner x Informal Session
DAY 3: Monday, September 9, 2019
8:30-9:00 Registration
9:00-10:00 Keynote Speech
Mr. Yohei Sasakawa, Chairman, The Nippon Foundation/WHO Goodwill Ambassador for Leprosy Elimination
10:00-10:30 Photo/Coffee break
10:30-12:30 Public Health Session: Dr. Arturo C. Cunanan, Jr., Medical Center Chief I, Culion Sanitarium and General Hospital
12:30-13:30 Lunch
13:30-17:00 City Tour
19:00-20:30 Dinner hosted by Mr. Sasakawa, Chairman of TNF, WHO Goodwill Ambassador
DAY 4: Tuesday, September 10, 2019
8:00-9:00 Registration
9:00-11:00 Global Appeal & Joint Campaign on World Leprosy Day 2020
11:00-12:00 Video message shooting / Coffee break
12:00-13:00 Lunch
13:00-15:30 Summary and Recommendations of Global Forum
15:30-16:00 Coffee Break
16:00-17:00 Summary for Official Workshops
- Human Rights, Sustainability and Public Health
17:00-17:30 Closing Session
Message from Participants – Mr Paulus Manek, PerMaTa Indonesia
Message from Mr Miyoji Morimoto, IDEA Japan – Ms Ayako Murakami
Message – Dr. Takahiro Nanri, Sasakawa Health Foundation
19:00-20:30 Dinner x Informal Session
DAY 5: Wednesday, September 11 2019 (ILC)
7:30- Depart hotel for ILC Venue by bus
8:30- ILC program
9:05-9:30 Inspirational Message
Mr. Yohei Sasakawa, Chairman, The Nippon Foundation/WHO Goodwill Ambassador for Leprosy Elimination
11:45-12:00 Summary Report: “Global Forum of People’s Organizations on Hansen’s Disease”
16:15-18:00 Workshop: Vision of Global Forum of People’s Organizations on Hansen’s Disease
Chair: Dr. Takahiro Nanri
Co-chair: Mr. Tesfaye Tadesse
Human Rights – Mr. Faustino Pinto, Morhan, Brazil
Sustainability – Mr. Wu, President, HANDA, China
Public Health – Mr. Bekele Yemiru, ENAPAL, Ethiopia
18:00-18:30 Proceed to Century Park Hotel
19:00-20:30 Dinner at Century Park Hotel
Venue
Century Park Hotel Manila, Philippines
Address: 599 Ocampo St, Malate, Manila, 1004 Metro Manila, Philippines
Phone: +63-2-528-8888
Access from the Ninoy Aquino International Airport: 20-40 min by taxi (6.4km)
Call for informal session proposal at dinner table of Global Forum
We are inviting session proposal at Global Forum dinner table on 8th and 10th September.
Please see below for details.
Call for informal session Proposal
Participation of Observers
Participation to the Global Forum as observers is possible on request basis.
Please apply through the link below in advance. Application deadline is August 31.