North Korea

© Dominique Flasson/Handicap International

Handicap International's goal in North Korea is to promote the full participation of people with disabilities. Our projects focus on improving the accessibility of rehabilitation services and supporting the inclusion of disabled children in education.

Our activities in North Korea began in 1998 at the request of the Korean Federation for the Protection of the Disabled (KFPD). The goal of initial projects was to offer direct support for service providers and this work included support for the orthopaedic-fitting workshop in Hamhung. More recently, a longer term goal has been to strengthen the organisational capacity of partners, including the KFPD, to ensure strong and sustainable services for people with disabilities in the long term.

Key facts

• Human Development Index: N/A
• Life expectancy:
• Population: 24.5 million
_{^{Source: UNDP HDR 2011}}

Our projects

	Improving physical rehabilitation services Goal: To improve rehabilitation services available to people. We are improving the facilities offered by rehabilitation services at Hamhung orthopaedic hospital, the hospital at Dockchon, and the care centre for people with disabilities and older people at Tongrin. New equipment has been provided at these centres and we are organising training for physiotherapists and orthopaedic technicians. Beneficiaries: People with disabilities.
	Adapted teaching Goal: To support the inclusion of deaf and blind children at a special school in Wonsan. This pilot project has several components designed to raise awareness about inclusive practices amongst teachers and other staff at the school for children with disabilities in Wonsan and eleven more schools in the Wonsan and Kangwon provinces. The project includes a vocational training component and regular seminars for head teachers. Beneficiaries: Deaf and blind children at schools in the Wonsan and Kangwon province.
	Support for the Korean Federation for the Protection of the Disabled (KFPD) Goal: To build the capacity of the KFPD as a strong and influential champion of people with disabilities and to improve the quality of services provided. We have organised special seminars as well as training workshops for KFPD staff and also offer guidance for the organisation's management on accessing sustainable funding opportunities. Beneficiaries: Staff at KFPD and people with disabilities.