IDA currently comprises eight global and three regional organizations of persons with disabilities (DPOs):
Disabled Peoples’ International (DPI) is a network of national organizations or assemblies of disabled people, established to promote human rights of disabled people through full participation, equalization of opportunities and development.
Inclusion International (II) is a grassroots organization of persons with an intellectual disability and their families which advocates with its member societies in over 115 countries for the inclusion of people who have an intellectual disability in all aspects of their communities, based on shared values of respect, diversity, human rights, solidarity and inclusion.
International Federation of Hard of Hearing People (IFHOH) is an international non-governmental organization of national associations of and for hard of hearing and late deafened people. IFHOH provides a platform for co-operation and information exchange among its members and interested parties. As an umbrella organization and through its individual organizations, IFHOH works to promote greater understanding of hearing loss issues and to improve access for hard of hearing people worldwide. Established in 1977 as a registered non-profit organization, IFHOH currently has 47 general and associate members in 30 countries.
Rehabilitation International (RI) Founded in 1922, RI is a global network of people with disabilities, service providers, researchers, government agencies and advocates promoting and implementing the rights, inclusion and rehabilitation of people with disabiliites. RI is currently composed of over 700 member organizations in nearly 100 nations, in all regions of the world.
The World Blind Union (WBU) is the sole voice speaking on behalf of approximately 160 million blind and partially sighted persons in 178 individual member countries, representing approximately 600 organizations. The WBU advocates for human rights of persons who are blind and partially sighted and seeks to strengthen their organisations and advance the participation of all persons who are blind and partially sighted including women and youth.
World Federation of the Deaf (WFD) is the international non-governmental organization representing Deaf people worldwide. A non-profit organization, WFD works for human rights and equal opportunities for Deaf people everywhere.
World Federation of Deafblind (WFDB) is a non-profit, representative organization of national organizations or groups of deafblind persons and of deafblind individuals worldwide. The aim of WFDB is to be a forum of exchange of knowledge and experiences amongst deafblind persons and to obtain inclusion and full participation of deafblind persons in all areas of society.
The World Network of Users and Survivors of Psychiaty (WNUSP) is a democratic organization of users and survivors of psychiatry that represents this constituency at the global level. In its Statutes, “users and survivors of psychiatry”
are self-defined as people who have experienced madness and/or mental
health problems, or who have used or survived mental health services. Founded in 1991, WNUSP currently has members in over 50 countries, spanning every region of the world.
Arab Organization of Disabled People (AODP) is an independent non-profit organization founded in 1989 in Cairo, Egypt. It is a regional organization composed of DPOs operating in the different Arab Countries. AODP’s main objectives are to promote the rights of people with disabilities, to empower people with disabilities and to represent Arab people with disabilities in the world at large.
European Disability Forum (EDF) is an independent European non-governmental organization (ENGO) that represents the interests of 50 million disabled people in the European Union and stands for their rights. It was created in 1996 and is based in Brussels
Membership of IDA is open to international organizations meeting the following criteria:
A global umbrella structure, comprising member organizations from individual countries
Persons with disabilities have a majority in the governing body of the organization, including its general assembly
Representative in nature, with leadership elected by members
Organizational structure constituted through democratic processes
Membership of IDA is open to regional organizations meeting the following criteria:
A regional structure open to membership and inclusive of all regional organizations of international IDA members as well as representative national umbrella organizations of persons with disabilities
Where IDA organizations are not represented in a region, the regional structure commits to support and promote the establishment of regional organizations in collaboration with the international IDA members concerned, and work for the membership and inclusion of those organizations in the regional structure
Persons with disabilities have a majority in the governing body of the organization, including its general assembly
Representative in nature, with leadership elected by members
Organizational structure constituted through democratic processes
IDA Member Organizations
IDA currently comprises eight global and three regional organizations of persons with disabilities (DPOs):
Disabled Peoples’ International (DPI) is a network of national organizations or assemblies of disabled people, established to promote human rights of disabled people through full participation, equalization of opportunities and development.
Inclusion International (II) is a grassroots organization of persons with an intellectual disability and their families which advocates with its member societies in over 115 countries for the inclusion of people who have an intellectual disability in all aspects of their communities, based on shared values of respect, diversity, human rights, solidarity and inclusion.
International Federation of Hard of Hearing People (IFHOH) is an international non-governmental organization of national associations of and for hard of hearing and late deafened people. IFHOH provides a platform for co-operation and information exchange among its members and interested parties. As an umbrella organization and through its individual organizations, IFHOH works to promote greater understanding of hearing loss issues and to improve access for hard of hearing people worldwide. Established in 1977 as a registered non-profit organization, IFHOH currently has 47 general and associate members in 30 countries.
Rehabilitation International (RI) Founded in 1922, RI is a global network of people with disabilities, service providers, researchers, government agencies and advocates promoting and implementing the rights, inclusion and rehabilitation of people with disabiliites. RI is currently composed of over 700 member organizations in nearly 100 nations, in all regions of the world.
The World Blind Union (WBU) is the sole voice speaking on behalf of approximately 160 million blind and partially sighted persons in 178 individual member countries, representing approximately 600 organizations. The WBU advocates for human rights of persons who are blind and partially sighted and seeks to strengthen their organisations and advance the participation of all persons who are blind and partially sighted including women and youth.
World Federation of the Deaf (WFD) is the international non-governmental organization representing Deaf people worldwide. A non-profit organization, WFD works for human rights and equal opportunities for Deaf people everywhere.
World Federation of Deafblind (WFDB) is a non-profit, representative organization of national organizations or groups of deafblind persons and of deafblind individuals worldwide. The aim of WFDB is to be a forum of exchange of knowledge and experiences amongst deafblind persons and to obtain inclusion and full participation of deafblind persons in all areas of society.
The World Network of Users and Survivors of Psychiaty (WNUSP) is a democratic organization of users and survivors of psychiatry that represents this constituency at the global level. In its Statutes, “users and survivors of psychiatry”
are self-defined as people who have experienced madness and/or mental
health problems, or who have used or survived mental health services. Founded in 1991, WNUSP currently has members in over 50 countries, spanning every region of the world.
Arab Organization of Disabled People (AODP) is an independent non-profit organization founded in 1989 in Cairo, Egypt. It is a regional organization composed of DPOs operating in the different Arab Countries. AODP’s main objectives are to promote the rights of people with disabilities, to empower people with disabilities and to represent Arab people with disabilities in the world at large.
European Disability Forum (EDF) is an independent European non-governmental organization (ENGO) that represents the interests of 50 million disabled people in the European Union and stands for their rights. It was created in 1996 and is based in Brussels
The Latin American Network of Non-Governmental Organizations of Persons with Disabilities and their Families (RIADIS) is a network formed by organizations of persons with disabilities from 19 countries in Latin America and the Caribbean. Formed in 2002, RIADIS represents more than 60 national organizations as well as several NGOs acting as technical collaborators.
Membership Criteria
Membership of IDA is open to international organizations meeting the following criteria:
Membership of IDA is open to regional organizations meeting the following criteria: