2.  Disabled people’s organizations (DPOs) are organisations that are
established, governed, and managed by people with disabilities.
 They represent the voice and interests of people with disabilities
at the international to local community level with a commitment to
the overall development of all.
 There are two types of DPOs: those organizations formed to
represent all types of disabilities, and those that focus on one type
of disability.

3.  ‘Disabled Persons’ Organisation’ (DPO’s) is an organisation
controlled by a majority of persons with disabilities at the board
and membership levels which provide the opportunity to develop
skills in the negotiation process, organizational abilities, mutual
support, information sharing and other vocational skills and
opportunities.
 ‘Self-help groups (SHG)’ are usually informal clubs or
associations of people who choose to come together to find ways
to improve their life situations. One of the most useful roles for a
self-help group is to provide its members with opportunities to
save and borrow and it can act as a channel for formal banking
services to reach their members.

4.  DPOs are bigger and more structured
version of SHGs. DPOs focus more widely
on influencing policy and resource
allocation.
 By working together, SHGs and DPOs are
able to meet the needs of people with
disabilities at the local and wider level,
and in the short and long-term.

5. “DPOs are significantly different to other
organizations. They are run and controlled by
disabled people and represent a distinct and
specific community within civil society”.

6. 1. Facilitate people with disability in discovering,
formulating and defining the problem of powerlessness.
2. Provide the setting in which alternative explanations
regarding the causes and dynamics of powerlessness are
generated.
3. Facilitate the decision-making process with respect to
the identification and removal of obstacles to learning,
growth and participation,

7. 4. Facilitate the implementation of individual
as well as group action decisions, and
5. Enable individuals to monitor or get
feedback on the results of their own
actions and the reactions from other parts
of the social system.

8. Initially a few people with disabilities come together and
form a group.
They work to increase membership and draw up a
constitution.
They register as a legal entity.
The membership becomes the General Body of the
organization.

9. The General Body elects a Governing Body.
The Governing Body elects office bearers.
 The office-bearers include president, secretary
and treasurer. They are the legal holders of the
organization.

11.  People with disabilities are their own best
spokespersons.
 They best know the needs and aspirations
of disabled people.They will represent
themselves to governments, service
providers, and the public.

12.  DPO arise in response to a group of people's
perception that there are barriers to
participation for disabled people in society
that need to be addressed.
 DPO are based on the needs and aspirations
developed by the disabled grassroots
community. It is disabled people who must
identify their own needs and how to meet them.

13.  DPO also hold open forums to discuss
issues of concern to disabled persons.
 The forums help disabled people to
identify the barriers to their participation
in each area and formulate strategies for
changes.

14.  DPO provides opportunity to develop
people's skills in the negotiation process,
team management, decision making,
management. It also provide a forum for
mutual support, while the above skills are
being developed.

15.  DPO at all levels, are a vehicle for mutual
support and solidarity. Disabled people
who belong to these groups find that they
have a common purpose, that of
promoting their right to live as citizens in
society.This common purpose engenders
feelings of mutual support and solidarity
in a common cause.

16.  DPO provide the opportunity for disabled
people to share ideas and information, at
the international, national, state and
community levels.
 Leadership Training Programmes, Seminars
and regional meetings provides forums for
formal an informal information exchange
and development of the organization.

17.  DPO can create public awareness about
the needs, aspirations and abilities of
people with disabilities.This awareness
is promoted through many of the
activities of disabled people's
organizations: lobbying government,
publishing a newsletter, speaking in the
media, conferences, etc.

18.  DPO play the role of initiators of self-help
projects aimed at integrating disabled
people into the mainstream of society.
 DPO gives disabled people the
opportunity to learn skills which would
benefit them in the employment market.

19.  Work for empowerment of persons with
disabilities in community
 Work for protection of rights and full
participation in community
 Work for livelihood programmes for
persons with disability in community
 Work for providing therapeutic services
at community level by the DPO members

20.  Work for making barrier free environment
through their active participation
 Work as information center regarding various
Policies and Rights provided by government
to person with disability.
 Organizing camps and cultural programmes for
the persons with disability at community level
 To work towards inclusive society.