million people are blind and 217 life we choose. million people have moderate or Photo: Participants in White Cane Day walk in Yangon, the capital of Myanmar. severe vision impairment. (Photo Credit: Victoria Milko/ NPR) 124 million people have uncorrected refractive errors and 65 million have Our key Priorities The World Blind Union is the global cataracts. organization representing the estimated 253 (2017 – 2020) More than 75% of all blindness and million people who are blind or partially visual impairment is avoidable sighted worldwide. We are blind men and 89% of vision impaired people live in women who advocate on our own behalf for Human Rights and Representation low and middle-income countries. full and equal participation in all aspects of 55% of moderate or severely vision community life. Our members are Accessibility impaired people are women. organizations of and for the blind in about 190 countries, as well as international Capacity Building Source: The International Agency for organizations working in the field of vision the Prevention of Blindness (IAPB) Information Sharing and Collaboration impairment. We work through six regions: Africa, Asia, Asia-Pacific, Europe, Latin America, and 1929 Bayview Avenue North America & the Caribbean. We are Toronto, ON or governed by a board of officers comprised M4G 3E8 Canada of six regional presidents and six Phone: 416-486-9698 internationally elected officers: Dr. Fredric Fax: 416-486-8107 Schroeder of USA, Mr. Fernando Riaño of E-mail: Changing What It Means to be Blind… Spain, Ms. Donatilla Kanimba of Rwanda, Twitter and Facebook: @BlindUnion Mr. Ajai Kumar Mittal of India, Mrs. Martine Human Rights and Abel-Williamson of New Zealand and Mr. World Blind Union Representation Arnt Holte of Norway. The WBU promotes full participation, equal www.worldblindunion.org Our Vision opportunities and the human rights of blind and partially sighted people. We work with our members to monitor ratification and A world in which we, as blind or implementation of human rights Vision Impairment Facts partially sighted people, can instruments, including the Convention on Worldwide, 253 million people are the Rights of Persons with Disabilities participate fully in any aspect of visually impaired; of these, 36
Photo: Participants in White Cane Day walk in Yangon, the capital of Myanmar. (Photo Credit: Victoria Milko/ NPR) The World Blind Union is the global organization representing the estimated 253 million people who are blind or partially sighted worldwide. We are blind men and women who advocate on our own behalf for full and equal participation in all aspects of community life. Our members are organizations of and for the blind in about 190 countries, as well as international organizations working in the field of vision impairment. We work through six regions: Africa, Asia, Asia-Pacific, Europe, Latin America, and North America & the Caribbean. We are governed by a board of officers comprised of six regional presidents and six internationally elected officers: Dr. Fredric Schroeder of USA, Mr. Fernando Riaño of Spain, Ms. Donatilla Kanimba of Rwanda, Mr. Ajai Kumar Mittal of India, Mrs. Martine Abel-Williamson of New Zealand and Mr. Arnt Holte of Norway. www.worldblindunion.org Vision Impairment Facts Worldwide, 253 million people are visually impaired; of these, 36 million people are blind and 217 million people have moderate or severe vision impairment. 124 million people have uncorrected refractive errors and 65 million have cataracts. More than 75% of all blindness and visual impairment is avoidable 89% of vision impaired people live in low and middle-income countries. 55% of moderate or severely vision impaired people are women. Source: The International Agency for the Prevention of Blindness (IAPB) 1929 Bayview Avenue Toronto, ON M4G 3E8 Canada Phone: 416-486-9698 Fax: 416-486-8107 E-mail: Twitter and Facebook: @BlindUnion World Blind Union Our Vision A world in which we, as blind or partially sighted people, can participate fully in any aspect of life we choose. Our key Priorities (2017 – 2020) Human Rights and Representation Accessibility Capacity Building Information Sharing and Collaboration or Changing What It Means to be Blind… Human Rights and Representation The WBU promotes full participation, equal opportunities and the human rights of blind and partially sighted people. We work with our members to monitor ratification and implementation of human rights instruments, including the Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities
WBU%202017%20Brochure%20English%208.5x11.docx