International Society of Wheelchair Professionals - ISWP

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International Society of Wheelchair Professionals - ISWP

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ISWP's mission is to serve as a global resource for wheelchair service standards and provision through advocacy, education, standards, evidence-based practice, innovation and a platform for information exchange. ISWP’s broad goals are to improve the quality of life of wheelchair users around the world by ensuring they receive high-quality wheelchairs through appropriate provision. Our activities a

re aligned with the UN Convention on the Rights of People with Disability, the World Health Organizations’ (WHO) Disability Action Plan, the WHO Guidelines on the Provision of Manual Wheelchairs in Less Resourced Settings, and the WHO’s Wheelchair Services Training Packages. We have four broad activities to strengthen the wheelchair sector:
1) Raise awareness of the need for high quality wheelchairs and related services.
2) Build wheelchair services capacity globally.
3) Set and promote product and service standards.
4) Coordinate the global wheelchair sector.

09/05/2026

Today is International Day of Charity, marked every year on September 5 in honour of Mother Teresa's legacy of service to the poor and marginalised. The day was officially established by the UN General Assembly in 2012 to inspire charitable action and social responsibility worldwide.

At ISWP, we see that spirit of giving reflected every day: appropriate wheelchairs restoring independence, unlocking education and employment, and giving people the dignity to fully participate in their communities. But for millions worldwide, access to a wheelchair that fits their needs is still out of reach.

Your donation helps us train and mentor providers, support certification and build capacity, and expand access to appropriate wheelchair provision in communities that need it most.

This International Day of Charity, consider giving. Every contribution moves us closer to a world where mobility is not a privilege, but a right.

👉 Donate today: https://iswp.org/donate/

Ability meets mobility.

09/04/2026

A historic milestone for global inclusion, equity, and opportunity 🌍 📢

The United Nations General Assembly has adopted its first-ever resolution on "Access to Assistive Technology," a landmark step for global inclusion. Adopted by consensus, led by Pakistan, it establishes global consensus on the life-changing impact of assistive products.

More than 2.5 billion people worldwide need one or more assistive products, including wheelchairs, hearing aids, prosthetics, and digital tools. Yet access remains deeply unequal, as low as 3% in some resource-limited settings. This is a human rights and economic imperative: assistive technology helps break the disability-poverty cycle and strengthens social participation.

The resolution urges governments to build sustainable systems within Universal Health Coverage, expand trained personnel, and ensure Organizations of Persons with Disabilities have a seat at the policy table.

It also carries a personal story: drafted and negotiated by Saima Saleem, Pakistan's first visually impaired career diplomat and herself a user of assistive technology.

ISWP is proud to welcome this milestone alongside partners including UNICEF, WHO, CHAI, Humanity & Inclusion, CBM, GDI Hub, and the International Disability Alliance.

08/31/2026

Behind every number is a life changed. Here's a snapshot of ISWP's global impact:

11,800+ members worldwide
1,565 individuals trained
~1,366 certified wheelchair service providers
1 chapter launched, in Argentina
Thousands of wheelchair users lives impacted

Every number represents progress toward a world where appropriate wheelchair provision is the standard, not the exception.

Ability meets mobility.

08/24/2026

Missed It live? Now you can catch up.
Ruben Moreno's webinar recording, 'Anticipating Possible and Probable Postural Events', is now available for purchase!
This session explores how clinicians can move from reacting to postural challenges to anticipating them before they become severe or irreversible, covering key indicators of future postural deterioration, the link between seating decisions and long-term musculoskeletal outcomes, and practical strategies for earlier, more proactive intervention.
If you missed it live, this is your chance to access these insights on your own time. 👉
Purchase the recording: https://iswp.org/events/
Ability meets mobility.

08/19/2026

In humanitarian crises, people with mobility impairments, especially wheelchair users, face heightened risks of injury, neglect, and exclusion from response systems. Right now, that reality is playing out for millions affected by the crises.

On World Humanitarian Day, ISWP is calling on the humanitarian community to make appropriate wheelchair provision a core part of crisis response, not an afterthought.

Read our full position statement: https://iswp.org/position-statements/

Together, we are stronger.

08/17/2026

For over a decade, the ISWP community has been working together to strengthen wheelchair provision around the world.

But the true impact isn't found in numbers alone.
It's found in the provider who gained new skills. The organisation that trained a new workforce. The wheelchair user who gained independence. The family whose daily life changed for the better.

These are the stories that inspire action.

If you've been part of the ISWP community, as a wheelchair user, provider, trainer, organisation, or partner, we'd love to hear from you!

🎥 Record a 20-30 second video
📸 Share a photo
✍️ Write a short story

Send your story to [email protected] or tag ISWP on social media.

For more info:https://iswp.org/wp-content/uploads/2026/06/ISWP-Share-your-impact-story-.pdf

Together, we can show why appropriate wheelchair provision matters and why investing in people, training, and systems changes lives.

08/13/2026

REMINDER! Less than a month to go! Join us on Wednesday, September 9 at 11:00 GMT for our next ISWP webinar.

'Seating and Mobility for Children's Participation Outcomes', presented by Marta Figueiredo.

This session explores how seating and mobility interventions shape children's participation, focusing on attendance, involvement, engagement, and functional performance in everyday life.

With over 20 years of international experience in paediatrics, rehabilitation, and assistive technology, Marta brings deep clinical and research expertise supporting children with cerebral palsy and developmental disabilities.

Her work bridges evidence and practice to improve participation outcomes through effective wheelchair provision and positioning solutions.

💲 Fee: $15 USD (15% discount for ISWP paid members)

👉 Register here: https://forms.cloud.microsoft/Pages/ResponsePage.aspx?id=3-3Ig3U0JUCHg_NPbQuTPae8U4fIXslJmAYQmn6VQKJUNFFCSFVLUlBQOUQwMkFZSDJXSVNKMjc1Vy4u

We look forward to welcoming you!

08/11/2026

The Wheelchair Educators' Package (WEP) is here to help educators integrate wheelchair content into your curriculum across all 3 stages of integration: advocating, planning & teaching, and evaluating.

By strengthening wheelchair-specific content in your courses, you're helping build a competent future workforce of Occupational Therapists, Physical Therapists, and Prosthetics & Orthotics professionals at the basic wheelchair service provision level.

Explore the updated WEP: https://wep.iswp.org/

Together, we are stronger.

08/06/2026

ISWP is deeply grateful to The Veterans United Foundation for their generous donation supporting our mission to expand access to appropriate wheelchairs and improve lives around the world.

This generosity is made possible by Veterans United Home Loans employees, whose personal contributions, matched dollar-for-dollar by the company, fuel everything the Foundation does.

To every employee whose giving helps make work like this possible: thank you!

About The Veterans United Foundation: Founded by Veterans United Home Loans employees in 2011, the Foundation gives back to veterans and military families through partnerships with nonprofits nationwide. Fueled by employee contributions matched dollar-for-dollar by the company, it has raised over $155 million to date.

08/04/2026

ISWP Argentina launches at Expo-Ortopedica on August 5 & 6, 2026 in Buenos Aires, and we cannot wait to welcome you!

As our first-ever chapter, ISWP Argentina gives you a way to connect with the wheelchair provision community locally, in Spanish, while staying linked to a global network working toward the same goal: getting appropriate wheelchairs and services to everyone who needs them.

Sign up as a member at the launch and get 10% off, available only at Expo-Ortopedica during the event.

See you in Buenos Aires!

Address

6425 Penn Avenue, Ste 402
Pittsburgh, PA
15206

Website

http://linktr.ee/ISWPorg

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