WBU Launches New Initiatives to Strengthen Leadership of Blind Women

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Mar 8, 2026

WBU Launches New Initiatives to Strengthen Leadership of Blind Women

In September 2025, blind and partially sighted women from around the world gathered in São Paulo for the World Blind Union’s Women’s Forum. The result was a powerful Women’s Manifesto—a global call for recognition, leadership, and equality for women with visual disabilities. The manifesto affirmed what many women in our movement have long experienced: that gender discrimination and disability discrimination often intersect, creating barriers to education, employment, leadership, and participation in public life. But the manifesto was not only a statement of challenges, it was a call to action. Today, the World Blind Union is working to turn that vision into concrete change.

A photo of a woman on stage speaking into a microphone at the WBU World Blindness Summit.

Building Leadership and Opportunity

At the first in-person meeting of WBU Officers for the 2026–2029 term, held in New Delhi, leaders discussed how to translate the commitments of the Women’s Manifesto into meaningful initiatives within the organization’s new Strategic Plan.

Several important steps are now underway.
WBU is moving forward with the creation of a Women’s Committee, which will help ensure that the voices and perspectives of blind and partially sighted women are reflected across the organization’s governance, advocacy, and programs.

Plans are also being developed for a global mentorship initiative designed to support emerging women leaders within the blindness movement. By connecting experienced advocates with the next generation of leaders, the initiative aims to strengthen the leadership pipeline and expand opportunities for blind women to shape decision-making at national, regional, and global levels.

These efforts reflect WBU’s broader commitment to ensuring that blind and partially sighted women are not only included in our movement, but are leading it.

A photo of a women sitting and smile affectionately at the WBU World Blindness Summit conference.

A Movement Led by Women

The Women’s Manifesto adopted in São Paulo outlines a shared vision for advancing equality, dignity, and leadership for women who are blind or partially sighted.

Read the 2025 WBU Womens Forum Manifesto

You can also watch a short video produced during the women’s forum featuring women from all over the world sharing reflections in their own words and their own languages.

Watch the 2025 WBU Womens Forum Video.

For additional perspectives on the importance of strengthening leadership opportunities for blind women worldwide, listen to WBU First Vice President Cristina Chamorro Muñoz discuss these priorities in a recent episode of Voices In Leadership.

Listen to the Podcast Episode

As WBU begins implementing its new Strategic Plan, the message from the Women’s Forum remains clear: advancing the rights of blind and partially sighted women is not a side issue, it is central to building a stronger, more inclusive global movement.