On 7 July 2026, the United Nations Human Rights Council in Geneva adopted the first-ever resolution that formally recognises neglected tropical diseases (NTDs) as a human rights issue. The resolution was led by Malawi, together with a core group of African Member States including Burkina Faso, Kenya, Tanzania, The Gambia and Morocco.
It marks the first time NTDs have been addressed through a dedicated Human Rights Council resolution, elevating them beyond the health sector and framing them as matters of dignity, equity and inclusion. Worldwide, more than one billion people are affected by these largely preventable and treatable diseases.
The resolution aims to raise the profile of NTDs on global and national political agendas, strengthen accountability, and mobilise greater political will and resources towards elimination. A key ask is a mandate for the Office of the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights (OHCHR) to examine the links between human rights and NTDs through a dedicated consultation.
The adoption comes amid growing momentum: to date, 63 countries have eliminated at least one NTD. Stuart Halford, Director of Advocacy and Resource Mobilisation at Uniting to Combat NTDs, commended the leadership of Malawi and the other African Member States that made the resolution possible.
