A Parents of Persons with Disabilities Activist Training on Deinstitutionalization was conducted to strengthen parents’ roles as advocates for their children’s rights. The training was facilitated by Mr. Sudharson Subedi and Mr. Ram Chandra Paudel, who guided parents’ groups to recognize their collective power and voice in challenging institutionalization.
Through storytelling, open dialogue, and interactive activities, participants explored proposed amendments to Nepal’s Disability Rights Act that risk legalizing the harmful segregation of children with disabilities. Parents shared lived experiences and reflected on how existing and proposed policies continue to threaten children’s rights by promoting institutional care in the name of rehabilitation.
The sessions emphasized a shared understanding that children belong with their families, not in hostels, disability villages, or rehabilitation homes far from their loved ones. Parents discussed the emotional, social, and developmental harm caused by separation and reaffirmed that institutional care undermines children’s dignity, identity, and sense of belonging.
Legal frameworks were also examined during the training. From Article 19 of the UN Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities (CRPD), which guarantees the right to live independently and be included in the community, to Article 16 of the Constitution of Nepal, which ensures freedom and dignity, parents learned how both international and national laws strongly support family- and community-based living.
Throughout the training, parents spoke openly about their struggles and strengths, powerfully reaffirming:
- “Our children are not burdens; they are our pride.”
- “We can care for our children at home—just provide us with the necessary support and resources.”
- “Separate is never equal. No more 100 or 200 children hidden in institutions.”
The training concluded with the development of a collective action plan to strengthen the movement against institutionalization. Parents committed to challenging harmful myths about persons with disabilities, advocating for inclusive education, and demanding policies that enable children with disabilities to grow up within their families and communities.
The gathering reinforced a shared resolve to continue resisting policies that violate children’s rights and to advocate for a future where every child with a disability grows up surrounded by love, support, and inclusion—not walls.
