Leprosy is the oldest disease known to man. In most countries it no longer exists and hasn’t done for centuries, yet in many corners of the globe, it won’t go away. Why is this?

We need to put persons affected by leprosy at the centre of all of these conversations. It is not a magic answer, a silver bullet that will solve all our problems, but it is the only way we’ll make real progress.

When we represented the leprosy community before the UN for the first time in November 2017, little did we know the incredible impact it would go on to have in the lives of people affected by leprosy.

Covid-19 continued to hit communities hard throughout 2021, but we still have reasons to be thankful.

Our work will not be finished in 2035. There will still be millions of people living with the consequences of leprosy and we must continue to care for them.

Scientist at the TLM Nigeria Pro-Skin Laboratory

A look at our work to train leprosy-affected advocates who can speak on their own behalf

Kavinas has faced big barriers to his education since he was diagnosed with leprosy, but he has persisted and still led the way in his class

The Leprosy Mission's Global Advocacy Lead's statement, written for the CRPD Conference in 2023

Leprosy is the oldest disease in the world. Sadly, hundreds of thousands of people are still diagnosed with it ever year. We are now entering 2020 and I believe that, in the next 15 years, we will end transmission by 2035.

In December 2020, the UN hosted its major disability rights conference (COSP13). At this conference, The Leprosy Mission and Disabled Peoples’ International (DPI) hosted a side event that considered the challenges women affected by leprosy face in accessing their rights.

Many people think of leprosy as an ancient disease. That is both wrong and right. It is both an ancient disease and a modern disease.