Published Date: 2026-09-07, Monday
First Nepal Autism Summit 2026
A National Summit on Autism-Inclusive Education
Date: 19 September 2026
Venue: Nepal
Inclusive Education Nepal, Samanata School, and Kathmandu University School of Education are convening the First Nepal Autism Summit 2026 to bring together government representatives, schools, health professionals, families, and autistic self-advocates to advance autism-inclusive education in Nepal.
Nepal stands at a critical juncture in its journey toward inclusive education. The Constitution of Nepal 2015 enshrines education as a fundamental right, the Act Relating to the Rights of Persons with Disabilities 2017 mandates inclusion without discrimination, and the School Education Sector Plan (2022–2032) sets an ambitious reform agenda. Despite these commitments, a significant gap remains between policy and practice, particularly for children with autism.
Nepal officially records 647,744 people, or 2.2% of the population, as persons with disabilities. Global prevalence estimates suggest that approximately 3 million people may have disabilities in a population of around 30 million. This gap highlights the number of children who remain unidentified, unsupported, and invisible within existing systems.
The challenges are particularly significant for autistic children. A recent study across 13 districts found no academic curriculum adapted for intellectual disability, with children in special classes often continuing to learn primarily self-care skills well into their twenties. Although Nepal has made significant progress in expanding access to education, including a 97% net enrollment rate in primary education, the promise of education remains largely unfulfilled for children with disabilities, particularly children with autism.
The Need
Inclusion extends beyond placement or admission in a learning setting. It requires systemic change. The First Nepal Autism Summit will create a platform for government, schools, health professionals, families, and autistic self-advocates to come together and build the systems needed to advance meaningful inclusion.
The Summit will focus on key dimensions of the autism-inclusive education agenda, including:
Each track will explore key challenges and practical solutions, while plenary sessions will bring participants together to establish a national agenda and develop cross-sectoral commitments.
Post-Summit Plans
The Summit is designed to strengthen Nepal's systemic capacity to translate inclusive education commitments into practice through four key areas:
Shared Standards: Launch an operational standard for transforming Nepal's 380 special education resource classes into genuine resource hubs, including staffing, service requirements, and accountability mechanisms.
Capacity Building: Highlight scalable, evidence-based models for strengthening frontline capacity, including teacher coaching and community health worker training, with a focus on early identification.
Primary Data: Launch a national autism-in-schools data brief to establish a special education management information system and ensure that children with autism are represented in the data used for decision-making.
Roadmaps: Develop an actionable roadmap and accountability structure to support the implementation of Nepal's inclusive education policy.
Partnerships
The Summit welcomes organizations and institutions working in disability, education, health, and child welfare across Nepal. Government bodies, schools, hospitals, universities, organizations of persons with disabilities, and civil society organizations are invited to participate as partners in shaping the Summit and its long-term outcomes.
Registration
Anyone interested in this issue can join the Summit by filling out the registration form here:
https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSeGiJLXXp6bS5W_v16_S81lvQZvrxfpGN8rljm5frx67uBPDw/viewform
To confirm participation, a commitment fee of NPR 500 per participant is required. Please make the payment using the bank QR code provided below and upload a screenshot or photo of your payment receipt with this registration form. Your registration will be confirmed once the payment has been verified.
Account name: Inclusive Education Nepal, Account number: 03901010090979, Bank: Global IME Bank Ltd
Financial aid:
We are committed to ensuring that financial constraints do not prevent participation. If you are genuinely interested in attending but are unable to pay the commitment fee, please email nepalautismsummit@gmail.com with a brief explanation. Requests for a fee waiver will be considered on a case-by-case basis.
Summit Timeline
Registration Closes : 10 September 2026
Summit Date : 19 September 2026
Summit Report Published and Disseminated Nationally : 15 October 2026
Recommendations Carried to the Transformative Inclusive Education Conference 2026 : 2–3 December 2026
Organizers
Contact
Summit Office Address:
Inclusive Education Nepal, Gahanapokhari, Kathmandu, Nepal
Phone: +977 14500063
Conference Focal: Ms. Shraddha Thapaliya
Phone: 9749404332
Email: nepalautismsummit@gmail.com
Institutional Partnership Inquiries: Mr. Ram Tiwari
Phone: 9851084426
Email: ram@inclusiveeducationnepal.org
