This report presents a comprehensive overview of the accessibility and inclusiveness of Nepal’s educational assessment system for students who are blind or have visual disabilities. Beginning with the background, it explores current practices in educational assessment, the need for reasonable accommodations, and the gaps in accessible learning materials and exam modalities. The findings highlight major challenges related to participation in examinations, including oral tests, Braille and computer-based exams, use of human readers and scribes, lack of consistency in extra time allocation, difficulties with diagrammatic and geometric questions, and problems in practical exams and result publication. It also captures the lived experiences of students, showing systemic issues such as the unavailability of accessible textbooks, insufficient assistive technology, dissatisfaction with accommodations, and logistical barriers like finding ascribes.
Building on national and international legal frameworks—including the CRPD, SDGs, Nepal’s Constitution, and educational policies—the report compares Nepal’s current practices with global examples from the U.S., India, the U.K., Australia, and South Africa. The core contribution of the report is a proposed Blind-Friendly Assessment Framework, which outlines guiding principles, rights of examinees, institutional responsibilities, accessible exam formats, standards for exam materials, provisions for computer-based testing, management of human and technical assistance, and mechanisms for grievance-handling and monitoring. The final chapters provide actionable recommendations for government bodies from the Ministry of Education to local governments, offering a clear roadmap to make Nepal’s assessment system inclusive, equitable, and responsive to the needs of blind and low-vision learners.
The Global Disability Summit (GDS) 2025, held from April 1–3 in Berlin, Germany, was a landmark global gathering of governments, civil society, donors, and Organizations of Persons with Disabilities (OPDs), co-hosted by the International Disability Alliance (IDA), the Government of Germany, and the Government of Jordan. The summit aimed to strengthen the implementation of the UN Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities (UNCRPD) and foster concrete commitments for disability-inclusive development.
Blind Youth Association Nepal (BYAN) actively engaged in the summit, representing Nepal’s youth with disabilities through high-level advocacy, exhibitions, and panel discussions. From early engagement in 2024 to being part of the Youth Call to Action drafting committee, BYAN played a key role in shaping global discourse on inclusive education, SRHR, political participation, and financial accessibility.
Key highlights include:
- A dynamic exhibition booth visited by over 1000 delegates, showcasing inclusive SRHR tools, accessible education materials, and youth-led innovations.
- Representation in multiple thematic sessions by BYAN’s delegates, including dialogues with global leaders like the German Chancellor and the King of Jordan.
- Contributions to major outcomes like the Amman-Berlin Declaration and Youth Call to Action, pushing for stronger accountability, inclusive policies, and youth leadership.
This report offers a comprehensive look at BYAN’s engagement before, during, and after the summit—capturing lessons learned, partnerships built, and a roadmap for future action.
📥 Download the full report to explore how BYAN is advancing inclusive development through youth leadership—locally, nationally, and globally.
Following the successful Pre-Conference ahead of the First Deafblind International Asia Regional Conference, we are proud to release our Call to Action: "Rights, Respect, and Inclusion: Advancing Sexual and Reproductive Health and Rights (SRHR) for Individuals with Deafblindness in Asia."
This Call to Action reflects the voices, challenges, and priorities identified during the discussions. It serves as a crucial step toward ensuring inclusive SRHR policies, accessible services, and meaningful participation of individuals with deafblindness in decision-making processes.
Key Highlights of the Call to Action:
- Policy & Legal Reforms – Inclusive SRHR policies and laws.
- Inclusive CSE – Accessible curricula and support materials.
- SRHR Services – Accessible and tailored healthcare services.
- Advocacy & Awareness – Challenging stigma and promoting participation.
- Monitoring & Accountability – Tracking progress and ensuring implementation.
💡 Now is the time to act! We call on governments, organizations, and advocates to join us in driving this change.
🙏 A special thank you to our partners Right Here Right Now, Amplify Change, CBM Global Disability Inclusion, Deafblind Association Nepal, National Federation of Deaf Nepal, Sense International, and Deafblind International for their dedication to this cause.
🔊 Help us amplify this message! Share and advocate for inclusive SRHR for all.
