Qatar Foundation & Global Autism Advocacy Coalition Launches New Initiatives at UN General Assembly

One year after its launch, the Global Autism Advocacy Coalition (GAAC) is moving from commitment to implementation by establishing new regional hubs and introducing a portfolio of flagship initiatives designed to help countries strengthen autism systems and expand access to effective solutions.

The initiatives were unveiled during an event hosted by the State of Qatar on the sidelines of the 81st United Nations General Assembly, with representatives from 18 countries taking part.

Launched in 2025 by Autism Speaks, Qatar Foundation and UNICEF, with support from the World Health Organization, GAAC brings together governments, international organisations, researchers, advocates, philanthropic organisations and private-sector partners to advance autism policy, research, services and inclusion worldwide.

The coalition’s founding members now also include Education Above All Foundation, the Bulat Utemuratov Foundation, Autism Impact Fund, Qatar’s Ministry of Social Development and Family, and Qatar’s Ministry of Public Health.

Keith Wargo, President and CEO of Autism Speaks, said: "Across the world, countries are building knowledge and approaches that can improve outcomes for autistic people and their families, but access remains deeply uneven."

"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.

The first is a Lived Experience Leadership Council designed to ensure autistic people, along with their families and caregivers, have a voice and a role in shaping GAAC’s priorities and decision-making.

The Global Autism Index will provide a tool for measuring countries’ progress in autism inclusion, services and policy performance.

A Global Autism Data Platform will establish a shared evidence base to support policymaking and improvements to autism systems.

The Global Workforce Accelerator will focus on building the workforce required to deliver autism services at scale.

A Technology and Innovation Lab will support the development and expansion of affordable technologies and artificial intelligence-enabled solutions, particularly in settings with limited resources.

The Global Accelerator and Knowledge Hub will provide a platform for structured learning and collaboration between countries.

The Global Autism Policy Compact will offer a voluntary framework to support national autism strategies and measurable progress.

Autism Speaks, a founding member and the coalition’s Secretariat in the United States, is leading the Lived Experience Leadership Council. The council will give the autism community a direct role in shaping GAAC’s priorities and initiatives.

Dr Andy Shih, Chief Science Officer at Autism Speaks, said: "No single group has all the answers. 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."

GAAC is also establishing a regional hub for Central Asia and the South Caucasus, led and coordinated by the Bulat Utemuratov Foundation.

The hub will help participating countries share expertise, training, data and approaches to family support while adapting GAAC initiatives to local requirements. It will work alongside the coalition’s hubs in Doha and the United States.

Dr Hilal Lashuel, Research, Development and Innovation Adviser to the Chairperson’s Office and Executive Director of Research, Development and Innovation at Qatar Foundation, said: "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."

He added: "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 international 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 establish World Autism Awareness Day, which is observed annually on April 2.

Her Excellency Sheikha Alya Ahmed bin Saif Al-Thani, Permanent Representative of the State of Qatar to the United Nations, said: "Under the chairmanship of Her Highness Sheikha Moza bint Nasser, Qatar Foundation has played a central role in translating this vision into action."

"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 for Education, Science and Community Development is a non-profit organisation focused on education, research and innovation, and community development. Its work supports Qatar’s journey towards becoming a diversified and sustainable economy.

Across an ecosystem comprising more than 50 entities, Qatar Foundation works to serve people in Qatar and beyond through progressive education, sustainability, artificial intelligence, precision healthcare and social progress.

Qatar Foundation was established in 1995 by His Highness Sheikh Hamad bin Khalifa Al Thani, the Father Amir, and Her Highness Sheikha Moza bint Nasser, who shared a vision of providing Qatar with high-quality education.

That vision has developed into a globally distinctive, multidisciplinary knowledge ecosystem offering opportunities for lifelong learning, fostering innovation, and empowering people to become socially engaged citizens and drivers of positive change.

The diverse and interconnected ecosystem includes a world-class education landscape covering the full spectrum of learning, from preschool to postdoctoral study. It also includes research, innovation and policy centres addressing global challenges, alongside community facilities where people of all ages can seek knowledge, embrace active lifestyles and expand their horizons.

These institutions and facilities are located within Qatar Foundation’s Education City, which covers 12 square kilometres in Doha.

Through its multidisciplinary and international approach to education, Education City represents Qatar Foundation’s large-scale legacy investment in building human capacity for the future of Qatar, the region and the wider world.

Autism Speaks works in partnership with autistic people to create an inclusive world and redefine what is possible for people with autism throughout their lives.

As the largest autism organisation in the United States, Autism Speaks has spent more than two decades driving research, expanding services and shaping policy to improve quality of life.

Each year, the organisation connects millions of autistic people and their families with free resources, advocacy and support while working across sectors to advance disability inclusion and opportunity.

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