Established on 24 March 2014, Disability Human Rights Promotion Society (DHRPS) is a non-governmental organization (NGO) legally registered with the District Administration Office and affiliated with the Social Welfare Council, Nepal. DHRPS is a non-profit, non-political civil society organization led by youth with disabilities, committed to promoting the rights, dignity, and inclusion of persons with disabilities in Nepal.
DHRPS has identified Human Rights as its core area of work and has consistently contributed to the promotion of equal access and realization of rights of persons with disabilities, as enshrined in the Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities (CRPD) and other relevant national and international human rights instruments. The organization works to ensure that persons with disabilities are not only beneficiaries of services but are also active rights holders and leaders in decision-making processes.
The organization works closely with federal, provincial, and local governments, civil society organizations, parents, youth groups, and development partners to promote inclusive education, deinstitutionalization, alternative care, policy advocacy, and community-based services. DHRPS firmly believes that no child should be separated from their family due to disability, poverty, or lack of services. The organization continues to advocate for a society where children with disabilities grow up safely within their families and communities, with dignity, protection, and equal opportunities.
DHRPS works for the promotion and protection of the human rights of persons with disabilities, with a particular focus on Access to Justice, Participation, Good Governance, Leadership Development, and Accessibility. To achieve its organizational objectives, DHRPS applies a multi-dimensional and rights-based strategy that includes:
- Capacity building of rights holders and duty bearers to strengthen awareness and accountability
- Sharing knowledge and information among stakeholders to promote inclusive practices
- Community education and sensitization to address stigma and discrimination
- Providing technical support to government institutions, civil society organizations, and service providers on disability inclusion and management
- Advocacy for the localization of CRPD and the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) at federal, provincial, and local levels
DHRPS strongly believes in the power of unity, collaboration, and collective action. The organization prioritizes youth leadership, particularly youth with disabilities, and actively engages with like-minded Disabled Persons’ Organizations (DPOs), civil society organizations, disability rights experts, parent groups, local NGOs working on human rights and development, and local government institutions.
Disability Human Rights Promotion Society has been actively advocating for every child’s right to grow up and learn within their own community, especially children with disabilities who are at heightened risk of separation and institutionalization. To further strengthen this advocacy, Inclusive Network Nepal has been implemented since 1 October 2024, in collaboration with Alternatives to Separation (ATOS), Denmark, with financial and technical support from Civil Society in Development (CISU), Denmark.
Nepal continues to face systemic challenges related to child separation, institutionalization, and exclusion of children with disabilities from family and community life. Factors such as poverty, lack of inclusive education, limited rehabilitation and social protection services, and persistent social stigma often force families to place children particularly children with disabilities into residential care institutions. While institutional care is frequently presented as a solution for education or protection, evidence demonstrates that it exposes children to long-term risks, including neglect, abuse, developmental delays, loss of family bonds, and increased vulnerability to trafficking.
In response to these challenges, DHRPS, a youth-led organization of persons with disabilities, has been advocating for family-based care, inclusive education, and deinstitutionalization, grounded in the principles of the Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities (CRPD) and the Convention on the Rights of the Child (CRC). Recognizing that sustainable and systemic change requires collective and coordinated action, DHRPS initiated Inclusive Network Nepal and currently serves as its Secretariat.
Inclusive Network Nepal is implemented in close collaboration with Alternatives to Separation (ATOS), Denmark, and with the financial and technical support of Civil Society in Development (CISU), Denmark, starting from 1 October 2024. The Network brings together 20 civil society organizations working across disability rights, child protection, education, and social justice to collectively prevent child separation and promote inclusive, family- and community-based care systems in Nepal.
The Network focuses on capacity building, advocacy, documentation, public awareness, and network strengthening at both local and national levels, with particular emphasis on children with disabilities and families from marginalized and excluded communities.
As the lead organization and Secretariat of Inclusive Network Nepal, Disability Human Rights Promotion Society (DHRPS) has played a central role in coordinating network activities, facilitating collaboration among members, and advancing collective advocacy. This includes visible national-level advocacy actions, such as the petition raised at the BICON Conference 2023, where DHRPS and Inclusive Network partners challenged the Government of Nepal’s plan to expand Resource Classes, advocating instead for inclusive education within mainstream community schools.
These advocacy efforts reflect the Network’s broader commitment to supporting families and communities most at risk of child separation and trafficking, particularly those from marginalized and excluded backgrounds, and to ensuring that children are not separated from their families in order to access education, care, or protection.