At UN General Assembly, Global Autism Advocacy Coalition launches new initiatives to accelerate autism action worldwide

Autism Speaks, the coalition’s Secretariat in the U.S., leads its Lived Experience Leadership Council to ensure autistic people and their families help shape global autism priorities.

New York, Sept. 26, 2026 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- One year after its launch, the Global Autism Advocacy Coalition (GAAC) is moving from commitment to implementation, rolling out new regional hubs and a portfolio of flagship initiatives designed to help countries strengthen autism systems and expand access to effective solutions. The initiatives were unveiled at an event hosted by the State of Qatar at the 81st United Nations General Assembly, with representatives from 18 countries participating.

Launched in 2025 by Autism Speaks, Qatar Foundation, and UNICEF, with support from the World Health Organization, GAAC brings together governments, international organizations, researchers, advocates, philanthropies and private-sector partners to advance autism policy, research, services and inclusion worldwide. The founding members of GAAC now also include Education Above All Foundation, the Bulat Utemuratov Foundation, Autism Impact Fund, and Qatar's Ministry of Social Development and Family and Ministry of Public Health.

“Across the world, countries are building knowledge and approaches that can improve outcomes for autistic people and their families, but access remains deeply uneven,” said Keith Wargo, president and CEO of Autism Speaks. “Effective research, resources and models already exist in many places; the challenge is helping them travel, adapt and take root elsewhere. GAAC’s value lies in turning that shared knowledge into coordinated action. By bringing partners across countries and sectors together, we can strengthen local systems and help ensure that progress made in one part of the world improves lives far beyond it.”

GAAC's work spans seven initiatives focused on strengthening autism systems and expanding access to research, services and other resources: 

• A Lived Experience Leadership Council, designed to ensure people with autism, and their families and caregivers, have a voice and a role in shaping GAAC priorities and decision-making.
• The Global Autism Index, a tool for measuring countries’ progress in autism inclusion, services, and policy performance.
• A Global Autism Data Platform, a shared evidence base for policymaking and system improvement.
• A Global Workforce Accelerator, an effort to build the workforce needed to deliver autism services at scale.
• A Technology & Innovation Lab, which will support the development and scaling of affordable technologies and AI-enabled solutions, particularly in low-resource settings.
• A Global Accelerator & Knowledge Hub, a platform for structured learning and collaboration between countries.
• The Global Autism Policy Compact, a voluntary framework to support national autism strategies and measurable progress.

Autism Speaks, a founding member and GAAC Secretariat, is leading the Lived Experience Leadership Council, which will give the autism community a direct role in shaping GAAC priorities and initiatives.

"No single group has all the answers,” said Andy Shih, Ph.D., Chief Science Officer at Autism Speaks. “Researchers bring evidence. Autistic people bring lived experience. Governments can turn knowledge into policy, and service providers can put it into practice. Progress happens when each informs the other and what we know becomes what we do.”

Fostering regional collaboration

GAAC is establishing a new regional hub for Central Asia and the South Caucasus, led and coordinated by the Bulat Utemuratov Foundation. The hub will help countries share expertise, training, data and family-support approaches while adapting GAAC initiatives to local needs. It will work alongside GAAC hubs in Doha and the United States.

“The GAAC was created out of the realization that the challenges facing autistic individuals and their families are shared across the world, and so are the solutions, and no single country can solve or scale them alone,” said Dr. Hilal Lashuel, Research, Development, and Innovation Advisor to the Chairperson’s Office and Executive Director of Research, Development and Innovation at Qatar Foundation.

“Beyond its global advocacy agenda, the GAAC’s primary goals are to mobilize the resources, and create the collaboration and innovation platforms and sustained investment this field has long lacked, to build the systems and policies necessary to accelerate the translation of innovations into lasting impact. Our goal is simple: progress in diagnosis, policy, intervention or treatment made anywhere should benefit people with autism and their families everywhere. That is why a global coalition matters. The momentum is growing, and we call on all who share this vision to join us.”

GAAC builds on an 18-year global effort led by Her Highness Sheikha Moza bint Nasser, Chairperson of Qatar Foundation, to advance autism awareness and action. In 2007, her proposal led the UN General Assembly to adopt the establishment of World Autism Awareness Day, observed annually on April 2.

“Under the chairmanship of Her Highness Sheikha Moza bint Nasser, Qatar Foundation has played a central role in translating this vision into action,” says Her Excellency Sheikha Alya Ahmed bin Saif Al-Thani, Permanent Representative of the State of Qatar to the United Nations. “Through its groundbreaking programs and services, Qatar Foundation supports persons with autism and their families from early diagnosis and healthcare to education, employment and community inclusion. Its Autism Strategy 2025-2035 reflects this integrated approach, bringing together expertise from across its institutions and strengthening cooperation with government entities, research institutions, civil society, persons with autism and their families.”

Qatar Foundation – Unlocking Human Potential

Qatar Foundation for Education, Science and Community Development (QF) is a non-profit organization focused on education, research and innovation, and community development that supports Qatar on its journey to becoming a diversified and sustainable economy. Across its ecosystem comprising more than 50 entities, QF strives to serve the people of Qatar and beyond through its work across progressive education, sustainability, artificial intelligence, precision healthcare, and social progress.

QF was founded in 1995 by His Highness Sheikh Hamad bin Khalifa Al Thani, the late Father Amir of Qatar, and Her Highness Sheikha Moza bint Nasser, who shared the vision to provide Qatar with quality education. This vision has evolved into a globally unique, multidisciplinary ecosystem of knowledge offering opportunities for lifelong learning, fostering innovation, and empowering people to be socially engaged citizens and drivers of positive change.

This diverse and interconnected ecosystem comprises a world-class education landscape spanning the full spectrum of learning from pre-school to post-doctoral level; research, innovation, and policy centers addressing global challenges; alongside community facilities for people of all ages to seek knowledge, embrace active lifestyles, and expand their horizons within QF’s Education City, spanning 12 square kilometers in Doha, Qatar.

Through a unique approach to multidisciplinary, global education, Education City represents Qatar Foundation’s large-scale legacy investment focused on building human capacity for the future of Qatar, the region, and the world.

For a complete list of QF’s initiatives and projects, please visit: www.qf.org.qa 

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For any media inquiries, please contact: pressoffice@qf.org.qa

About Autism Speaks

In partnership with autistic people, Autism Speaks works to create an inclusive world and redefine possible for people with autism across their lifespan. As the largest autism organization in the U.S., Autism Speaks has spent more than two decades driving research, expanding services, and shaping policy to improve quality of life. Each year, the organization connects millions of autistic people and their families to free resources, advocacy and support, while working across sectors to advance disability inclusion and opportunity.  Learn more at AutismSpeaks.org and follow @AutismSpeaks on Facebook, Instagram, TikTok, and LinkedIn.

For any media inquiries, please contact: media@autismspeaks.org

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