Training to actively engage in civic rights

Besides training and awareness raising, the project focuses on empowering people with disabilities to participate in community groups such as women's groups, school committees, cooperatives, etc. Working together, persons with disabilities gain confidence and community members take on disability issues as their own.

Problems Targeted

Persons with disabilities are isolated and excluded from mainstream civic, political, and electoral activities in rural areas of Nepal, where disability is taken as a health issue. Consequently, the political participation of those with disabilities is seldom considered at the decision-making level. In addition, there are still legal restrictions preventing “persons of unsound mind” from voting.

Solution, Innovation and Impact

In this project the civic, political, and electoral participation of persons with disabilities is not just the responsibility of self-help groups but includes other community groups as well. Working together, persons with disabilities and community groups jointly identify issues, create advocacy plans, and execute them. This has boosted the confidence of persons with disabilities and has encouraged community members to take on disability issues as their own.

Funding, Outlook and Transferability

The project can be easily and inexpensively replicated since it is based on advocacy and awareness-raising. If self-help groups lead the advocacy process in collaboration with other community groups, it empowers everyone involved.

Pictures

A women with a physical disability casts her mock ballot in an accessible environment.