U.S./Pakistan Disability Leadership Professional Exchange Program

Program Sponsor

The U.S./Pakistan professional program is sponsored by the Public Affairs Section of the U.S. Embassy in Islamabad, Pakistan. The program is also made possible with contributions from MIUSA, STEP, and the Eugene/Springfield communities of Oregon, USA.

Program Details

When: May 14 - 28, 2013

Where: Eugene, Oregon, USA

Program Goals:

• To build the leadership capacity of people with disabilities in Pakistan
• To strengthen the capacity of organizations to effectively empower people with disabilities in Pakistan
• To promote mutual understanding and respect between the people of the United States of America and Pakistan
  

Delegation:

Twenty mid-level professionals and leaders with and without disabilities from Pakistan participate in a 14-day intensive program in the U.S. that builds their skills and capacity to lead organizations for the empowerment of women, men, and children with disabilities throughout their country.

Participants include women and men with and without disabilities who are committed to strengthening cross-cultural understanding and respect between the people of Pakistan and the people of the United States of America.

The delegates come from diverse areas of Pakistan. Many live in the capital city of Islamabad as well as Peshawar. Others come from as far south as Quetta and as far north as Kashmir.

Yellow circles on the map indicate where in Pakistan delegates come from. Most circles represent one delegate, while larger circles represent 2, 3 or 4 delegates.

Organizations represented among the delegation include: 

• Chiragh_e_Manzil Welfare of Disabled Person
• Comprehensive Health & Education Forum (CHEF)
• Development Organization for Underprivileged Areas (DOUA)
  
• Empower Pak (EP)
• GRACE Association Pakistan
• Hassan Academy Special Education
• Milestone Society for the Special Persons
• Movement for Independence of Disabled (MID)
• Our Voice (Society for the Special Persons)
• Policy Research & Development Organization (PRAND)
• Prime Life Organization
• Sightsavers (Royal Commonwealth Society for the Blind UK)
• Sir Syed Deaf Association
• Society for Promotion of Education & Employment for Disabled (SPEED)
• Special Life Foundation (SLF)
• Special Talent Exchange Program (STEP)
• The Special Ones (TSO)

Program Overview

Designed to address the most critical issues for the inclusion of people with disabilities in society, the program offers delegates an opportunity to develop tools and explore capacity building techniques and plans in the fields of:

• Inclusive education
  
• Inclusive international development and emergency response/disaster relief
• Women's rights
• Policy implementation
• Community-based rehabilitation and independent living

The program also fosters cross-cultural understanding between the people of Pakistan and the U.S. through a host family experience whereby delegates live alongside a U.S. family to exchange language, culture, food, and global perspectives.