Norwegian Association of the Blind and Partially Sighted (NABP) founded in 1909 has around 18,000 members and 320+ employees. Its headquarters is in Oslo, with regional offices in each of the 15 counties of Norway.
Alongside advocacy, NABP also carries out charitable work and services, partially through government funds. It owns and runs several events for the visually impaired, and carries out various rehabilitation and well-being activities for all ages.
The main objective of the association is to achieve equal opportunities and status in society for people with visual impairment – and other groups of disabled people.
Influencing political authorities and other decision-makers is important in reaching this goal. NABP takes a stand on social policy issues but is party politically and religiously independent.
The General Assembly (GA) is the organisation’s highest authority and delegates from all over Norway meet every second year.
The GA elects NABP’s central board, including the chairperson and his/her Deputy – who both must be blind or partially sighted. NABP’s decision-making committees shall always consist of a majority of blind or partially sighted people.
NABP provides a multitude of special products and services for blind and partially sighted people in Norway. Some examples are:
Guide dog training, summer camps for children and youth, an extensive rehabilitation program for people with recent visual impairment, advise to members on their rights in society, and Norway’s only center for Braille printing of information, literature and books on a variety of subjects.
The publications in Braille are run in close cooperation with Norwegian authorities.
NABP also carries out a strong international engagement. Since 1978 NABP has engaged in capacity strengthening of DPOs of blind and partially sighted in the Global South. The very first international project in South Sudan eventually evolved into partnerships with organisations representing blind and partially sighted across three continents, in pursuit of fulfillment of human rights.
Today NABP partners with DPOs or unions of blind and partially sighted persons in seven countries in Africa and Asia:
Laos, Nepal, Angola, Ethiopia, Lesotho, Malawi and Mozambique.
NABP also support the African Union of the Blind, whose Head Office is in Kenya.
NABP´s thematic focus areas are:
- Organisational support;
- Education, learning and rehabilitation;
- Eye health and prevention of blindness.
The vast majority of NABP´s international development work is funded by the Norwegian Agency for Development Cooperation (NORAD) and most project funding is channeled through the Atlas Alliance. Two of the ongoing projects are part of the Together for Inclusion (TOFI) consortium where DPOs and None-Governmental Organisations (NGOs) work closely together, with the DPOs in the lead.
NABP is an active member of the World Blind Union and other international organisations working on eye health and advocacy, such as IAPB (International Agency for the Prevention of Blindness)