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With a new IF statement, The International Federation for Spina Bifida and Hydrocephalus (IF) is calling for urgent action demanding universal mandatory food fortification with vitamin B9 (folic acid) to reduce the risk of Spina Bifida, Anencephaly, or Encephalocele, also called Neural Tube Defects (NTDs).

On August 11 2022, The IF International Youth SBH Meeting: Independent Living in Your Eyes was organised by the IF International Youth Group SBH.

The Committee on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities (CRPD) opened a call for submissions in June 2022. The call was for comments and suggested amendments to the ‘Draft Guidelines on Deinstitutionalization, including in emergencies’. 

On the 17th of June IF attended the launch event of the WHO World Mental Health Report: Transforming Mental Health for All.  Mental health is a vital aspect of wellbeing for everyone but it is topic which is faces stigma and discrimination, lack of investment and prioritisation by health systems. This is particularly true for persons with disabilities, a problem which youth with Spina Bifida and Hydrocephalus have been raising awareness of through the activities of IF’s International Youth Group. 

The IF members training “From local to global - how to influence international actions through national advocacy” taking place on May 6 2022 provided an overview of key concepts and processes of international organisations.

IF Annual Report 2021 highlights all of IF activities and achievements of the past year. The year 2021 was an active one with many activities and challenges. Some of the activities were affected by the COVID-19 pandemic. Therefore, IF organised its activities in a digital format. These activities such as an escape room meeting, training opportunities, international awareness days, and the IF conference for persons with SBH on multidisciplinary care were well-received. Here, in this annual report 2021, the actions achieved for human rights, primary prevention, optimising management and care, raising awareness, as well as international solidarity are highlighted.