Action on Disability Rights And Development-Nepal

**Action on Disability Rights and Development-Nepal (ADRAD-Nepal) is OPD,** engaged in promotion of rights of persons with disability across Nepal. The public advocacy and policy dialogues led by this organisation has pushed for adoption of Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities (CRPD), enactment of National disability  Policy and transforming disability agendas  into development planning.

The accessible environment is the prime area of its action. The accessible books are being produced in collaboration with the organisations serving the students with print and visual disabilities. ADRAD has been leading the campaign for promoting disability inclusive Disaster Risk Management initiatives. ADRAD is privileged to extend coordination with the local Government for the adoption of Accessible ICT for producing textbooks and enhancing learning capabilities of students with visual and print disabilities. Besides that the collaboration with Government is meaningful for supporting disability inclusive development discourse as well as adoption of accessible technology and physical environment, thereby refurbishing the legislation and policies making more disability friendly.

ADRAD functions to ensure positive changes in lives of Persons with Disabilities by enjoyment of rights, supporting inclusion in the mainstream society through awareness, advocacy, sensitization, capacity enhancement, information dissemination, networking and accessible environment.

·           Inclusion of Persons with disabilities in education, health services, social and political activities, recreational activities, and cultural activities   in an equal basis with the others.

·           Access to information, communication technology, ooffer a better technology support enhancing learning capabilities to meet the real needs of the persons with print and visual disabilities.

·           Development of a barrier free environment for Persons with disabilities. Promote accessibility principles into the post-earthquake reform and contribute towards a barrier free environment with accessible public buildings and an inclusive society. A society accessible for persons with disabilities is one accessible to all.

·           Employment opportunities for Persons with disabilities ·           Networking with of self-help organizations and groups

·           Political Representation of Persons with disabilities in decision making process of state mechanism at all levels.

·           Elimination of social stigma, pejorative languages and discriminations towards Persons with disabilities.

·           Formation and implementation of enforceable laws under anti discriminative principles in line with UNCRPD.

·           Mainstreaming persons with disabilities in the development process and implementation of Sendai Framework for Disaster Risk Reduction (SFDRR) as well as Asia-Pacific Strategy on disability (Incheon strategy for make the rights real).

**H. What we do**

A core function of our work is to ensure the implementation of the principles and strategies envisaged by the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities (CRPD) and other internationally and nationally recognized legal instruments that protect the rights of Persons with disabilities. We fight for the rights and dignity of Persons with disabilities through,

1. **Lobbying and advocacy**

2. **Capacity building** _( Training, workshop, participation & survey, skill and experience sharing and study visit)_

_3._     **Awareness** _(Publications, social communication materials, media mobilization, sensitization)_

**4.     Networking and collaboration (**To develop solidarity and coordination among likeminded group and International development agencies)

5.               **Research and Studies through our engagement:** ADRAD has been engaged in various Research and studies concerning disability related issue  in coordination with various stakeholders and agendas such as Human Rights situation of persons with disabilities, employment prospects, education of children with disabilities, disability management, importance of social communication events, relevancy, adequacy and sustainability of scholarship provisions, effectiveness of self-help groups of Persons with disabilities in community development, inclusion of persons with disabilities in the NTFP based enterprises.

Þ    **I. Where and how we work**

ADRAD has it's headquarter in Kathmandu but has extended its activities all around the country. The focal organisations in province and local levels are mobilized as satellite centers and self-help group in Grassroots level are engaged to increase the access of people with disabilities in the services, facilities and opportunities of state in a rights based approach.