Christian Blind Mission (CBM) has announced a new strategic partnership with UNICEF and Sightsavers, amid concerns that recent cuts to international aid are undermining progress on disability inclusion.
In a joint statement, the international development organisations said the collaboration would “scale up support for children with disabilities and their families globally, and increase the reach of child vision and hearing services in Africa.”
According to UNICEF, there are 240 million children with disabilities worldwide, and many face systemic barriers that prevent them reaching their full potential. In some countries, disability can more than double a child’s likelihood of missing out on education. Girls with disabilities are at particular risk of being left behind, not only in education but also in healthcare and social inclusion, due to intersecting gender discrimination.
The partnership will focus on knowledge sharing, technical collaboration and resource mobilisation, in alignment with the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development, with its promise to leave no one behind.
More information on the partnership and its initial results will be shared during a launch event at the Conference of States Parties to the Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities in June 2026.
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About CBM
Christian Blind Mission (CBM) is one of the world's leading organisations for inclusive development cooperation. It has supported persons with disabilities in low- and middle-income countries for almost 120 years. Together with our local partners, CBM works to ensure that the lives of persons with disabilities are fundamentally and permanently improved. It provides medical assistance and advocates for equal participation in society. The goal is an inclusive world in which persons with and without disabilities can contribute their skills, and no one is left behind. In 2024, CBM supported 330 projects in 37 countries. For more information, visit www.cbm.org
About Sightsavers
Sightsavers is an international organisation working with governments and partners in more than 30 low- and middle-income countries across Africa and Asia to:
- tackle avoidable blindness and vision impairment, including cataract and refractive errors such as short-sightedness
- treat and eliminate neglected tropical diseases, and
- create a more equal world where persons with disabilities can access health care, education and employment without discrimination.
About UNICEF
UNICEF, the United Nations agency for children, works to protect the rights of every child, everywhere, especially the most disadvantaged children and in the toughest places to reach. Across more than 190 countries and territories, we do whatever it takes to help children survive, thrive, and fulfil their potential.