An Overview of NRCD Nepal and Its Activities
Nepal in Brief • Landlocked secular state with a diverse culture • One of the least developed countries in South East Asia where 31% people live below the poverty line • Lies between China (Tibet) in the north and India in the south, east and west. • Area of 147,181 sq. kilometers, • High Mountains, plains, hills and valleys. • Total population of the country is 23,151,423; whereas the number of people with severe disabilities is about 3 million
Nepal
Overview of NRCD Nepal • NRCD, the National Rehabilitation Centre of the Disabled, Nepal as the national disability and self help organization of people with severe disabilities, functions as coordinating body with DPOs, government agencies and I/NGOs working in the disability sector in Nepal. • NRCD - a nonprofit, non-governmental and rights-based organization of people with severe disabilities works for strong policy advocacy based on UN CRPD. • NRCD - focuses its activities on employment creation through vocational training, IL skills and incomegeneration activities
• The total budget that NRCD mobilized during 2010 was $36,879 US • The project was funded by Rehab Group/Workability International, Abilis Foundation and Nepal government • Through the utilization of this budget NRCD Nepal has created employment creation opportunity to 700 people with severe disabilities in 2010 • So far, NRCD has rehabilitated above 7,000 people with severe disabilities through different skills, vocational education, income generation, employment creation, IL training and rehabilitation services
Representation • Peace Committee in Nepal Under the Ministry of Peace and Reconstruction • District Development Committee, Kathmandu • District Administration Office, Kathmandu • Disabled Identity Card Distribution Committee, Ktm • CBR District Coordination Committee, Kathmandu • National Member – Workability International (WI) • National Member Organization- Rehabilitation International (RI) Nepal Office • Member – National CBR Network and National Federation of the Disabled, Nepal
Status of Human Resources • Three full time staff • 4 part-time staffs; including 4 women with disabilities in central secretariat • 5 Disability campaigners including 3 WWDs • Many volunteers in needs-based approach
Major Programs (Services provided by NRCD Nepal) • Carrying out vocational skills and IG activities for employment creation like hosiery, painting, cutting, sewing, glass beads making, paper work, chalk-sticks, candle-light, incense making, livestock exchanging, etc. • Capacity building, IL skills, leadership and personal development trainings • Advocacy for policy implementation, policy revised and UNCRPD implication • Research (Sample data Survey on employed people with severe disabilities, disability census, etc.)
• Interaction Meeting with stakeholders, DPOs, CBOs and government authorities • Provide counseling, rehabilitation and expert services • Ensure incorporation of human rights of people with severe disabilities into all development activities • Carryout advocacy, awareness raising, lobbying and sensitization programs to implement the laws, legislation and UN CRPD based on disability rights to formulate anti-discriminatory law • Carryout research, study and planning in different areas on disability and rehabilitation
Challenges • NRCD works for all types of people with severe disabilities • People with severe disabilities are not considered the potential members of the workforce • Lack of the especial legislation to promote and protect the rights of workers with disabilities • Very limited resources to utilize the Vocational Rehabilitation of Persons with Disabilities • Tiny Allocation of budget for development of the people with severe disabilities • Sample survey shows less than 2% people with severe disabilities are employed within government and nongovernmental sectors
• Fewer than 1/3 of women with disabilities are employed in any gainful activities • No comprehensive Vocational Rehabilitation Program has started by Nepal government • Disability issues are not prioritized by the government • Social excluded group among disability have no inclusive mechanism through constitutional process • No forceful mechanism for women participation within disability movement
• Low awareness level of government and stakeholders on disability issues • No obligatory laws related to people with severe disabilities • No proper mechanism to collect and disseminate information on disability issues. • Inadequate research and studies on disability issues • I/NGOs do not have appropriate programs to build up capacity of people with severe disabilities and Self Help Organization • Employment creation and CBR activities are still charityoriented rather than based on the rights • “Educate the top” has always remained a challenge from disability perspective
• Inclusion is much talked about; little practiced • Rehabilitation activities have a thin tie with empowerment and poverty reduction • What is committed as a policy is little translated into practice indicating a wide performance gap • Geographical difficulties • Most of the programs are focused on city areas • Variation in act and fact • Conflict and post conflict situations are little considered as priority concerns for development agenda • Weak and feeble participation of leaders who are people with severe disabilities on policy making at national level
The Success that NRCD has Achieved • Inclusion is a developmental approach in rehabilitation but growing marginalization of persons with disabilities - a threat to society - indicates that current strategies are insufficient • NRCD has become one of the key strategic players in the Nepalese Disability movement • Recognized by government and all relevant national and international agencies • All have deep interest to mainstream disability • Issue raised in state transformation process • The symbolic representation of people with severe disabilities in state mechanism in Federal Republic of Nepal
• CRPD became forceful from May 3, 2008 • Coordination and networking among various national and international organizations; including regional cooperation • NRCD Represents people with severe disabilities in national and in international arena • Self-help groups of people with severe disabilities in community levels
NRCD Nepal is grateful with Rehab Group, Ireland and Workability International for their outstanding contribution to create sustainable employment for Nepalese people with severe disabilities through which more than 1,000 people with severe disabilities have directly benefited being self-skilled and employed during the year 2009/10.
Session Evaluation Information
SESSION TITLE: WI Showcase SESSION CODE: BD-W900