Since Rehabilitation 2030 was launched in 2017, the world has experienced events that have profoundly impacted many lives and shifted health and economic priorities. The COVID-19 pandemic, as well as conflicts and disasters have fuelled a growing awareness of the urgent need to strengthen health systems. It is evident that responding to the Rehabilitation 2030 Call for Action is perhaps more important today than it ever has been.

Much has been achieved by the rehabilitation community in the last 6 years and key opportunities now exist for accelerating the Rehabilitation 2030 agenda in countries. Notably, a common vision and strong and united global effort across stakeholder groups, sectors, and rehabilitation professions, have culminate in a resolution on ‘Strengthening Rehabilitation in Health Systems’ being tabled at the 152 Executive Board in Geneva. Such a resolution reflects the growing political prioritization of rehabilitation as a core component of universal health coverage, and a commitment to ensuring that, around the world, rehabilitation is available to all who need it.

The actions of the resolution necessitate not only increased and coordinated efforts by Member States, civil society and the Secretariat, but technical guidance and tools to support their implementation. Since the last Global Rehabilitation 2030 meeting, significant investment has been made in the development of technical resources that support countries to strengthen the collection and use of rehabilitation data; expand the rehabilitation workforce; improve the availability and quality of rehabilitation service delivery; increase national investment in rehabilitation; bolster rehabilitation in emergency preparedness; and foster greater health policy and systems research for rehabilitation. These resources, the result of the joint efforts of the global rehabilitation community, present unprecedented opportunities for strengthening rehabilitation in countries. Their uptake and success are underpinned by both the political commitment signified in the resolution, and renewed advocacy by rehabilitation stakeholders. To this end, a World Rehabilitation Alliance will be launched, bringing together global organizations to amplify unified messaging aligned with Rehabilitation 2030 and the resolution.

The 3rd Global Rehabilitation 2030 meeting is an opportunity to recognize progress to date, prepare and coordinate the actions requested by the resolution1, and introduce the approach and tools that will support their implementation.

FORMAT The 3rd Global Rehabilitation 2030 meeting will be an in-person event at WHO headquarters in Geneva, Switzerland, and will be live streamed for virtual attendees. DATES AND VENUE 10-11 July2023Auditorium Z3/4, WHO headquarters main building, Geneva, SwitzerlandLANGUAGE The meeting will be conducted in English, with live interpretation in all 6 UN languages (Arabic, Chinese, English, French, Russian and Spanish). Closed captioning will also be provided.