Centers for Independent Living (CILs) are an innovative model for promoting the autonomy of people with disabilities. Self-managed by people with disabilities themselves, they not only strengthen leadership and empowerment, but also ensure that their demands are addressed with full respect for their autonomy.
Independent living is a fundamental right that seeks to equip persons with disabilities with tools to strengthen their autonomy and ensure their full participation in society.
CILs are inclusive spaces that welcome people with various types of disabilities. They provide key services such as personal assistance, independent living programs, and peer support. These services are not only essential for daily life, but also respond to the General Comment No. 7 of the United Nations Committee on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities, which emphasizes the importance of the participation of persons with disabilities in the implementation and monitoring of the Convention, through organizations that represent them.
In this regard, CILs function as support spaces where the development of skills and capabilities is encouraged, promoting active and equal participation in society.
After the first wave of the Independent Living philosophy reaching Latin America, the early years of this century saw a period of calm. In 2006, the United Nations General Assembly adopted the Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities (CRPD), marking the beginning of a new era under its normative framework.
Within this context, the Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA) launched a project in 2007 in collaboration with the National Council on Rehabilitation and Special Education (CNREE), titled “Strengthening the comprehensive rehabilitation system with community participation in the Brunca Region, with a human security approach” (Kaloie Project). Although the project was initially based on the medical model of disability, a shift toward the social model became necessary during its implementation.
Building on the most notable outcomes of the Kaloie Project, JICA launched a new program in 2012: the Morpho Project, with the goal of creating a Center for Independent Living and establishing a personal assistance system. In 2016, the Law for the Promotion of Autonomy of Persons with Disabilities was passed, and in 2019, people with disabilities in Costa Rica began accessing personal assistants through the system established by this law.
These JICA projects have significantly supported Costa Rica’s compliance with the CRPD. Unlike the other eight core international human rights treaties, the CRPD includes a specific article on international cooperation. In this regard, JICA’s cooperation was recognized as a good practice in the “Annual Report of the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights and reports of the Office of the High Commissioner and the Secretary-General” in 2024 (A/HRC/55/34).
Following the implementation of the personal assistance system, the Morpho Center for Independent Living became a model for other former JICA fellows across the continent.
In 2015, the National Council on Rehabilitation and Special Education was renamed the National Council on Disability.
The Law for the Promotion of Personal Autonomy of Persons with Disabilities (Law No. 9379) was approved in June 2016 as a result of various advocacy efforts led by the Morpho Center for Independent Living (CVI). A standout action was the TRY, a journey of over 283 kilometers in a manual wheelchair to the Legislative Assembly, carried out by persons with disabilities who work at the CVI, with support from other organizations. Without the key contributions of the CILs, this legislation would not exist. The law aligns with Articles 12 and 19 of the CRPD, promoting and ensuring the right to personal autonomy.
To achieve this, the law establishes two key mechanisms. The first is a safeguard known as the Guarantor, who ensures legal equality for persons with intellectual, mental, and psychosocial disabilities. This role may be filled by an individual over 18 years old or, in the case of institutionalization, a legal entity.
The second mechanism is the service of human personal assistance, defined as an individual over the age of 18 who is trained to provide support with daily living activities in exchange for compensation.
Regarding their sustainability, the Centers for Independent Living (CILs) in Costa Rica have adopted a self-sufficiency model based on the experience of CILs in Japan. This model is similar to that of cooperatives in sectors such as transportation or cleaning, and it is recognized under Costa Rican law. It works as follows: for the administrative management of personal assistance services, CILs receive 20% of the state subsidy intended for the hiring of personal assistants. This percentage is deposited monthly to the CILs to cover payment for the hours worked.