International Women’s Day is an annual event where people across the globe celebrate women's achievements, raise awareness about gender discrimination and take action to drive gender parity.
The United Nations’ theme for International Women’s Day 2026 is: Rights. Justice. Action. For ALL Women and Girls
Prejudice and discrimination toward people affected by leprosy remains widespread in endemic countries, and social factors disproportionately impact women in seeking treatment. Higher barriers to accessing healthcare, such as limited independence and mobility, and higher social stigma, lead to underdiagnosis.
Due to the barriers women face in accessing specialist healthcare, treatment is often delayed, meaning a higher risk of developing lasting disabilities, and experience greater poverty.
47-year-old Bizly’s symptoms were only noticed when she was accompanying her husband to a medical appointment.
When she was diagnosed with leprosy, she was frightened but the doctor reassured her that the disease was curable with a course of treatment.
Lepra
After her recovery, Bizly was inspired to become a ‘Mental Motivator’, a volunteer for Lepra’s Mind to Heart project in Bangladesh helping to provide reliable health information and support to her wider community. Enquiring door-to-door, she helps locate people with symptoms and encourages them to attend the clinic for diagnostic support.
Mental Motivators also play an important role in helping people to overcome the emotional impact of a diagnosis, providing mental health first aid and referral to structured counselling.
For Bizly, encouraging other women with symptoms to come forward is of utmost importance.
Often the main caregiver, women may struggle to leave their families to travel and access healthcare. Women with disabilities or young children may be unable to travel long distances and some avoid travelling due to fear for their personal safety.
Many women with symptoms fear rejection. Often facing prejudice from those closest to them, women are more likely than men to be deserted by their spouses when diagnosed with leprosy. Women are often socially isolated from their family, neighbours and local community, greatly impacting their emotional health.
Lepra
As a Mental Motivator, Bizly has become a recognised and trusted figure in her community, helping other people find the confidence to face their diagnosis, and get access to life-changing treatment which can prevent disabilities from ever developing.
“I’ve referred almost 300 people for check-ups, 150 of which have been confirmed cases of leprosy. I’ve distributed leaflets all over Bogura. In shops, and house-to-house. I’ve helped create social awareness about leprosy. I’ll go out, and if I see people gathering, I’ll inform them.”
Thanks to the dedication of Bizly, more women with leprosy symptoms have come forward for treatment, have access to healthcare and have overcome social prejudice.
Bizly now plays an active role in the ‘Bogura Federation for People affected by Leprosy’, helping support and advocate for countless other vulnerable people, through a network of self-support groups in the region.
Women play a vital role in the community in terms of active case-finding, education and helping to change perceptions around leprosy. This International Women’s Day, we invite our supporters to join us in celebrating the impact women have in detecting cases early, reducing lasting disabilities and helping increase access to holistic support for those with the greatest level of need.
To find out more about Lepra’s work in Bangladesh and India, and to hear Bizly talk about her work, please visit www.lepra.org.uk/news/article/international-womens...
Dr Jyoti SoodNHS
