On the margins of the 69th session of the Commission on the Status of Women (CSW 69/Beijing 30+), the UN Friends of Vision Group (FoV) will host an official side event. This event will focus on why improving women’s eye health is essential to achieving the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) and how access to eye care services can transform unequal power relations and overcome barriers to women’s representation and leadership. This event serves as a critical milestone leading up to the 2026 Global Summit on Eye Health, aiming to galvanize global action and secure policy commitments to achieve equitable eye care for all, particularly for the most marginalized populations.

Speakers:

• H.E. Mr. Walton Webson, Permanent Representative of Antigua and Barbuda to the United Nations; Co-Founder and Chair of the UN Friends of Vision Group

• Jennifer Gersbeck, Executive Director - Global Advocacy at The Fred Hollows Foundation and Chair of the IAPB Gender Equity Working Group

• Mr. Werner Obermeyer, Director of the World Health Organization (WHO) office at UN Headquarters in New York

• Dr. A.H. Monjurul Kabir, Senior Global Adviser and Team Leader, Gender Equality and Disability Inclusion, UN Women HQ

We are grateful for the generous support of our sponsors for this event. Our heartfelt thanks go to the Friends of Vision Co-Chairs: The Permanent Missions of Antigua and Barbuda, Bangladesh, and Ireland to the United Nations. We also extend our appreciation to The Permanent Mission of the United Kingdom to the United Nations.