An estimated 61.8 million people globally are on the autism spectrum (Global Burden of Disease Study 2021). As global health advances extend life expectancy, more people will require thoughtful, sustained support not only at the point of diagnosis, but across a lifetime.

Yet the international response has remained fragmented. Diagnostic waiting lists stretch for years. Services concentrate in early childhood and often dissolve in adulthood. Workforce capacity lags demand. And low and middle-income countries, home to the majority of people with autism, frequently lack the systems, financing, and technology to close the gap. Meeting this challenge requires more than awareness. It requires investment, innovation, and a coordinated global agenda.

In 2007, Her Highness Sheikha Moza bint Nasser, Chairperson of Qatar Foundation, proposed at the United Nations General Assembly the designation of 2 April as World Autism Awareness Day. All Member States adopted.

That single act helped advance autism on the international agenda. What followed was a sustained national commitment, with Qatar Foundation, the Ministry of Social Development and Family, the Ministry of Public Health, and Qatar Fund for Development each contributing to the development of one of the world’s most comprehensive national ecosystems for autism.

In September 2025, during the 80th United Nations General Assembly, the State of Qatar hosted the launch of the Global Autism Advocacy Coalition (GAAC), a global initiative convened by Qatar Foundation, Autism Speaks, UNICEF, the Qatar Ministry of Social Development and Family (MSDF), and the Qatar Ministry of Public Health (MoPH), with support from the World Health Organization (WHO), to unite the international community in advancing support, inclusion, and opportunities for individuals with autism and their families.

GAAC is the first platform of its kind dedicated to moving beyond awareness toward coordinated global action, driving progress in autism policy, early diagnosis, education, innovation, investment, technology development, and lifelong support. GAAC's growing membership reflects a shared commitment to accelerating impact through collaboration, knowledge exchange, and scalable solutions that improve lives across regions and communities.

The Coalition is moving decisively from foundation to delivery. What began as a UN resolution has become a global architecture for coordinated action.

Approved in Geneva in May 2026, seven flagship initiatives translate the Coalition’s mission into concrete, measurable action. A network of Regional Hubs ensures those initiatives reach communities on the ground — turning global strategy into country-level implementation.

Eight founding members and one supporting partner. One shared responsibility. The Coalition is expanding, and we invite governments, multilateral organizations, philanthropic foundations, corporate leaders, research institutions, and civil society organizations dedicated to autism inclusion, equity, and lifespan support to become members.