Inclusion in Law and Policy

People with visible differences have remained largely invisible in global human rights efforts.

Inclusion in Law and Policy: Explicit, undeniable recognition as an equality issue

Position Paper – Disfigurement and the United Nations Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities (CRPD)

People with visible differences have remained largely invisible in global human rights efforts. Their status and rights as disabled people under the UN Convention (‘CRPD’) are crucial to changing this.

We’re calling on those working to uphold the UN CRPD, including OPDs, policy-makers, activists and academics to recognise and protect this marginalised community by signing to affirm their rights as disabled people.

See the list of current signatures, and sign the petition below.

Position paper Disfigurement and the CRPD Download

Sign the petition

42 signatures

Name	Company
Gerard Quinn	Professor (emerita), University of Galway, former UN Special Rapporteur on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities
Robert Dinerstein	Professor of Law Emeritus American University Washington College of Law, Washington, DC USA
Diane Lightfoot	CEO of Business Disability Forum
Tina Rycroft	Non-executive director of Microtia UK
Cristina Peris Hernández	President of Hemifacial Microsomia Spain
Amy Acton	CEO & Burn Survivor, Phoenix Society for Burn Survivor
Ornella Masnari	Chief Executive Officer, hautstigma.ch
Barbara-Anne Hodge	Chair, Mamingwey Burn Society Inc.
Professor Tony Markus FRCDS FDSRCS	Chairman of Future Faces
Emre Erdal	Founder and President of Yüzümle Mutluyum Derneği
Christina Raj	CIRM Foundation
Adam Levy, CAE	Executive Director, American Cleft Palate Craniofacial Association
Hannah Cree	Head of Support, Caring Matters Now
Susan Scott-Parker OBE Network	Business Disability International & Strategic Advisor ILO Global Business Disability Network
Heather Blake	Chief Executive, Changing Faces
Eliska Stanková	President of Be TCS
VTCT Foundation
Nathan Rowe	Programme Director, Down Syndrome International
Karen Cockburn	Charity Director, Nerve Yumours UK
Andrew Boys	Executive Director, Down Syndrome International
Sue Jones	Head of Operations, Ditch the Label
Miranda Forsyth	Director of the International Network Against Witchcraft Accusations and Ritual Attacks
Heba Hagrass	UN Special Rapporteur on the rights of persons with disabilities
Majid Turmusani	Handicap et développement inclusif
Danielle Lorenz	PhD Candidate, Faculty of Education, University of Alberta
Emmanuele Tidoni	University of Leeds
Dominic Griffiths	Manchester Metropolitan University
Zara Trafford	Researcher, Institute for Life Course Health Research, Stellenbosch University, South Africa
Claire Ashdown	University of Leeds
Celine Llewellyn-Jones	Coventry university online
Dr Cara Molyneux	Lancaster University
Shaun Grech	Director, The Critical Institute, Malta
Kim Teems Fox	President, FACES: The National Craniofacial Association
Celia-Chartres-Aris	Multi-award winning campaigner, lobbyist, investor and policy-designer.
Laura Winson	Zebedee Talent
Avril Coelho	Facial and Body Difference Activist
Elizabeth Adams	Courageously Kind
Virginie Lecomte Maloney	Centre for Disability Research and Policy, The University of Sydney
Tony Lau-Walker	Chair of the VTCT Foundation
Kathleen Bogart, PhD	Professor of Psychology, Oregon State University; Co-Leader Disability Advocacy and Research Network
Sunshine Social Welfare Foundation
João Canossa Dias	Director of Rehabilitation and Inclusion Services - ARCIL / Invited Adjunct Professor - University of Aveiro

Becoming the Woman in the Portrait

Melanie shares with us the impact of having her portrait photograph taken, touching on society’s views of difference, and how it feels to be truly seen. Photographer Martina Holmberg wins Taylor Wessing Portrait Prize 2025 with photograph featuring visible difference, a positive move for inclusion and representation in the arts.

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The mission of Face Equality International (FEI) is to mobilise the many groups and organisations, big and small, national and international, which support and represent people with facial differences and disfigurements and thereby to create the critical mass and solidarity needed to gain global attention for the campaign for face equality.

About FEI

Becoming the Woman in the Portrait

WHO Resolution on skin disease: a tool for advocacy

On 24 May 2025, the World Health Organization adopted an important new resolution to recognise skin diseases as a global public health emergency. We explain the background and content of the resolution, and what it might mean for the millions of people across the world living with skin conditions.

Rainbow

Logan Zelenak is a face equality activist. Logan documents their personal thoughts and experiences around identity with facial difference, illness and plastic surgery, and making choices that feel empowering.