19 June 2026
The 2025 Annual Report reflects a year of steady progress in advancing human rights, strengthening prevention efforts, improving access to quality care, increasing awareness, and reinforcing global collaboration. Throughout the year, IF continued to build momentum across its strategic priorities, supporting members through capacity-building activities, consultations, and knowledge exchange.
11 June 2026
On 11 June 2026, the International Federation for Spina Bifida and Hydrocephalus hosted an Informal COSP19 Side Event called “Health as a Pathway to Inclusion: Advancing Equity for Persons with Spina Bifida & Hydrocephalus”. The webinar brought together speakers and advocates from across the global SBH community to explore the role of health equity in advancing inclusion and implementing the principles of the United Nations Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities (UNCRPD), on the 20th anniversary since its adoption.
8 June 2026
As the global disability community gathers in New York for the 19th Session of the Conference of States Parties to the Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities (COSP19), this year's discussions carry particular significance as we mark the 20th anniversary of the UN Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities (UNCRPD).
29 May 2026
The Seventy-ninth World Health Assembly (WHA79) in Geneva marked an important moment for global health, bringing renewed attention to the interconnected agendas of nutrition, maternal and child health, disability inclusion, rare diseases, and assistive technology. For IF, the WHA79 was both a platform for advocacy and a moment of reflection: on progress made, gaps that remain, and the urgent need to translate commitments into action across sectors.
12 May 2026
IF, together with its Member Associations worldwide, has contributed to a UN consultation on inclusive humanitarian assistance led by the Special Rapporteur on the rights of persons with disabilities.
16 April 2026
IF has launched a new African Youth Network Initiative, creating a platform for young people across Africa to connect, share experiences, and strengthen collaboration on issues affecting persons living with spina bifida and hydrocephalus.
24 March 2026
The SBH Health Equity Project is a global initiative developed with IF members to better understand barriers in accessing healthcare for people with spina bifida and hydrocephalus. Grounded in lived experience, the project aims to identify shared priorities, highlight regional differences, and strengthen advocacy for more equitable health systems worldwide.
20 March 2026
From 18 to 20 March 2026, Jurn Anthonis, Co-Chair of the IF International Youth Group SBH, took part in a Youth Dialogue with Hadja Lahbib, European Commissioner for Equality, Preparedness and Crisis, in Brussels. The event brought together 20 young persons with disabilities from 13 European countries, each representing different disability communities, to engage in discussions on the theme of “the rights of persons with disabilities”.
6 March 2026
IF hosted its International Women’s Day webinar, bringing together women with disabilities, advocates, policy-makers, and allies from around the world. Guided by the UN theme “Rights. Justice. Action. For ALL Women and Girls”, the event offered a global platform to amplify lived experiences, explore systemic barriers, and showcase solutions for meaningful inclusion.
Get quarterly updates about all matters relevant to Spina Bifida and Hydrocephalus.
Get quarterly updates about all matters relevant to Spina Bifida and Hydrocephalus.
