Committee Description
Neurodivergent people – including those with autism, ADHD, dyslexia, and other cognitive differences – comprise a significant segment of every nation’s population, yet they remain under-recognized and underserved.
An estimated 10–20% of the global population is neurodivergent, meaning that over a billion individuals worldwide have brains that function differently from the statistical norm. These neurological differences, often collectively referred to as “neurodiversity”, encompass conditions such as Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD), Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD), learning disabilities like dyslexia and dyscalculia, Tourette syndrome, and several others. Neurodivergent conditions are diverse in pathogenesis and symptoms – some individuals require significant support, while others thrive independently with correct accommodations.
Neurodivergent people universally face barriers in realizing their rights to health care, education, employment, and full societal participation due to the lack of resources provided to them. SPECTRUM (Strategic Policies for Equitable Care, Treatment, and Rights of Under-recognized Minds) has been convened within the WHO to tackle these urgent issues. This Model WHO committee will examine how national policies can better support neurodivergent people, through a comprehensive, intersectional lens: examining rights, services & access, inclusion beyond health, implementation and the financing of novel and innovative societal infrastructures.
