ICEVI celebrates International Women's Day 2026

[ph...@sonokids.com]

Posted on behalf of Frances Gentle.

Dear Friends and Colleagues

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On International Women’s Day 2026, the International Council for Education of People with Visual Impairment (ICEVI) joins the global community in celebrating the achievements and leadership of women and girls around the world. ICEVI pays particular tribute to women and girls who are blind, deafblind, have low vision, or live with other disabilities, whose contributions continue to advance inclusive education, accessibility, and social participation worldwide.

Caption: Front cover of January 2025 issue of The Educator, featuring “The Girl Child” - https://icevi.org/resource-library/the-educator/

The United Nations theme for International Women’s Day 2026, “Rights. Justice. Action. For ALL Women and Girls,” calls for renewed global commitment to removing barriers and ensuring equal rights and opportunities. For women and girls with disabilities, including those with visual impairment, achieving these goals requires sustained attention to inclusive education, accessible information, and equitable participation in all areas of society.

Women with visual impairment play vital roles as educators, advocates, professionals, researchers, and leaders within their communities and internationally. Their voices and lived experiences help shape policies, educational practices, and innovations that promote equality and inclusion. At the same time, many women and girls with disabilities continue to face barriers to education, employment, and leadership, reinforcing the importance of global efforts to achieve gender equity.

ICEVI recognises that education is a powerful pathway to empowerment. Ensuring that girls who are blind, deafblind, or have low vision have access to quality inclusive education, including literacy through braille and accessible learning materials, is critical to enabling their full participation in society.

ICEVI highlighted these issues in the July 2025 issue of its international publication, The Educator, which focused on the theme “The Girl Child.” The issue explored the educational experiences, challenges, and achievements of girls and women with blindness, low vision, and deafblindness, while sharing stories of resilience, advocacy, and successful educational practice. The contributions emphasised the importance of gender equity, inclusive education systems, and global collaboration to ensure that girls with visual impairment can realise their full potential.

On this International Women’s Day, ICEVI celebrates the strength, leadership, and achievements of women with disabilities worldwide and reaffirms its commitment to advancing inclusive education and opportunities for all.

For more information about ICEVI and its publications, visit:
https://icevi.org

 

 

Frances Gentle AO, PhD, DLittAO

Past President, ICEVI, and Conjoint Lecturer,