By gathering the support of neighbours, relatives and friends, those affected by leprosy can ensure their needs will be heard. 

Linking the community together helps reduce stigma and misunderstanding and enables people with disabilities to find care. It also helps to prevent further disability so that hospital stays occur only when really necessary and not as a way to receive daily care.

Community-based activities get people involved so they own the health programmes and other community initiatives.  The focus is on equal access to health care, education and other local services. 

The process reduces stigma and misunderstanding overall and promotes human rights and better lives for those affected by leprosy and other diseases. In many countries the human rights of leprosy sufferers and other socially excluded groups are ignored. So a key part of our overall strategy to address leprosy's causes and consequences is to promote the human rights of those who are affected by it.