
About Us
Established in 1981, the International Year of Disabled Persons, Disabled Peoples’ International (DPI) was the world’s first successful cross-disability endeavor to convert the talk about full and equal participation of persons with disabilities into action. Till today, 41 years after it was formed, DPI continues to be the world’s ONLY cross-disability Global Disabled Peoples’ Organization (DPO).
DPI is headquartered in Ottawa, Canada, and has a presence in 139 countries through its Member National Assemblies (MNAs) spanning across 7 regions: Africa, Arab, Asia-Pacific, CIS, Europe, Latin America, and North America & Caribbean. The MNAs are focused on capacity building, and empowerment of people with disabilities in their countries, and over half of them are based in the developing world.
DPI’s goal is to achieve full participation of ALL persons with disabilities in the mainstream of life, through the promotion and protection of their human rights. DPI’s focus is particularly on those in developing countries who form 80 percent of the world’s one billion people with disabilities and 20 percent of the world’s poorest and most disadvantaged people. DPI also has Special Consultative Status with the United Nations Economic and Social Council (UN ECOSOC) since 1983.
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Giving Voice To People With Disabilities
TESTIMONIALS

“CBM Global Disability Inclusion is pleased to have partnered with DPI over the last several years in different areas. In particular we work closely with Dr. Mohammed Ali Loutfy via the Stakeholder Group of Persons with Disabilities in the 2030 Agenda processes, including the High-level Political Forum, Financing for Development, the SDG data processes, and other areas. Furthermore, annually since 2018, we have collaborated and co-organized side events at the Conference of States Parties to the CRPD. It is a partnership that we deeply value.”David Bainbridge,
Executive Director, CBM Global Disability Inclusion

“DPI was essential in establishing the Zero Project-Social Indicator Model, an instrument for measuring the implementation of the CRPD through the lens of civil society. DPI proved to be a committed cooperation partner, and also being able to engage with their members, a unique community of grassroots-organizations, self-advocates and DPOs globally.”Michael Fembek
Director, Zero Project
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