Waqar Puri
Waqar Puri is a disability rights advocate and a person with a psychosocial disability working in the field of disability-inclusive development since 2014. He currently serves as the Director of Operations and Programs at the secretariat of Transforming Communities for Inclusion (TCI). He exhibits a strong dedication to redefining the narrative around persons with disabilities, moving beyond illness-centered frameworks to focus on addressing social injustices and systematic barriers. Throughout his journey, he has been a steadfast advocate for promoting and implementing the human rights model of disability for inclusive development, emphasizing the recognition of persons with disabilities as rights holders. In partnership with various stakeholders and grassroot OPDs he has championed and have engaged in various global platforms for advocating for the right to identity of persons with disabilities, and especially for persons with psychosocial disabilities, redefining the entry point from Mental Health to Human Rights.
With deep experience in grants and program management, advocacy, policy engagement, and capacity building on CRPD, Waqar has collaborated with grassroots organizations and various development organizations to push for inclusive development. His thematic work spans around community inclusion, deinstitutionalization, inclusive education, accessibility, assistive technologies, inclusive health, and social protection. He is passionate about movement-building, and believes in the power of partnerships and collective action to create truly inclusive communities, guided by the UNCRPD.