Human Rights Advocacy (HRA):
NAB has been the forefront of disability rights advocacy in Nepal since its foundation, applying the principle of “nothing about us without us” and “leave no one behind” through a strong, representative structure that includes provincial, district, and municipal branches. NAB applies a twin-track approach to disability rights advocacy, combining targeted empowerment and support for persons with disabilities with mainstreaming disability inclusion across policies, programs, systems, and services. Under the targeted track, NAB strengthens the capacity of persons with visual impairments to understand, exercise, and claim their rights. NAB documents cases of human rights violations of visually impaired persons, including those with other disabilities, and facilitates their referral and reporting to relevant authorities, including local governments, police, and the National Human Rights Commission, supporting individuals in seeking protection, justice, and appropriate remedies. Under the mainstreaming track, NAB engages government institutions, duty bearers, and other stakeholders to fulfill their responsibilities towards disability inclusion and ensure that the rights and perspectives of persons with disabilities are reflected in policies, programs, services, and decision-making processes. NAB advocates for the implementation of disability rights in line with national and international laws, policies, and human rights instruments, while promoting the meaningful participation of persons with disabilities in decisions that affect their lives.
Organizational Development (OD):
NAB focuses on strengthening its institutional systems, governance structures, leadership, human resources, and organizational capacity to ensure that it functions as a strong, accountable, representative, and sustainable organization of persons with visual disabilities. As a national umbrella organization, NAB works to strengthen the capacity and functioning of its provincial committees and district-level and municipal-level member organizations by enhancing the knowledge of board members, staff, leaders, members, and volunteers on organizational policies, procedures, roles, responsibilities, and institutional practices. NAB also invests in leadership and organizational management capacity, enabling its leaders and staff to effectively manage organizational processes, make informed decisions, and contribute to the overall effectiveness and sustainability of their organizations.
NAB periodically conducts Organizational Capacity Assessments (OCAs) to identify institutional strengths, capacity gaps, and areas requiring further improvement within its structures and member organizations. The findings from these assessments inform organizational strengthening efforts and help NAB and its member organizations identify and work towards specific areas for improvement. NAB further strengthens its organizational network by supporting the expansion and institutional strengthening of local branches and member organizations, thereby enhancing their organizational presence, functionality, and linkages within the broader NAB network. It also builds the capacity of member organizations and their personnel in strategic planning, organizational development, partnership building, and collaboration, enabling them to strengthen their internal systems and organizational relationships.
To support continuous improvement and accountability, NAB conducts periodic monitoring and supportive visits to its structures and member organizations, providing technical guidance, reviewing organizational progress, identifying emerging gaps, and following up on areas identified for improvement. Through this continuous process of assessment, capacity strengthening, monitoring, and follow-up, NAB works towards developing well-governed, capable, accountable, connected, and sustainable organizations of persons with visual disabilities across Nepal.
Inclusive Education (IE):
NAB works to ensure accessible, quality, and inclusive education for blind and partially sighted learners at all levels, from early grades through university. Its interventions include school enrolment and screening campaigns, referral support, scholarships for visually impaired students pursuing higher education, and a dedicated girls hostel in Kathmandu to facilitate access to higher education for visually impaired women. NAB also strengthens the capacity of resource teachers, other teachers, and caregivers through relevant training and provides learners with required accessible learning materials and assistive devices. In partnership with the Department of Education, NAB provides Braille textbooks to blind and partially sighted students from Grades 1 to 12 across the country, supporting their access to the national curriculum and promoting equitable learning opportunities. NAB also monitors blind resource schools to promote quality and inclusive educational practices and advocates for inclusive education laws, policies, and programmes that uphold the rights of persons with disabilities. In addition, it advocates for the systematic collection and use of disability-disaggregated data to strengthen evidence-based planning and implementation of inclusive education.
Economic Empowerment (EE):
NAB promots the livelihoods and economic empowerment of persons with disabilities, with a particular focus on blind and partially sighted persons. Under this thematic area, NAB implements a comprehensive range of interventions to strengthen employment, self-employment, entrepreneurship, skills development, financial inclusion, and meaningful economic participation of persons with disabilities, particularly those with visual impairment. Its interventions include vocational and skills development training in various sectors, entrepreneurship support through resources, mentorship, and financial literacy, and job preparation programmes that equip participants with the knowledge, skills, and confidence needed to enter and remain in the job market. NAB also facilitates employment opportunities by connecting trained individuals with potential employers and provides computer training to visually impaired youth to strengthen their digital literacy and job readiness.
Alongside direct employment and livelihood support, NAB advocates for workplace accessibility, reasonable accommodation, and inclusive employment practices in both public and private sectors. It engages with employers and relevant stakeholders to promote inclusive hiring, expand economic opportunities, strengthen financial inclusion, and create an enabling environment for persons with disabilities, particularly visually impaired persons, to pursue dignified and sustainable livelihoods.
Health and Rehabilitiation (H&R):
NAB has been implementing Community-Based Rehabilitation (CBR) programmes since 1999 to improve the health, independence, and overall well-being of persons with disabilities, with a particular focus on blind and partially sighted persons. Through a community-based approach, NAB provides a comprehensive range of services, including free eye screening, eye and surgical camps, referral services, counselling, orientation & mobility training, life skills training, assistive devices, and sexual and reproductive health and rights education. These interventions are implemented through the mobilization of social mobilizers and community volunteers and in coordination with Nepal Netra Jyoti Sangh hospitals and eye centres, local municipalities, and local health service providers, enabling services to reach persons with disabilities at the community level.
NAB also strengthens access to eye health services through eye camps and other preventive and curative interventions aimed at reducing avoidable and curable blindness. It provides essential assistive devices, including white canes, presbyopia glasses and other devices, conducts orientation & mobility training to enhance independent movement and navigation. Life skills training supports greater independence, confidence, and participation in family and community life, while counselling, psychosocial support, and rehabilitation services address the emotional and social well-being of persons with disabilities. NAB further builds the capacity of health professionals and community-level actors to promote disability-inclusive health and rehabilitation services.
Inclusive Climate Change Action (ICCA) (Cross-Cutting Issue):
NAB promotes disability-inclusive climate change action and disaster risk reduction (DRR) as a cross-cutting priority, with a particular focus on ensuring the meaningful participation and protection of persons with disabilities, including blind and partially sighted persons. NAB advocates for disaster preparedness and response plans that are accessible and responsive to the diverse needs of persons with disabilities. It promotes accessible early warning systems and timely, understandable information to ensure that persons with disabilities can receive and act on critical emergency alerts. NAB also engages with relevant stakeholders to promote disability-inclusive policies and practices in climate resilience, disaster preparedness, emergency response, and recovery, helping to ensure that persons with disabilities are not left behind during climate-related and disaster situations.