HPD-O was formed as an Organization of Persons with disability(OPD) on 6 December 1994 in the founding meeting of its seven members who signed and endorsed its very first Bylaw. The majority of the founders where persons with disabilities which isthe guiding policy of the organization for the realization of the effective leadership consisted of persons with diasibilities to ensure majority. Consistent with and in realization of this organizational nature, it has been the guiding policy of the organization to ensure majority.
membership of PWDs and leadership of and by PWDs, in all its governing structures: General Assembly (GA), Managing Board, and Secretariat.
This policy is consistent with the requirement of majority membership of PWDs for an OPD that has been enshrined in the Policy Guidelines for Inclusive Sustainable Development Goals Foundations (Advanced Version) of the UN Human Rights Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights issued in 2020. As a result, HPDO stands out to be one of OPDs in Ethiopia likely to be consulted with and actively involved by the government in the process of the development and implementation of all polices and legislations as well as in all decision-making process that affect PWDs (UNCRPD,2006, Art. 4.3)
HPDO was established as an Organization of Persons with Disabilities (OPD) on 6 December 1994 during the founding meeting of its seven members, who signed and endorsed the organization’s first Bylaw. The majority of the founders were persons with disabilities, reflecting the organization’s guiding principle of ensuring the effective leadership and representation of persons with disabilities.
The majority membership and leadership of persons with disabilities are ensured across all governing structures of the organization, including the General Assembly (GA), Managing Board, and Secretariat.
This policy is consistent with the principle of majority representation of persons with disabilities within OPDs, as recognized in the Policy Guidelines for Inclusive Sustainable Development Goals Foundations (Advanced Version) issued in 2020 by the Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights.
As a result, HPDO is recognized as one of the OPDs in Ethiopia that can actively engage with and be consulted by the government in the development and implementation of policies, legislation, and decision-making processes affecting the lives of persons with disabilities, in line with Article 4(3) of the United Nations Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities (UNCRPD, 2006).