Taking place on the last Sunday of January each year, the purpose of this day is to advocate for the equal treatment of persons affected by leprosy (aka Hansen’s Disease) and to re-educate the public about this disease by correcting historical misconceptions. The date was chosen by the founder of the day, French journalist and activist Raoul Follereau, in honour of Mahatma Gandhi, whose life work included caring for those affected by leprosy and who died on 30 January 1948. A key message of World Leprosy Day is that those who experience leprosy have the right to dignity and a life free from disease-related stigma.