The Global Coalition on Deinstitutionalization (GC-DI) is a collection of eight of the leading international organizations of persons with disabilities and civil society organizations, formed around the collective goal of promoting the right to independent living and inclusion in the community for persons with disabilities, under Article 19 of the Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities.

GC-DI was formed in June 2021 with the objective of supporting persons with disabilities worldwide to participate in a process of developing international Guidelines on Deinstitutionalization, including in Emergencies, by the CRPD Committee at their 23rd session (see the announcement here). Our organizations provided support for a series of regional consultation events organized by the CRPD Committee in early 2021 (read more here).

GC-DI wants to support the widest possible participation by persons with disabilities, including those most affected by institutionalization, to be involved in commenting on the CRPD Committee’s draft Guidelines, which were published during May 2022 (see the official announcement here).

Current membership

The International Disability Alliance (IDA) is an Alliance of 14 global and regional organisations of persons with disabilities. Together, the IDA Members promote the rights of persons with disabilities across the United Nations’ efforts to advance human rights and sustainable development. IDA supports organisations of persons with disabilities to hold their governments to account and advocate for change locally, nationally and internationally. Website: http://www.internationaldisabilityalliance.org

Inclusion International (II) is the global network of people with intellectual disabilities and their families. We represent over 200 organisations in 115 countries. For over 60 years, II has been committed to the promotion of the human rights of people with intellectual disabilities, focusing on key issues including access to inclusive education, legal capacity, independent living, and self-advocacy. At the global level and at the national and local level through its membership, II advocates for the inclusion of people with disabilities into their communities, as valued neighbours and Citizens. Website: https://inclusion-international.org/

Transforming Communities for Inclusion (TCI) is a global Organisation of persons with psychosocial disabilities [an OPD]. TCI forecasts a future in which all human rights and full freedoms of persons with psychosocial disabilities are realized. We contribute to the realization of the CRPD by elaborating on the pedagogy and the practice of Article 19 of the CRPD (Right to Living Independently and being included in Communities). We advocate for the practice of Inclusion and dream to see it manifest in all national policies and laws of the world. Website: https://www.tci-global.org/

The European Network on Independent Living (ENIL) is an international network of disabled people, with members throughout Europe. ENIL is a forum for all disabled people, Independent Living organizations and their non-disabled allies on the issues of Independent Living. ENIL represents the disability movement for human rights and social inclusion based on solidarity, peer support, deinstitutionalization, democracy, self-representation, cross disability and self-determination. Website: www.enil.eu

Disability Rights International (DRI) is a human rights advocacy organization dedicated to the protection and full community inclusion of children and adults with disabilities worldwide. DRI documents human rights violations, educates and engages the public through media campaigns, trains and supports activists working to bring change, and conducts strategic litigation to enforce the rights of people with disabilities. DRI’s Worldwide Campaign to End the Institutionalization of Children is dedicated to promoting the recognition and enforcement of the right of all children to live and grow up with a family and not in any form of institution, orphanage, or group home. DRI is an organization led by people with disabilities and their families. Website: www.driadvocacy.org

The Disability Rights Unit at the Centre for Human Rights, University of Pretoria, is committed to finding evidence-based ways of addressing the rights of persons with disabilities on the African continent. This includes conducting research on international disability rights standards and instruments, building capacity among governments, national human rights institutions, academia, civil society and communities, and engaging with judicial, quasi-judicial and non-judicial redress mechanisms. Website: www.chr.up.ac.za/units/disability-rights-unit

The Validity Foundation – Mental Disability Advocacy Centre is an international non-governmental human rights organisation which uses legal strategies to promote, protect and defend the human rights of persons with intellectual disabilities and persons with psychosocial disabilities in Europe and Africa. Validity holds special consultative status with ECOSOC and participatory status at the Council of Europe. Website: www.validity.ngo