Local Organizations of Persons with Disabilities (OPDs) play a critical role in advocating for the rights and inclusion of people with disabilities at the community level, particularly in the event of an emergency. Yet, OPD engagement in humanitarian coordination mechanisms is not yet formalized and systematically monitored or evaluated and as a result their representation, participation, contributions, risks and challenges are often not documented. While the IASC adopted Guidance on Strengthening Participation, Representation and Leadership of Local and National Actors in Humanitarian Coordination Mechanisms, which includes indicators to track participation of local and national OPDs, there has remained a lack of a clear definition of local and national OPDs to track their participation.

In order to better identify and monitor their engagement in humanitarian coordination mechanisms, the Reference Group on the Inclusion of Persons with Disabilities in Humanitarian Action (DRG) developed an operational definition to elaborate on what criteria should be considered for an organization to be considered a local or national OPD. The operational definition builds on General Comment 7 of the Committee on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities , which monitors compliance with the Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities (CRPD) and was developed in consultation with members of the DRG), including with OPD members.

Find below OPD Definition in English, Spanish and French.