The International Disability Alliance (IDA) welcomes the finalized draft of the WHO Pandemic Agreement and encourages all States to support its adoption at the upcoming 78th World Health Assembly, taking place from 19 to 27 May 2025. This historic draft agreement marks a significant advancement in strengthening global collaboration for pandemic prevention, preparedness, and response—and represents a major step toward more equitable, inclusive health systems for all, including persons with disabilities.
IDA actively engaged in the negotiation process and commends the WHO Intergovernmental Negotiating Body (INB) for facilitating a process that included the voices of organizations of persons with disabilities (OPDs). We echo the words of WHO Director-General Dr Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, who hailed the agreement as a “generational accord,” demonstrating what can be achieved when nations come together with a shared commitment to collective health security and human rights.
Critically, the draft WHO Pandemic Agreement recognizes the disproportionate impacts of pandemics on persons in vulnerable situations—a category that includes many persons with disabilities due to ongoing health inequities, systemic exclusion, and barriers to accessing healthcare. While we would have preferred the explicit naming of persons with disabilities in the operative sections of the Agreement, the inclusion of references to the Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities (CRPD) in the Preamble, and the consistent emphasis on human rights, non-discrimination, equity, and inclusion, are highly encouraging.
The Agreement affirms the need for:
- Inclusive definitions and health equity: Persons with disabilities are encompassed in the definition of “persons in vulnerable situations” (Article 1(f)), recognizing the structural determinants of health that place them at increased risk.
- Human rights-based approaches: The Agreement is grounded in principles of dignity, equality, and non-discrimination (Article 3), echoing key obligations under the CRPD.
- Accessible and inclusive health systems: Article 6 commits States to provide equitable access to essential health care, including mental health and psychosocial support, with particular attention to persons in vulnerable situations.
- Equitable technology transfer and access: Article 11 promotes affordable pandemic-related health products for vulnerable populations, supporting CRPD Article 32 on international cooperation.
- Inclusive logistics and distribution systems: Article 13 ensures that the Global Supply Chain and Logistics Network considers the needs of persons in vulnerable situations, including in humanitarian settings.
- Whole-of-society responses: Article 17 emphasizes disability-inclusive approaches in socioeconomic recovery, public health education, and community engagement.
IDA encourages all WHO Member States to adopt and ratify the agreement and to implement it in line with their obligations under the CRPD. This includes embedding disability inclusion in national pandemic preparedness and response plans and ensuring the full and direct participation of organizations of persons with disabilities in the design, implementation, and monitoring of policies.
As a next step, IDA urges the establishment of concrete mechanisms to monitor disability inclusion across all stages of pandemic planning and response. This includes investing in data systems that are disaggregated by disability and other key factors, ensuring that persons with disabilities are not only protected but fully benefit from and contribute to pandemic-related measures.
Together, we can ensure that no one is left behind in future health emergencies.
Find the IDA analysis of the finalized draft WHO Pandemic Agreement here.
