Humanity & Inclusion (the new name of Handicap International) was founded in 1982, and became an international federation in 2010.
In 2015, the Humanity & Inclusion 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 Humanity & Inclusion 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.
The U.S. office works closely with the United Nations organizations based in New York, the World Bank and other key institutions in Washington, D.C. This office is working to encourage the U.S. to ban indiscriminate weapons by joining the Mine Ban Treaty and the Convention on Cluster Munitions. It supports the ongoing campaign to see the U.S. ratify the United Nations Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities (CRPD).
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.