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Key concepts

Here are some of the key ideas about disabled people’s organizations and their characteristics.

Use your mouse or keyboard to expand each of the headings below.

Characteristics of disabled people’s organizations

Disabled people’s organizations are mostly advocacy organizations that work at the regional, national and/or international levels to change policies and ensure equal rights and opportunities for people with disabilities. They are formally registered and structured, and usually function like any other organization or establishment. Initially a few people with disabilities come together and form a group of disabled people who work to:

  • Increase membership

  • Ensure that members reflect the diversity of the disabled community (including poor and uneducated individuals)

  • Draw up a constitution and register as a legal entity

  • Form the general body of the organization from the membership

  • Ensure good governance by setting up clear representation mechanisms

  • Elect a governing body (through the general body)

  • Elect office bearers for the governing body

  • Become part of local, regional, national or international affiliations and movements
Self-help groups and disabled people’s organizations

Self-help groups and disabled people&’s organizations can look different in different countries, and sometimes it can be difficult to distinguish the two. For example, in many countries self-help groups are also known as disabled people’s organizations, especially where they have joined together and become umbrella organizations.

In the CBR guidelines:

  • Self-help groups are defined as groups that:

    • Are established locally

    • Operate on an informal basis, and

    • Are focused on addressing the needs of their own members (who may include people both with and without disabilities, such as family members)
  • Disabled people’s organizations are defined as organizations that:
    • Are more formally structured, and

    • Are run by people with disabilities, and

    • Usually work on a larger canvas, advocating for human rights and influencing policy and resource allocation
Partnerships between disabled people’s organizations and CBR programmes

It is possible for CBR and DPOs to work together to ensure that the benefits of their knowledge, skills and resources reach all people with disabilities,their families and communities. In this way CBR programmes adopt a “Nothing about us without us” approach in which all stakeholders are involved to ensure that communities become inclusive of people with disabilities. Partnerships will also ensure that both disabled people’s organizations and CBR programmes are effective and sustainable in the long term.

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