IDWWCB SECRETARIAT – Serving Children Since 1977

Leading a Global Movement for Every Child's Right to Sight

The International Day for World Without Childhood Blindness (IDWWCB) Secretariat serves as the global coordinating body for one of the world’s most ambitious child eye health movements—ensuring that no child is deprived of education, opportunity, or a brighter future because of preventable or treatable vision impairment.

Established under the leadership of the Eye Foundation of America (EFA), the Secretariat provides strategic direction, international coordination, advocacy, partnerships, and program oversight to advance the global campaign for the official recognition and worldwide observance of the International Day for World Without Childhood Blindness.

Secretary-General

The Secretariat is headed by Siddharth Chatterjee, who serves as the Secretary-General of the International Day for World Without Childhood Blindness Secretariat.

A distinguished global development leader with decades of experience in international diplomacy, humanitarian affairs, and sustainable development, Mr. Chatterjee provides visionary leadership to the movement by mobilizing governments, multilateral organizations, development agencies, philanthropic institutions, corporate leaders, healthcare professionals, and civil society organizations around a common mission:

A world where every child has the opportunity to see, learn, thrive, and realize their full potential.

Under his stewardship, the Secretariat aims to elevate childhood eye health from a medical priority to a global development imperative linked directly to education, poverty reduction, gender equality, economic growth, and the Sustainable Development Goals.

Our Mission

The Secretariat works to build a worldwide coalition committed to eliminating avoidable childhood blindness and visual impairment through:

Global advocacy for universal child eye health.
Promotion of the International Day for World Without Childhood Blindness across nations.
Encouraging governments to integrate childhood eye care into national health and education systems.
Strengthening partnerships among international organizations, foundations, academic institutions, NGOs, and the private sector.
Supporting innovative, scalable, and sustainable child eye health programs.
Mobilizing financial resources and philanthropic investment for childhood blindness prevention.
Promoting research, innovation, technology, and evidence-based interventions.
Amplifying the voices of children, families, healthcare professionals, and communities.

A Platform for Global Collaboration

The Secretariat serves as a convening platform bringing together leaders from:

United Nations agencies
National Governments
International NGOs
Academic and Research Institutions
Eye Care Professionals
Development Finance Institutions
Philanthropic Foundations
Corporate CSR and ESG Leaders
Youth Organizations
Community-Based Organizations

By fostering cross-sector collaboration, the Secretariat seeks to accelerate measurable progress toward eliminating preventable childhood blindness worldwide.

The Eye Foundation of America

Since its founding in 1977, the Eye Foundation of America has worked tirelessly to prevent blindness and restore sight for underserved communities around the world. As it celebrates five decades of service, EFA is leading a renewed global movement that places children’s vision at the heart of sustainable development.

The establishment of the International Day for World Without Childhood Blindness Secretariat represents a significant milestone in transforming decades of field experience into a coordinated global movement capable of influencing policy, mobilizing investment, and inspiring collective action.

Get Inspired To Make A Difference.

Every child deserves the chance to see the world clearly.

The Story Behind Eye Foundation of America

The International Day for World Without Childhood Blindness Secretariat invites governments, international organizations, healthcare institutions, corporate partners, philanthropic foundations, educational institutions, and citizens across the world to join this historic movement.

Together, we can ensure that no child’s future is limited by avoidable blindness.

World Without Childhood Blindness is not merely an aspiration—it is an achievable global commitment. Together, we can make it a reality.