Since its inception, TCI exists to enhance the pedagogy and practice of Article 19 of the CRPD on the right of persons with psychosocial disabilities to live independently and be included in communities. Community Inclusion is not only a vision or a value; for TCI, it has become an emerging Community of Practice through the work of its members and organizations.
The CRPD breathed life into a new human right (Article 19): the Right to Live Independently and be Included in the community. All persons with disabilities will live in the community and be included to live independently and to participate on an equal basis with others. Article 19 invites an inclusive world for everybody, not just persons with disabilities. Article 19 of the CRPD, read along with other articles, mandates:
- That Persons with disabilities have the right to choose their place of residence, and who they want to live with;
- That some places where they are most often found (e.g. shelter homes, rehab centers, halfway homes, mental institutions, etc.) are not ‘places of residence’;
- That, all services be close to their place of residence;
- That, they have access to all mainstream or general services on an equal basis with others; as well as all disability-specific services as per the diversity of needs faced by persons with disabilities.
TCI’s programs and advocacy, developed over the years, have been a step in the direction of ensuring that all rights of persons with psychosocial disabilities are respected, protected, and upheld, in line with the CRPD, on an equal basis with others. TCI has worked with its core member organizations and supported them with microgrants, fellowships, OPD support grants, technical assistance, and mentorship, for building, enhancing, and strengthening community support systems and inclusion practices, training on community inclusion, and gathering good practices on building community support systems for inclusion and preventing institutionalization. In recent times, owing to the relentless advocacy by our movement, we have been witnessing the taking up of community inclusion as a policy agenda in many circles.
Bali Declaration
Persons with psychosocial disabilities and cross-disability supporters from 21 countries of the Asia Pacific region adopted the “Bali Declaration” at the TCI Asia’s Bali plenary meeting, in Bali, Indonesia (27-29 August 2018). Bali Declaration covers development themes, the status of our inclusion, and specific requests for future change. Thematic areas include Housing, social protection, public financing, gender, support systems, peer support, comprehensive health care, expanding choice in recovery, etc.
Addis Declaration
Persons with psychosocial disabilities and organizations from 5 countries in East Africa region met in Addis Ababa on July 26, 2022 at the East Africa Subregional Convening, organized by Transforming Communities for Inclusion – Global in partnership with CIC-Kenya, TRIUMPH, RDDF and UNSAI, and developed the “Addis Declaration”, through a consultative process. Participants discussed and shared the barriers they face concerning their identity, incapacitating laws, lack of social protection mechanisms, community support for independent living, housing, barriers to work and employment, political participation etc. A mutually derived and approved list of barriers and recommendations was then officially adopted by the present plenary members and named the ‘Addis Declaration’. TCI Positionality on Community Inclusion:
TCI, as a global OPD, the largest representative voice of persons with psychosocial disabilities and varying identities thereof, with a membership spread across Asia Pacific, Africa, Latin America, the UK, and Canada, lays down our positionality on community inclusion through this paper.
Photostory-Transforming Communities for Inclusion: Examples of Practices:
A Grassroot Conclave was held in collaboration with Bapu Trust, one of TCI’s oldest founding members, in April 2023. This conclave resulted in the development of a photo story displaying an inventory of inclusion practices, which turned out to be an insightful and useful resource for our movement, globally. This resource was well received by various stakeholders and gave out the message that inclusion can be practiced in vibrant, colorful, playful, and locally informed ways of being and living.