On 15 August 2025, a consultation was held with Organisations of Persons with Disabilities (OPDs) through open discussion and collective reflection to strengthen Nepal’s disability rights movement, with a specific focus on deinstitutionalization of children with disabilities. The discussion explored how existing laws and policies can be implemented more effectively at the community level to prevent unnecessary family separation.
Participants examined how a rights-based approach can be fully integrated into child protection, disability, and social welfare systems. Emphasis was placed on the need to move beyond policy commitments and ensure practical, community-based alternatives to institutional care that support children and families within their own communities.
The consultation highlighted the role of movement-building, evidence generation, and community mapping in strengthening advocacy against institutionalization. Participants reflected on how documenting lived experiences, mapping institutional placements, and identifying gaps in local services can help challenge harmful practices and push for disability-inclusive care reform.
This consultation was not only a review of past efforts but a forward-looking dialogue aimed at shaping a strategic way forward. Participants reaffirmed their collective commitment to building a disability rights movement that is stronger, more inclusive, and more impactful at local, provincial, and national levels, ensuring that no child with a disability is separated from their family due to lack of support.
