Who we are
Our network

OUR network

An alliance of 14 networks, made up of 5,500 organisations of persons with disabilities in 182 countries

IDA is a global alliance of OPD networks working together to advance disability rights worldwide. Through our members, we connect global advocacy with grassroots priorities and regional leadership.

A colourful collage of people with disabilities, including a wheelchair user ,a little woman. and a deaf man with an interpreter.

@ Rosemary Hodkiewicz

A diverse crowd at a disability rights demonstration outdoors. There are wheelchair users, blind people, and deaf people and persons without disabilities.

@ Rosemary Hodkiewicz

Our alliance spans regions and disability constituencies, bringing together diverse expertise and representative legitimacy to influence international processes and support national change.

IDA’s strength comes from the collective leadership of its members. Together, we shape priorities, coordinate advocacy, share knowledge, and build momentum for systems change.

Why the alliance model matters

The disability movement is strongest when it is organised, connected and resourced. IDA’s alliance model helps:

Amplify OPD voices in global decision-making
Connect global policy wins to national and local action
Support diverse OPD leadership, including women and youth with disabilities

Regional members

Regional Member

African Disability Forum (ADF)

The ADF is a continental forum to unify and amplify the voices of persons with disabilities, their families, and organisations in Africa at national, regional, and international levels, and strengthen the capacity of organisations of persons with disabilities in Africa to promote the rights and inclusion of persons with disabilities and their families.

This is a map showing disability organizations around the world. African Disability Forum represents 46 countries. Select this organization to access more information.

Countries: 46
More info: africandisabilityforum.org
Contact: info@adf-secretariat.org

Regional Member

Arab Organization of Persons with Disabilities (AOPD)

The AOPD is an independent, non-profit organisation founded in 1998 in Cairo, Egypt. It is a regional organisation comprised of OPDs operating in different Arab countries. AOPD’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.

This is a map showing disability organizations around the world. Arab Organization of Persons with Disabilities represents 16 countries. Select this organization to access more information.

Countries: 16

Regional Member

ASEAN Disability Forum (ASEAN-DF)

The ASEAN-DF is a network of OPDs in the ASEAN region of Southeast Asia. It is a platform for coordinating actions to advocate for disability-inclusive policy formulation and implementation. ADF works in all areas, advocating for the rights of people with disabilities and striving to include their perspectives within the ASEAN policy framework. The main goals are to represent the disability movement in the ASEAN region, provide opportunities for OPDs to build their advocacy and organisational capacities, and facilitate the sharing of mutual support and information.

This is a map showing disability organizations around the world. ASEAN Disability Forum represents 10 countries. Select this organization to access more information.

Countries: 11
More info: aseandisabilityforum.com
Contact: secretariat@aseandisabilityforum.com

Regional Member

European Disability Forum (EDF)

The EDF is an umbrella organisation representing over 100 million persons with disabilities across Europe and defending their interests. They are an independent non-governmental organisation that brings together representative organisations of persons with disabilities from across Europe. Run by persons with disabilities and their families, the EDF is a strong, united voice of persons with disabilities in Europe.

This is a map showing disability organizations around the world. European Disability Forum represents 45 countries. Select this organization to access more information.

Countries: 45
More info: edf-feph.org
Contact: edf-feph.org/edf-secretariat

Regional Member

Pacific Disability Forum (PDF)

The PDF is a constituency of 71 organisations of and for persons with disabilities and, and associate members representing diverse groups of persons with disabilities and their supporters in 22 Pacific Island countries and territories. The PDF was established in 2002 and officially inaugurated in 2004 to work towards inclusive, barrier-free, socially just, and gender-equitable societies that recognise the human rights, citizenship, contributions, and potential of persons with disabilities in Pacific Island Countries and territories.

This is a map showing disability organizations around the world. Pacific Disability Forum represents 22 countries. Select this organization to access more information.

Countries: 22
More info: https://pacificdisability.org

Regional Member

RIADIS- Latin American Network of Non-Governmental Organizations of Persons with Disabilities and their Families

RIADIS is a network representing 56 organisations, 39 full members, and 17 collaborators serving persons with different types of disabilities in 19 countries in Latin America and the Caribbean. Since 2002, RIADIS has represented national OPDs and several NGOs as technical collaborators. They work to promote and protect the rights of persons with disabilities in Latin America and the Caribbean, through the values of non-discrimination and inclusive development, to improve the quality of life and social inclusion of persons with disabilities and their families.

This is a map showing disability organizations around the world. RIADIS represents 19 countries. Select this organization to access more information.

Countries: 19
More info: www.riadis.org
Contact: riadis.org/contactenos/

African Disability Forum

46 countries

Arab Organization of Persons with Disabilities

16 countries

ASEAN Disability Forum

10 countries

European Disability Forum

45 countries

Pacific Disability Forum

22 countries

RIADIS

19 countries

DownSyndrome International

114 countries

Inclusion International

115 countries

InternationalFederation of Hard of Hearing People

24 countries

InternationalFederation for Spina Bifida and Hydrocephalus

88 countries

WorldBlind Union

190 countries

WorldFederation of the Deaf

133 countries

WorldFederation of Deafblind

67 countries

WorldNetwork of Users and Survivors of Psychiatry

72 countries

Global members

Global Member

Down Syndrome International (DSI)

The DSI is the global network of people with Down syndrome yndrome and their families, whose network includes people with Down syndrome and other disabilities, friends and family members, professionals, and organisations from around the world. They gather information about the lives of people with Down syndrome in various parts of the world and evidence and examples of good practice to understand what needs to change. Together, these voices are brought to the forefront to speak up for the human rights of all people with Down syndrome around the world.

