The aim of community-based rehabilitation (CBR) is to help people with disabilities, by establishing community-based medical integration, equalization of opportunities, and Physical therapy (Physiotherapy) rehabilitation programs for disabled people. The strength of CBR programs is that they can be made available in rural areas, with limited infrastructure, as program leadership is not restricted to professionals in healthcare, educational, Physiotherapy, Occupational therapy vocational or social services. Rather, CBR programs involve the people with disabilities themselves, their families and communities, as well as appropriate professionals. Some are doing their own works.
In the beginning of the 1960s, efforts to establish rehabilitation centers in developing countries had taken hold in urban centers, but failed to provide support and assistance to disabled people in rural areas throughout the world. The response of world aid organizations was to shift funding from city-based hospitals to rural community programs. The first CBR pilot projects were launched in the 1960s, and their continuing success has led to CBR programs being adopted throughout Africa, Asia and South America.
A CBR Network is a formal or informal relationship among CBR implementers/ practitioners or their organizations to promote and strengthen CBR. The strength of the network depends on the strength of individual or organizational members and the co-ordination and collaboration between members. It is expected that the benefits from the network will be greater than any individual's effort. To enrich CBR further for the benefit of the people with disabilities, their family, community and the country, a network of CBR practitioners/implementers/promoters is required at least at a national level, regional level and global level.
These networks need to be democratic, national CBR network members need to select their national executive body; e.g., CBR Afghanistan Network, CBR India Network, CBR Indonesia Network. President or the secretary of the national networks should represent the general body of the Regional Network; e.g., CBR Asia Pacific Network. General body of the CBR AP Network to elect their Executive body and representatives for CBR Global Network. While electing the executive body one must ensure that committee represents with competent and committed people. CBR is for all, richness and success of CBR depends on diversity and respecting that diversity. An ideal CBR committee should be of people from various background; e.g., people with disabilities (different impairment groups), academics, people with different socio economic background, people coming from rural areas or representing vulnerable groups policy makers, practitioners, promoters, representative from public and private sectors. Gender and disability balance are the key of the success of any CBR Networks.
Around the world there are existing networks: large and small, formal and informal, active and inactive, etc. For example, the CBR Africa Network is a large network covering one continent.
In 2001 during the first Africa Regional Conference on CBR in Kampala, Uganda, the CBR Africa Network (CAN) was created. It started with four action points:
There are other notable networks including the CBR South-Asia Network is a sub regional network and there exists across the world many National CBR Networks.
At present three larger continental (regional) networks are under development or expansion including the CBR Africa Network (CAN), CBR America Network (RED de RBC de las Américas y el Caribe) and the CBR Asia-Pacific Network. One of the main outcomes of the CBR Asia-Pacific Congress was to form the CBR Asia-Pacific Network.
The 1st CBR Asia Pacific Congress provided a great opportunity to form the general body of the CBR Asia-Pacific Network who eventually would meet and elect their executive body and take the CBR Asia-Pacific Network forward. The initial purpose of the CBR Asia-Pacific Network was to promote and strengthen CBR across the continent and in countries; mobilize resources, organize trainings and support information exchange.
Twenty-four country representatives have nominated and selected among CBR promoters/implementers/practitioners, including persons with disabilities, taking gender equity, organizational and regional diversity into consideration. The country representatives of the Network held their first meeting immediately after the Congress. Members present in the meeting have taken the responsibility to form the CBR Asia-Pacific Network, draft a constitution, draw a future plan of actions and take it forward (as a continuation of dialogue) with support from the Asia-Pacific Center on Disability (APCD) as the secretariat of the Network.
Physical therapy (PT), also known as physiotherapy, is a healthcare profession, as well as the care provided by physical therapists who promote, maintain, or restore health through patient education, physical intervention, disease prevention, and health promotion. Physical therapist is the term used for such professionals in the United States, and physiotherapist is the term used in many other countries.
Kinesiology is the scientific study of human body movement. Kinesiology addresses physiological, anatomical, biomechanical, pathological, neuropsychological principles and mechanisms of movement. Applications of kinesiology to human health include biomechanics and orthopedics; strength and conditioning; sport psychology; motor control; skill acquisition and motor learning; methods of rehabilitation, such as physical and occupational therapy; and sport and exercise physiology. Studies of human and animal motion include measures from motion tracking systems, electrophysiology of muscle and brain activity, various methods for monitoring physiological function, and other behavioral and cognitive research techniques.
The International Foundation for Electoral Systems (IFES) is an international, non-profit organisation founded in 1987. Based in Arlington, Virginia, United States, the organization assists and supports elections and electoral stakeholders. Since 1987, IFES has worked in 145 countries and has programs in more than 50 countries throughout Asia-Pacific, Africa, Eurasia, the Middle East, and North Africa, and the Americas.
The Asia-Pacific Scout Region is the divisional office of the World Scout Bureau of the World Organization of the Scout Movement, headquartered in Makati, Philippines, with satellite offices in Australia and Japan. The Asia-Pacific Region services Scouting in the land area of Asia south of Siberia and east of Central Asia, eastern Eurasia including Russia and the bulk of the Pacific Basin, with the exception of the Federated States of Micronesia, the Marshall Islands and Palau, which are under the Interamerican Region by way of the Aloha Council of the Boy Scouts of America.
In 2003 and following years, initiatives were instituted to improve internet access for people with disabilities in the Philippines. These measures were inspired by the UNESCAP "Asia-Pacific Decade for Disabled Persons" (1993–2002). Key organizations included the government body National Council for the Welfare of Disabled Persons (Philippines) and the private sector body Philippine Web Accessibility Group (PWAG). The "Disabled Friendly Website Awards" were launched to encourage web designers to incorporate universal access. Since 2009 unhampered access to Information and Communications Technology (ICT) has been in the second National Human Rights Action Plan of the Philippine government.
