In 2015, the Handicap International Federation, based in Lyon, France, managed 341 programs in 59 countries.
The Federation includes eight global offices, called "national associations." The French national association opened in 1982, and the following countries subsequently established offices: Belgium (1986), Switzerland (1996), Luxembourg (1997), Germany (1998), the United Kingdom (1999), Canada (2003), and the United States (2006).
National associations: playing a crucial role
Through campaign events and lobbying, these teams alert the public and politicians to the emergencies, needs and humanitarian crimes our teams witness in the field, to the rights and services that our beneficiaries deserve, and to our important advocacy campaigns.
This network also provides critical fundraising to ensure Handicap International can help the world's most vulnerable the moment they need us. The teams offer operational support and technical expertise, recruit volunteer and professional staff, and carry out work that is specifically related to their particular national contexts.
To support the work of the international network, the Canadian section receives institutional funding from the Canadian International Development Agency (CIDA), the Canadian Auto Workers’ union, the Quebec International Development Program (PQDI) and Quebec’s Ministère des Relations internationales (MRI), as well as the Canadian Landmine Foundation. Its mandate also includes overseeing all its field projects and making the Canadian public more aware of the causes and effects of disabilities.
Other country offices work with bi-lateral and multilateral donors and groups in their respective countries. The Swiss national association, for example, represents the network before international authorities based in Geneva, such as the World Health Organization and the United Nations High Commission for Refugees.