This is a map showing disability organizations around the world. Down Syndrome International represents 114 countries. Select this organization to access more information.

Countries: 114
More info: https://ds-int.org
Contact: ds-int.org/contact-us

Global Member

Inclusion International (II)

II is a grassroots organisation of persons with intellectual disabilities and their families. Their mission is to create a world where people with intellectual disabilities and their families can participate and be valued equally in all areas of their lives within their communities. II serves member societies in over 115 countries. II champions the inclusion of people who have an intellectual disability in all aspects of their communities, grounded in shared values of respect, diversity, human rights, solidarity, and inclusion.

This is a map showing disability organizations around the world. Inclusion International represents 115 countries. Select this organization to access more information.

Countries: 115
More info: inclusion-international.org

Global Member

International Federation of Hard of Hearing People (IFHOH)

The IFHOH was established in 1977 as an international, non-governmental organisation, registered in Germany. IFHOH represents the interests of more than 466 million hard of hearing people worldwide. IFHOH has over 40 national member organisations from most regions of the world. IFHOH and its two regions, the European Federation of Hard of Hearing People (EFHOH) and the Asia Pacific Federation of HOH and Deafened People (APFHD), work to promote greater understanding of hearing loss issues and to improve access for hard of hearing people.

This is a map showing disability organizations around the world. International Federation of Hard of Hearing People represents 24 countries. Select this organization to access more information.

Countries: 24
More info: www.ifhoh.org
Contact: info@ifhoh.org

Global Member

International Federation for Spina Bifida and Hydrocephalus (IF)

The IF was founded by people with spina bifida and hydrocephalus (SBH) and their families in 1979. Over the years, it has grown from a voluntary association into a global professional organisation of persons with disabilities, with a democratic structure and transparent, accountable processes. They work to promote and protect the human rights of people with Spina Bifida and Hydrocephalus in accordance with the UN Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities.

This is a map showing disability organizations around the world. International Federation for Spina Bifida and Hydrocephalus represents 88 countries. Select this organization to access more information.

Countries: 88
More info: ifglobal.org
Contact: info@ifglobal.org

Global Member

World Blind Union (WBU)

The WBU is the sole voice representing approximately 253 million blind and partially sighted persons across 190 member countries. The WBU liaises with governments and international bodies on issues concerning blindness and low vision in conjunction with its members. WBU brings together all the major national and international organisations of blind persons and the organisations providing services to people with low vision to work on issues affecting the quality of life of blind people.

This is a map showing disability organizations around the world. World Blind Union represents 190 countries. Select this organization to access more information

Countries: 190
More info: wbu.ngo
Contact: info@wbu.ngo

Global Member

World Federation of the Deaf (WFD)

The WFD is an international, non-profit, and non-governmental organisation of deaf associations from 133 countries. As the representative body, the WFD works to ensure deaf people across the globe are equipped with the knowledge, tools, and strategies to advocate for, achieve, and defend their rights. They promote the human rights of deaf people in accordance with the principles and objectives of the United Nations Charter, the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, the UN CRPD, the 2030 Agenda and SDGs, and other human rights treaties.

This is a map showing disability organizations around the world. World Federation of the Deaf represents 133 countries. Select this organization to access more information.

Countries: 133
More info: wfdeaf.org
Contact: info@wfdeaf.org

Global Member

World Federation of Deafblind (WFDB)

The WFDB is a global non-governmental advocacy organisation by and for persons with deafblindness, aiming to improve the quality of life and protect the rights of this distinct disability group. Established in 2001, the WFDB today comprises 75 national and associated member organisations from 67 countries worldwide. WFDB aims to improve the quality of life of persons with deafblindness worldwide, to achieve their equal rights and opportunities in all areas of society, to serve as a worldwide forum for the exchange of knowledge and experiences in the field of deafblindness, and to increase international solidarity among organisations of persons with deafblindness.

This is a map showing disability organizations around the world. World Federation of Deafblind represents 67 countries. Select this organization to access more information

Countries: 67
More info: wfdb.eu
Contact: wfdb.eu/contact

Global Member

World Network of Users and Survivors of Psychiatry (WNUSP)

WNUSP is an international organisation of users and survivors of psychiatry and people with psychosocial disabilities. “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. WNUSP is an organisation run and governed entirely by users and survivors and is the only independent, global, grassroots organisation of persons with psychosocial disabilities. WNUSP advocates for the human rights of persons with psychosocial disabilities worldwide.

This is a map showing disability organizations around the world. World Network of Users and Survivors of Psychiatry represents 72 countries. Select this organization to access more information.

Countries: 72
More info: wnusp.wordpress.com
Contact: wnusp.wordpress.com/about/contact-wnusp/