World Blind Union

Mr. Santosh Kumar Rungta is the President of the World Blind Union and has contributed immensely to the disability movement both at national level in India and at global level for last 50 years.  At national level he holds the office of General Secretary National Federation of the Blind since 1978 which is the largest mass based self-help organization of the Blind in India.  He is instrumental to the enactment on the rights of persons with disabilities in India and also in path breaking policy shift in the area of education, employment and accessibility both in India and at International level. By profession a senior advocate, Mr. Rungta has been well recognized in legal fraternity in India and is responsible for many landmark judgments in different fields including on the rights of persons with disabilities. His advocacy and judicial activism resulted into opening the doors of employment for blind and other persons with disabilities at all levels in the Govt. and Public sector including the highest civil services cadres.  So far his activism has ensured employment to more than hundred thousand persons with disabilities in India in different sectors including administrative, banking, railways, education etc. He has also actively participated in the initiatives of UN ESCAP during successive decades of disabled persons from 1993 onwards. He took active part in the deliberations of the UN Adhoc committee which was constituted for drafting and negotiating the convention with the Member countries and civil society. He is representing WBU in IDA General Assembly as primary representative.

She holds a Law degree from the National University of Distance Education (UNED), with additional language training from the Official School of Languages and international stays in France and the United Kingdom.

She has worked in media outlets such as Diario Cinco Días and Canal+, and since 2008 has held public positions, notably serving as a disability advisor in the Spanish Congress and as a city councillor in Madrid from 2011 to 2015. Currently, she is the Executive Director of General Resources and Sustainability at ONCE, where she leads strategic areas and has consolidated her profile as an expert in change management and institutional leadership.

He worked with the Ghana Education Service, helping teachers support students’ psycho-emotional health. A leading disability activist, he has led major organizations in Ghana and Africa, advocated for the 2006 Disability Act, and promoted disability rights. Awarded the Martin Luther King Award for Peace and Social Justice in 2018, he is fluent in English and French and has organized impactful advocacy groups.

Alejandro Antonio Paz is a disability rights advocate from Guatemala with extensive experience in organizational development, civic participation, and inclusive employment. As a person with low vision, he has been actively involved in promoting the rights and opportunities of people with visual disabilities through both national and community-based initiatives.

Alejandro has provided support and collaborated with organizations of persons with disabilities, while also contributing to various social groups, demonstrating a strong commitment to inclusion and collective action. As a representative of the National Association of the Blind of Guatemala (ANCG), he has played a key role in strengthening organizational capacity and promoting sustainable practices.

His leadership experience includes coordinating committees focused on organizational strengthening, as well as employment and employability for people with visual disabilities. He has also represented organizations of persons with disabilities before Guatemala’s Supreme Electoral Tribunal, promoting the exercise of civic and political rights.

In addition to his advocacy work, Alejandro is a trainer and facilitator with experience in administrative and financial processes. He has implemented efficiency measures aimed at improving organizational self-sustainability, helping to ensure long-term impact for the organizations he supports.

Through his work, Alejandro brings a practical, systems-oriented leadership approach grounded in community participation and a strong commitment to advancing equity for persons with disabilities.

Moisés has served as President of the National Council for the Rights of Persons with Disabilities in Brazil (CONADE), the National Organization of the Blind of Brazil (ONCB), and the Brazilian Committee of Organizations Representing Persons with Disabilities (CRPD).

He built his legal career within Brazil’s justice system, focusing on the defense of Human Rights, and also held leadership roles in government agencies, managing public policies for persons with disabilities.

With a consolidated international trajectory, he has taken part in negotiations at the United Nations and the World Intellectual Property Organization, where he made an effective contribution to the drafting of the Marrakesh Treaty.

She also holds pan-disability roles as a board member of Disability Connect, a pan-disability service provider in NZ. Martine is totally blind and is usually accompanied by her guide dog. She lives in Auckland, NZ.