Our Purpose

The purpose of CBR Forum is to work with all persons with disabilities, their families, communities, organizations and institutions on empowerment and inclusion of persons with disabilities by facilitating disabled people’s organizations and networking at local, national and international levels to address the gaps that exist at various levels.

Our priority groups among persons with disabilities are:

• poorest of the poor in un-reached rural or urban areas
• people with multiple and severe disabilities
• children and - women.

Our Objectives

Overall Objective:

To facilitate the formation of Disabled Peoples Organizations and build capacities to carry forward the District level initiative (DLI) through a Rights Based Approach and document the process for replication.

Objective 1:
Evaluate existing partnerships and assess new proposals prepared by the persons with disabilities and community members in view of developing and carrying forward DLI Programmes.

Objective 2:
Ensure that an appropriate support system is in place to enable the local NGO partners to facilitate persons with disabilities to develop and carry forward the District Level Initiative in collaboration with the government.

Objective 3:
Promote sharing of experiences and learning among the DLI partners across regions in view of sharpening the regional DLI strategies.

Objective 4:
Evaluate existing partnerships and assess new proposals prepared by the persons with disabilities and community members / new NGOs in view of developing and carrying forward existing CBR Partnerships keeping in mind the new orientation of CBR Forum.

Objective 5:
Ensure that an appropriate support system is in place to enable NGO partners to develop and carry forward the CBR Programmes in collaboration with the Government.

Objective 6:
Promote sharing of experiences and learning among the CBR partners.

Objective 7:
Promote sharing of experiences and learning at the Regional, National and International level.

Objective 8:
Promote continual reflection on the lived reality to plan adequately for the future in view of achieving the vision and mission of the Forum.

Objective 9:
Promote documentation that will benefit the persons with disabilities/ DPOs.

Objective 10:
Ensure that the work of the Forum is managed effectively.

Objective 11:
Ensure that there is sufficient funding available for partners to carry forward the work of the Forum.
 

Our Strategies:

We have three strategies in place:

1. Direct CBR Programmes with individual Partner NGOs

2. Mainstreaming (MS) Programmes with Dioceses

3. District Level Initiatives (DLIs) with a group of 5 to 8 NGO Partners

While CBR remains a core strategy across programmes, certain programmes have add on strategies (MS/ DLI) in an attempt to improve the impact of the programme.

Objectives of CBR projects:

1. To ensure the inclusion of groups of persons with disabilities who are traditionally excluded and discriminated against – especially children, women and people with multiple and severe disabilities – in view of bridging the gap in line with Art. 19 of UNCRPD and human rights.
2. To facilitate equal opportunities for persons with disabilities and promote their rights through DPOs.
3. To promote community involvement and participation at various levels of programme implementation (PIME)
4. To promote mainstreaming and inclusion within other projects of the NGO Partner.
5. To network with government departments, PRIs, other NGOs to avail entitlements.
6. To bring systemic changes in and around the project area through a larger involvement and effective lobbying by from the DPO and community.
   To ensure the sustainability of DPOs.

Objectives of Mainstreaming projects:

1. To ensure the inclusion of groups of persons with disabilities who are traditionally excluded and discriminated against - especially children, women and people with multiple and severe disabilities – in view of bridging the gap in line with Art. 19 of UNCRPD and human rights.
2. To facilitate equal opportunities for persons with disabilities and promote their rights through DPOs.
3. To work with selected Religious Congregations and Dioceses in view of ensuring that mainstreaming persons with disabilities becomes a way of thinking and acting within the organization and the work of the church and to bring systemic changes in the entire work of Diocese.
4. To influence CBCI and CRI with the documented results of the above experience in view of ensuring that other dioceses and religious congregations opt to include mainstreaming of persons with disabilities in their planning and apostolic ventures.
   
    

Objectives of District Level Initiative (DLI) projects.

1. To enable the NGO partners to promote Collectives of persons with disabilities (DPOs) at village, block, district and State level (within and beyond the project area) for the promotion of their rights and to bring about systemic change through lobbying and advocacy.
2. To ensure that DPOs play an active role in the PME from the very beginning of the partnership.
3. To build the capabilities of DPOs to understand disability as a human rights issue and to lobby and advocate for their rights.
4. To encourage DPOs and DDPOs to work hand in hand with PRIs and other Government administrations / NGOs in view of promoting mainstreaming and inclusion.
5. To document the learning from the above process in view of providing the concerned state Government with a model for replication.