#SRHRforAll #DeafblindRights #InclusionMatters #DBIAsiaConference #CallToAction
शिक्षा सबै बालबालिकाको अधिकार हो । यो अधिकार अपाङ्गता भएका बालबालिकाले पनि पाएका छन् । उनीहरूको शिक्षाका लागि विभिन्न किसिमका नीति, कानुन र निर्देशिकाहरू बनेका छन् । तर आजको बदलिएको शासकीय संरचनामा नव निर्वाचित जनप्रतिनिधि, सरोकारवाला पदाधिकारी र कतिपय शिक्षकसमेतमा यसबारेमा आवश्यक जानकारी हुन सकेको छैन । यस कारण विभिन्न प्रकृतिको अपाङ्गता भएका बालबालिकाप्रति गरिने सामजिक विभेद र भौतिक तथा सञ्चारगत अवरोधहरू कायमै रहेका छन् । यसले गर्दा अपाङ्गता भएका बालबालिकाहरूको विद्यालय भर्ना, सिकाइ र टिकाइ सन्तोषजनक नहुनु स्वाभाविक हो । यस कुरालाई मनन गरेर नव निर्वाचित जन प्रतिनिधि, सरोकारवाला संस्थाका पदाधिकारी र शिक्षक वर्गसमेतमा अपाङ्गता र अपाङ्गता भएका बालबालिकाको शिक्षाका बारेमा आधारभूत कुराको जानकारी पु¥याउन सकियोस् भनेर यो पुस्तिका तयार गरिएको छ । यस पुस्तिकामा समाजमा अपाङ्गताप्रतिको बुझाइ; अपाङ्गताको परिचय र वर्गीकरण; अपाङ्गता भएका बालबालिकाका लागि सिकाइ वातावरण; अपाङ्गता भएका बालबालिकाको शिक्षाका लागि परिवार, समाज, विद्यालय र स्थानीय सरकारको भूमिका र यससम्बन्धी नीति नियमका आधारभूत कुरा राखिएका छन् । यसले उहाँहरूमा अपाङ्गताका बारेमा आधारभूत कुराको जानकारी होला र उहाँहरूबाट अपाङ्गता बालबालिकाको शिक्षामा सम्भव भएको योगदान हुन सक्ला भन्ने अपेक्षा गरिएको छ ।
यो पुस्तिका कसरी प्रयोग गर्ने ?
अपाङ्गता अनेकन् प्रकृतिको हुन्छ । नेपालको कानुनले अपाङ्गतालाई दश समूहमा वर्गीकरण गरेका छ । हरेक गाउँ समाजमा कुनै न कुनै प्रकारको अपाङ्गता भएका मानिस हुन सक्छन् । हाम्रो गाउँ समाजमा भने अपाङ्गता भन्नाले केवल शारीरिक अपाङ्गतालाई मात्र बुझ्ने मानिस पनि छन् । मानसिक अपाङ्गतालाई अपाङ्गता नठान्नेहरू पनि छन् । दृष्टि र सुनाइसम्बन्धी अपाङ्गता भएका बालबालिकाले पनि लेखपढ गर्न, शिक्षा लिन र आर्जनका काम गर्न सक्छन् भन्दा विश्वास नलाग्ने पनि छन् । कतिपयले त अपाङ्गता भएकालाई लेखपढ गराएर कुनै प्रतिफल पाउन सकिँदैन भन्ने पनि ठान्छन् । अर्कोतर्फ अपाङ्गता भनेको पूर्वजन्मको पापको फल हो भन्ने अन्धविश्वासी पनि छन् । यस्ता धारण पाल्नुभन्दा अपाङ्गताबा बारेमा बुझ्ने प्रयास गर्नु बुद्घिमानी हुन्छ । आफ्नै परिवारमा पनि सामान्य अवस्थाको कुनैे प्रकारको अपाङ्गता भएका सदस्य हुन सक्छन् । आफैँमा पनि यस्तो अपाङ्गता हुन सक्तछ । रोग र दुर्घटना कारण कोही पनि व्यक्तिमा अपाङ्गता हुने सम्भावना रहन्छ । यहाँको हातमा यो सामग्री आएको छ । यसलाई निम्नअनुसार प्रयोग गरी अपाङ्गताप्रतिको सामाजिक सचेतना अभिवृद्घिमा सहयोग गरिदिनुहुने छ भन्ने आशा गरिएको छ ।
- यो पुस्तिका दुई घन्टा जतिमा अध्ययन गर्न सकिन्छ । यसलाई आफ्नो अनुकूल समयमा रुचिपूर्वक एक दुई पटक अध्ययन गर्दा विभिन्न प्रकारका अपाङ्गताका बारेमा जानकारी बढाउन सकिन्छ ।
- यस सामग्रीमा बताए जस्तो अपाङ्गता भएको व्यक्ति गाउँघरमा केही छन् भने ऊ र उसको अवस्था ख्याल गर्दा सामग्रीमा दिइएको अपाङ्गताका बारेमा प्रस्ट भइने छ ।
- सामग्रीमा दिइएका अपाङ्गतासम्बन्धी सूचनाहरू एकअर्कामा छलफल गर्नुपर्छ । एकले बुझेको कुरा अर्कोलाई प्रस्ट पार्नुपर्छ।
- थप सूचनाका लागि अपाङ्गताको बारेमा जानकारी राख्ने व्यक्तिसँग सोधपुछ गर्नुपर्छ ।
- आफूले पाएका सूचना आफ्नो गाउँटोलका सर्वसाधारणमा सुनाएर प्रचार गर्दा पाएको जानकारी स्मरणमा रहन्छ ।
- आफ्नो छेउछाउका मूलधारका विद्यालय र विशेष तथा स्रोतकक्षा विद्यालय भ्रमण गरेर अपाङ्गता भएका बालबालिकाको अवलोकन गर्ने, उनीहरूका कुरा सुन्ने, स्रोत शिक्षकसँग छलफल गर्ने गर्नुपर्छ ।