United Nations General Assembly Resolution Commits Countries to Eyecare

United Nations General Assembly Resolution Commits Countries to Eyecare for the World’s 1.1 Billion People with Preventable Sight Loss by 2030

As a member of the United Nations (UN) Friends of Vision, The Vision Council is proud to share that the United Nations General Assembly (UNGA) has adopted adopted Resolution A/75/L.108 committing the international community to eyecare for the 1.1 billion people living with preventable sight loss by 2030.

The resolution is the first agreement designed to tackle preventable sight loss to be adopted by the United Nations and enshrines eye health as part of the United Nations’ Sustainable Development Goals. The resolution was passed unanimously by all 193 countries of the United Nations.

The resolution creates new expectations for international financial institutions and donors to provide targeted finances, especially to support developing countries in tackling preventable sight loss, and for the United Nations to incorporate eye health into its work, including through UNICEF and UN-Women.

The resolution calls for new targets on eyecare to be included in the UN’s Sustainable Development Goals at its next review. The plan will mean that by 2030, the 1.1 billion people globally living with sight loss, will have access to support and treatment. But, campaigners say, only if governments and international institutions act now to fulfil their new commitments.

For questions and concerns, please contact the following individuals:

• Ashley Mills – CEO
• Maureen Beddis – Vice President of Marketing and Membership
• Rick Van Arnam – Regulatory Affairs Counsel
• Josh Finestone – Federal Affairs Counsel

About the UN Friends of Vision

The International Agency for the Prevention of Blindness (IAPB) is the overarching alliance for the global eye care sector with 150 members worldwide drawn from NGOs and civil society, corporate organisations, professional bodies and research and eye care institutions. The Friends of Vision group of United Nations Member States consists of country representatives, including at Ambassador level, from more than 50 countries. The Friends of Vision is chaired by Ambassador Aubrey Webson of Antigua and Barbuda, Ambassador Rabab Fatima of Bangladesh, Ambassador Byrne Nason of Ireland.

The Friends of Vision group aims to advance the issue of eye health within the context of the SDGs, to raise its profile on the international agenda, and to share knowledge from the sector with and among Member States. The Friends of Vision group is supported by a secretariat made up of:

• The International Agency for the Prevention of Blindness
• CBM
• The Fred Hollows Foundation
• OneSight
• Sightsavers International
• The Vision Council
• VisionSpring