COMMUNITY-BASED REHABILITATION

Community-Based Rehabilitation (CBR) is a comprehensive strategy to include people with disabilities in the development of their communities. With an emphasis on human rights and actions to address inequalities and alleviate poverty, CBR is implemented by people with disability themselves together with their families, communities, organisations as well as government and non-government actors. Though there is as yet no comprehensive updated data on disability in poor countries, due to several factors including the general lack of awareness about disability and the remaining tendency for families to hide their disabled member from public view.

Poorest and most marginalized

There is however widespread agreement on the fact that people with disabilities are one of the poorest and most marginalized groups with women and young girls with disability facing particularly high levels of discrimination and neglect. The majority of people with disabilities remain illiterate, unskilled and untrained. More often than not, they are ignorant of their inherent rights and deprived of any opportunities for self-development or advancement. Without the means to live they are obliged to depend upon their family members for survival and as a result are considered to be a burden not just for their family but for the nation as a whole.

promote, protect and ensure full enjoyment of all rights

The United Nations Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities that was officially adopted on 13 December 2006 aims to “promote, protect and ensure the full and equal enjoyment of all human rights and fundamental freedoms by all persons with disabilities, and to promote respect for their inherent dignity” (Article 1). It represents a universal commitment towards more inclusive societies, where people with disabilities have equal opportunities and participation; as such it is a milestone for people with disabilities around the world. It clearly states that they must first and foremost be considered as people with equal rights rather than be considered just on their needs. As such it mirrors the guiding principles of CBR and demands the promotion of well planned rights-based strategies and interventions.

Self Help groups and empowerment

Our CBR program revolves around the key activity areas which include development of SHGs (Support to Self Help Groups (SHGs) and Disabled Peoples Organizations (DPOs)), empowerment of women with disabilities, early intervention and education, training and employment, accessibility, access to information, communication and assistive technologies, and poverty alleviation through a focus on livelihoods.