Dr. Birendra Raj Sharma Pokharel
Action on Disability rights and development – Nepal (ADRAD)
Executive Director
Dr. Birendra Raj Pokharel (Ph.D.) is the founder of ADRAD, engaged in promoting access to justice for persons with disabilities which has a strong alignment in pro bono theme and practice.
He is the country representative of Abilis Foundation, a Finnish development agency promoting human rights of persons with disabilities in the global south. He also represents ICEVI. He has 25 years’ experience of leading disability rights concerns as a chairperson of NFDN, co-chair of DPI Asia-pacific region. He has contributed to drafting disability rights issues in the constitution of Nepal (2015), act on the rights of persons with disabilities (2017) and Inclusive Education Policy (2017)
He has adopted the Digital Accessible Information System (DAISY) to promote access to education, also has applied the tools of York University to monitor the human rights of persons with disabilities, has engaged as key researcher, trainer and facilitator in various National and International training and conferences in different themes of access to justice including legal empowerment.
He has been awarded in the national and international arena including social service award, ABC excellence award in London Book fair, International Excellence award in Zero project conference, GKR vocational Rotary excellence award for his innovation of accessible ICT.