The growth of Disabled Peoples’ Organizations (DPOs) can be viewed basically as the consequence of exclusion and discriminatory practices toward disabled people. Very much in line with the emergence of consumer movements in the seventies, a search for emancipation took place from the early eighties in western societies as well as in lesser-developed countries. In some ‘third-world’ countries DPOs became powerful and politically driven organizations demanding a strong stake in, for instance, a new political dispensation.

DPOs are usually seen as social (human rights) movements, though a genuine review of lots of community-based DPOs will indicate that many of them are in fact self-help groups  (SHG), trying to promote usually some income generating activities for their members. The more developed of such self-help groups become engaged in an advocacy type of work and become a mouthpiece for those who are denied their rights. Sometimes, SHGs may form federations, which can be observed in a number of States in India. Such federations have a stronger voice; they foster active citizenship and together or under a national umbrella organization, they may be very successful in combating injustices in society. It was in South India for instance that the joint effort of SHGs helped to successfully fight corruption at the pension pay-out points.