Bangladesh disability policy officials and civil society representatives explored South Korea’s experience in promoting community-based independent living and the rights of persons with disabilities during a 10-day training program in the country.
The training highlighted the importance of strengthening collaboration among organizations of persons with disabilities (OPDs) and other stakeholders in advancing independent living in Bangladesh, improving accessibility and reasonable accommodation, promoting universal design, and strengthening personal assistance, caregiver and peer-support systems.
The Bangladesh participants also explored ways to increase the meaningful participation of persons with disabilities in local-level planning and decision-making and to generate stronger evidence for monitoring and implementing the UN Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities (CRPD).
The 2026 UN CRPD Training for the Asia-Pacific, hosted by the Korea Disability Policy Development Institute (KODDI), was held from September 6 to 15 in Seoul and Gyeonggi Province under the theme “Transition to Community-Based Independent Living.”
The program brought together 16 government officials and civil society representatives from Bangladesh and Nepal, including officials involved in implementing the UN CRPD and representatives of OPDs.
For the Bangladesh participants, the training provided an opportunity to examine Korea’s approaches to implementing Article 19 of the CRPD, which recognizes the equal right of persons with disabilities to live independently and be included in the community.
The participants learned about Korea’s community-based support systems, community transition policies, housing support, services for persons with developmental disabilities and family support services for children with disabilities.
The program combined expert lectures, interactive sessions, field visits and country action-plan development. Participants visited disability support and independent living facilities to gain firsthand experience of community-based services and housing support in Korea.
The training also included discussions on choice and support, Korea’s disability policy and community support systems, and the practical implementation of independent living.
Participants received guidance on developing country-specific action plans and presented their plans for discussion and feedback.
Speaking about the program, KODDI President Lee Kyoung-hae said the training provided an opportunity for disability policy officials and civil society experts from Bangladesh and Nepal to develop concrete action plans for applying the principles of the UN CRPD in their respective countries.
