HI has been present in China for over 20 years. Its first actions in the country were in response to natural disasters in Guangxi, Inner Mongolia and Heilongjiang provinces.
HI worked alongside government and civil society partners to provide direct support to the most vulnerable groups in the poorest rural areas of the country, and supported civil society partners in their efforts to promote the development of inclusive policies. Historically, the programme focused on the development of functional rehabilitation services, inclusive education and inclusive poverty reduction.
HI subsequently developed activities in the areas of inclusive employment, rehabilitation and mental health. The organisation also worked to strengthen civil society capacity and support the transition from institutional to community-based and personalised service models. This included promoting the principles of the disability-gender-age triptych in national dialogue.
