Brief Overview
Shuchona Foundation (SF) is a not-for-profit advocacy, research and capacity-building organization specializing in disabilities, neurodevelopmental disorders (NDDs), and mental health. Shuchona Foundation aims to develop innovative, low- cost sustainable programs that can be implemented within the existing national development infrastructure through effective public and private partnerships; and also to directly impact the lives of individuals and families affected by NDDs through mass-scale field deployment of the proven best practices, thereby enhancing social inclusion.
Shuchona Foundation is the culmination of efforts to coordinate and mainstream policies and programs that impacts lives, starting with the launch of Global Autism Public Health Initiative in 2011 (in partnership with Autism Speaks and WHO) and Global Autism Bangladesh in 2012. Led by Saima Wazed, relentless advocacy work resulted in the passage of the “Neurodevelopmental Disability Protection Trust Act 2013” in Bangladesh, the adoption of WHO Resolutions No. SEA/RC65/R8 & WHA 67.8, and UN Resolution No. 67/82. This in turn has been instrumental in generating the need for developing appropriate services and supports for persons with neurodevelopmental disorders (NDDs) and mental health into the national policy framework of Bangladesh and in the UN development agenda. SF was also involved in advocating for the changes to the Persons with Disability Rights & Protection Act 2013 to ensure that Bangladesh’s policies more closely reflected the goals of the UNCRPD. Chairperson of Shuchona Foundation and Executive Committee member, Saima Wazed, a licensed School Psychologist, is designated as the country’s focal person to represent Bangladesh in the advocacy group on inclusive disaster risk management, to ensure mental health and issues relating to persons with disabilities are incorporated into the international guidelines developed by UNISDR. She was WHO’s Goodwill Ambassador for Autism in South-East Asia Region. She is the Chairperson of the National Advisory Committee on Autism and NDDs and Chief Advisor of National Mental Health Strategic Plan Working Group in Bangladesh. In addition to her appointment as the Thematic Ambassador for Vulnerability of the Climate Vulnerable Forum (CVF), Ms. Wazed is currently the Advisor to Director General of World Health Organization, Commissioner for the Chatham House Commission for Universal Health, and a faculty member at Adrian Dominican School of Education (ADSOE) at Barry University, USA.
