Dear Supporters,

This new strategy, The Right to a Life of Dignity, is our renewed commitment to eradicate the causes and consequences of leprosy.

It is our call for collective action to take sides with people experiencing leprosy, disability and social exclusion, and to support their ideas, aspirations and actions.

It is an offer of partnership, an offer to join hands with our supporters and others in eradicating the causes and consequences of leprosy and fighting for justice and dignity.

We are continually informed and inspired by the resilience, ingenuity and struggles of people experiencing leprosy, disability and social exclusion, and the communities in which we work.  Our resolve is constantly strengthened by the progress, be it big or small, that people experiencing leprosy make in claiming and expanding their voices, choices and rights towards a dignified life.

We will walk alongside people experiencing leprosy, disability and social exclusion and support every step and action they take in claiming their rights.  There are some gains and achievements so far, but not enough.  We must keep up the pace and continue the fight.

The world around us is changing fast and the context of our work is getting ever more complex.  This strategy recognises and responds to the changing context of our work.  It is about staying on course with our agenda.  Responding to new challenges and bringing focus to our work.

This ambitious strategy relates directly to the enormity of our mission.  We place high priority on our partnerships, in particular with grassroots membership organisations made up of people experiencing leprosy.  Their full participation as equal partners with us in discussions and decision-making is our response to their plea, "Please don't talk about us and make decisions for us, without us."

We strengthen our focus on women's rights because we believe that the eradication of the causes and consequences of leprosy will simply not be possible without ensuring safety, security and dignity for women experiencing leprosy, who otherwise stand to lose the most.

We set ambitions for making a significant impact at an international level because we believe that progress at the local and national level cannot be achieved or sustained without changing unjust structures, policies and laws that are dictated by powerful world players.

This strategy, and the priorities in it, reflects the ambition of us all in The Leprosy Mission New Zealand.  Many of us, along with our partners and people experiencing leprosy, contributed to the development of this strategy.  Let us now translate the strategy into actions and results.

  David Hall,   Executive Director The Leprosy Mission New Zealand

   Ross Dillon,    Chair, Board of Trustees

For the full version of the new Strategic Plan for 2009-12 go here