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In pictures: Sightsavers at the Global Disability Summit 2025

In early April, world leaders and more than 4,500 delegates from over 100 countries gathered in Berlin for the third Global Disability Summit.

During the summit, Sightsavers hosted a series of events, exhibition booths and met with decision-makers to push for urgent global action on disability rights and inequality. Here are some of our favourite snapshots and moments from the event.

The Sightsavers team met with influential voices from around the world to discuss the urgent need to target inequality.

Three women stand next to each other smiling, with flags and paintings in the background.

Sightsavers’ Pakistan country director, Munazza Gillani (left), Pakistan ambassador to Germany, Saqlain Syedah (middle) and Sightsavers' senior policy adviser for inclusion and disability, Aissata Ndiaye, at Pakistan’s Berlin embassy.

Two men dressed in shirts and ties smile at the camera.

The World Health Organization’s director-general, Dr Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus (left), met Sightsavers’ Tanzania country director, Godwin Kabalika, to talk about our vital joint work.

Three smiling women stand behind a young boy on a mobility scooter.

Vicki Casserly (left) and her son James (bottom), an Equal World youth champion, joined Irish government minister Hildegarde Naughton and Sightsavers Ireland’s Emma Murphy to discuss equal rights for people with disabilities.

A large group of people smile in front of a Sightsavers-branded booth.

Sightsavers’ Senegal country director, Cheikh Ibrahima Seck (third from right), and fellow staff members are pictured with the Senegalese government delegation at our booth at the summit.

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Six principles for inclusive development

Inclusive Futures, which is funded by UK aid and led by Sightsavers and the International Disability Alliance, hosted a panel event focused on our six principles for inclusive development.

Moderated by BBC journalist Paul Carter, the event featured female leaders of organisations of people with disabilities, consortium partners, the UK’s minister for social security and disability, Sir Stephen Timms, and the head of gender, equalities and rights for the Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office, Diana Dalton.

To find out more about UK aid’s disability-inclusive development consortium initiative, visit the Inclusive Futures website.

Young people driving change

Sightsavers’ Equal World campaign, in partnership with Unicef and the International Disability Alliance, held an event platforming young people with disabilities to demand their rights and meaningful engagement in decision-making.

Equal World campaign ambassadors Abia Akram, Tapiwa Mutsikira and James Casserly also hosted a panel discussion reflecting on their experiences of school and the importance of inclusive education.

Four panellists listen to a woman speaking into a microphone. One man wears sunglasses for a visual impairment.

Esther Nagetey (centre) leads the discussion at the Youth Leadership Now event alongside panellists from Sightsavers, the Youth with Disabilities Hub and Unicef.

Tapiwa (centre), an Equal World youth champion, speaks during the Youth Leadership Now event alongside panellists Yusra Gilani and Esther Nagetey.

Abia holds a microphone while speaking with Tapiwa and James during a panel session at the Global Disability Summit.

Abia (left), Sightsavers trustee and Equal World campaign ambassador, Tapiwa (centre) and James (right) during their takeover at The Inclusive Education Hub.

Abia, Tapiwa and James at a panel discussion at the Inclusive Education Hub during the Global Disability Summit.

Speaking at The Inclusive Education Hub, the Equal World ambassadors shared their experiences of attending school with a disability.

Exhibition booths that tell a story

Our exhibition spaces were a hub of activity, conversation and a celebration of partnership. Summit delegates met Sightsavers team members, learned more about our expertise, explored our stories, signed our pledge calling for rapid action on inclusive education and picked up a copy of the Changing Times, our special-edition newspaper filled with activist stories and insights.

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A group of people gather at the Sightsavers' booth. One person is wearing headphones. — Sightsavers' Olivia (centre-left) shares our audio description headphones with Elisa Ravengai (centre-right), Zimbabwe country coordinator for the Federation of Organisations of Disabled People.

Three women sit at a desk with one woman reading Sightsavers' The Changing Times newspaper. — Maria Ndengo (centre), joined by members of the National Disability Council of Namibia, reads The Changing Times newspaper.

Lois smiles while sitting in a wheelchair beside The Changing Times newspaper stand. — Lois Auta, CEO of the Network of Women with Disabilities in Nigeria, visits Sightsavers' Inclusive Futures booth at the summit.

Ross, who wears a suit, shakes hands with Ummy at the Sightsavers-branded booth. — Sightsavers' government relations adviser (right), Ross Gilligan, greets Ummy Hamis Nderiananga, the Tanzania deputy minister responsible for policy, parliamentary affairs and coordination.

Join our mission to target inequality

The Global Disability Summit 2025 may have drawn to a close, but our work urgently continues. The commitments made in Berlin must now turn into action, and we’ll be there every step of the way to hold leaders accountable, encourage disability-inclusive financing and work with partners to target inequality.

More than 800 commitments were made at the Global Disability Summit. Sightsavers is proud to have been recognised in the closing ceremony at the event.

A large audience in a warehouse-like room watches a panel on the Global Disability stage.

How you can get involved

Achiwa sits outside her home with her great granddaughter Shameem.

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