Disabled Peoples' International (DPI) is a cross disability, consumer controlled international non-governmental organization (INGO) headquartered in Ottawa, Ontario, Canada, and with regional offices in Asia-Pacific, the Middle East, Europe, Africa, Latin America, and North America and the Caribbean. DPI is a network of national organizations or assemblies of disabled people, established in 1980–81 to promote the human rights of disabled people through full participation, equalization of opportunity and development. DPI assists organisations in over 152 nations with the day to day issues of helping disabled people. They also host assemblies and symposiums across the world with their different national branches.
Christian Blind Mission (CBM) is an international Christian development organization, committed to improving the quality of life of persons with disabilities in the poorest communities of the world. It is considered one of the world's oldest and largest organizations working in this field.
Bangladesh Rehabilitation Centre for Trauma Victims is a Bangladeshi NGO, working in the area of rehabilitation of trauma victims. It was established in 1992. BRCT began its journey by providing medical treatment, legal support, and rehabilitation to the victims on 25 February 1992 with support from foreign medical experts.
The Philippines' National Council on Disability Affairs (NCDA) is the national government agency mandated to formulate policies and coordinate the activities of all agencies, whether public or private, concerning disability issues and concerns. As such, the NCWDP is the lead agency tasked to steer the course of program development for persons with disabilities and the delivery of services to the sector.
Supported employment refers to service provisions wherein people with disabilities, including intellectual disabilities, mental health, and traumatic brain injury, among others, are assisted with obtaining and maintaining employment. Supported employment is considered to be one form of employment in which wages are expected, together with benefits from an employer in a competitive workplace, though some versions refer to disability agency paid employment. Companies such as Skilcraft in the United States are an example of "supported employment" which is defined in law for state and federal reimbursements.
Knowbility is an American non-governmental organization based in Austin, Texas, working to support the independence and empowerment of people with disabilities by promoting the use and improving the availability of accessible information technology. Its mission is to create an inclusive digital world for people of all abilities. Knowbility's signature program is the Accessibility Internet Rally, a web-building competition that brings together volunteer web designers to create accessible websites for nonprofit organizations and artists that serve communities all over the world.
Physical therapy education varies greatly from country to country. Worldwide, physical therapy training ranges from basic work site education in hospitals and outpatient clinics to professional doctoral degree and masters programs.
Social protection, as defined by the United Nations Research Institute for Social Development, is concerned with preventing, managing, and overcoming situations that adversely affect people's well-being. Social protection consists of policies and programs designed to reduce poverty and vulnerability by promoting efficient labour markets, diminishing people's exposure to risks, and enhancing their capacity to manage economic and social risks, such as unemployment, exclusion, sickness, disability, and old age. It is one of the targets of the United Nations Sustainable Development Goal 10 aimed at promoting greater equality.
Care Society was founded on 9 November 1998 in the Maldives, the largest non-profit organization in the Maldives. Since its inception, it has served in various fields of humanitarian work. Care also played a key role in post-tsunami relief operations in the Maldives.
The White House Initiative on Asian Americans, Native Hawaiians, and Pacific Islanders (WHIAANHPI) is a United States governmental office that coordinates an ambitious whole-of-government approach to advance equity, justice, and opportunity for Asian Americans, Native Hawaiians, and Pacific Islanders. The Initiative collaborates with the Deputy Assistant to the President and AA and NHPI Senior Liaison, White House Office of Public Engagement and designated federal departments and agencies to advance equity, justice, and opportunity for AA and NHPIs in the areas of economic development, education, health and human services, housing, environment, arts, agriculture, labor and employment, transportation, justice, veterans affairs, and community development.
Diane Kingston, is a human rights defender and international development specialist. She is the Global Technical Lead for Disability Rights and Equalities Sightsavers and a volunteer for Shout- the mental health crisis text service
Malcolm Peat, MBE was a Canadian academic. He was a Professor Emeritus of Queen's University. He was a pioneer in the development of Physical Therapy and Rehabilitation academically in Canada and was responsible for the design, development, implementation and evaluation of disability and rehabilitation practices throughout the world. He was the first Canadian physical therapist to obtain a doctoral qualification and to assume Directorship of a Canadian university school of rehabilitation, and the first to develop and implement university graduate studies in Rehabilitation in Canada.
The South Asia Partnership Pakistan (SAP-PK) is a registered with the Government of Pakistan and functions under the Societies Registration Act 1860. non-governmental organization working in Pakistan.
Around 35,000 people in Belize have a disability. There are efforts to raise awareness about people with disabilities in Belize and counter social stigma. Several non-governmental organizations, including Special Olympics, help increase awareness and the government sponsors an annual Disability Week. Services for people with disabilities is limited and most areas of the country have limited accessibility.
Disability in Kenya "results from the interaction between individuals with a health condition with personal and environmental factors including negative attitudes, inaccessible transport and public buildings, and limited social support. A person's environment has a huge effect on the experience and extent of disability." Having a disability can limit a citizen's access to basic resources, basic human rights, and social, political and economic participation in Kenyan society. There are three forms of limitation of access linked to disability: impairment, disability, and handicap. An impairment is "the loss or abnormality of psychological, physiological or anatomical structure or function." A disability results from an impairment as "the restriction or lack of ability to perform an activity in the manner considered normal for a human being", and the requirement for accommodation. Finally, a handicap "results from a disability, and limits or prevents the fulfilment of a role that is normal for that individual."