About > ICEVI Latin America
CEVI Latin America is the regional branch of the International Council for the Education of Visually Impaired Persons (ICEVI), which works in 19 countries in Latin America and the Caribbean, including Argentina, Bolivia, Brazil, Chile, Colombia, Costa Rica, Cuba, Dominican Republic, Ecuador, El Salvador, Guatemala, Honduras, Mexico, Nicaragua, Panama, Paraguay, Peru, Uruguay and Venezuela.
The region promotes access to inclusive education, adult rehabilitation, and support for visually impaired children and youth, including those with blindness, low vision, deafblindness, or multiple and additional disabilities.
The region is structured into five subregions:
- Andean: Bolivia, Colombia, Ecuador, Peru, Venezuela
- Brazil
- Central America and the Caribbean: Costa Rica, Dominican Republic, El Salvador, Guatemala, Honduras, Panama,
- Southern Cone: Argentina, Chile, Paraguay, Uruguay
- Mexico
ICEVI Latin America operates as a legally registered entity with its own statutes and bank account, headquartered in Uruguay. Its governance is maintained through:
- A Regional Conference held every four years
- A Board of Directors elected by the members
- A Tax Commission responsible for financial supervision
The region’s work is grounded in the United Nations Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities, in particular Article 24, which affirms the right to inclusive education without discrimination. ICEVI Latin America collaborates with strategic partners to strengthen national systems, build local capacities, and promote culturally relevant approaches in the field of education.
Areas of Focus
- Strengthen collaboration among educational actors, including families, teachers, DPOs, civil society and government authorities
- Facilitate training, dialogue and joint planning processes between countries and subregions
- Support initiatives that improve inclusive teaching, develop accessible resources, and expand learning opportunities for students with visual impairments
- Influence policies and practices that integrate inclusion and equity throughout the region
- Regional Highlights (2021–2024 and Current Quadrennium)
Regional Highlights (2021–2024 and Current Quadrennium)
Between 2021 and 2024, ICEVI Latin America contributed significantly to the advancement of inclusive education in the region:
- Inclusive Education Research: Between 2018 and 2020, it supported national research teams in 16 countries to assess the status of inclusive education in five thematic areas: rehabilitation, accessibility, teacher training, laws and policies, and data availability. These teams worked collaboratively with ministries of education, national disability councils, universities, and civil society organizations to identify challenges and establish common priorities, resulting in sub-regional action plans for each of the five sub-regions that were developed between 2021 and 2025.
- Regional Conferences: Maintained strong governance and active participation of its members, culminating in the Regional Conference held in Brazil in May 2025. This event brought together families, teachers, policymakers, and community organizations to exchange experiences, strengthen alliances, and form a new regional working group focused on the development of an inclusive curriculum.
- Alliance with ONCE-FOAL: Collaborated with ONCE-FOAL to establish joint actions that guarantee continuous improvement in both inclusive education and rehabilitation work.
- Global Engagement: Participated in the 2025 Global Disability Summit, where the Board of Directors joined ICEVI leaders from Africa and West Asia to advocate for greater investment and equitable policies in inclusive education for persons with disabilities. It gave a voice to children and young people with visual disabilities to learn first-hand about their needs and interests, to serve as an input for future regional actions.
These activities reflect ICEVI Latin America’s role as a convener, connector and contributor to systemic changes in inclusive education.
Looking Ahead (2025–2028)
ICEVI Latin America prioritizes:
- Expand the production and dissemination of accessible materials and digital tools.
- Strengthen the training and professional development of teachers.
- Implement the four-year national action plans developed from the committed participation of the National Delegates.
- Consolidate partnerships with national governments, DPOs, universities, and civil society to ensure sustainable progress in the five subregions.
Impact
ICEVI Latin America contributes to building inclusive learning systems that reflect the voices and needs of visually impaired people. Through collaborative research, training initiatives, and strategic partnerships, the region helps influence policy, improve educational practices, and ensure that visually impaired students in Latin America have equitable opportunities to learn, develop, and participate fully in society.
The Latin America Region of the International Council for Education of People with Visual Impairment (ICEVI) includes the following countries:
- Argentina
- Bolivia
- Brazil
- Chile
- Columbia
- Costa Rica
- Cuba
- Dominican Republic
- Ecuador
- El Salvador
- Guatemala
- Honduras
- Mexico
- Nicaragua
- Panama
- Paraguay
- Peru
- Uruguay
Regional Leadership (2025–2028)
President
Ms Gladys Viviana Correa
Regional President, Latin America, ICEVI; Inclusive Education Advocate, Argentina.
Ms Correa is a regional leader in inclusive education with deep experience across Spanish speaking countries. Known for her collaborative approach, she has worked with national organizations, ministries, and family networks to promote inclusive policies and practices grounded in local realities. Her leadership is shaped by years of engagement in ICEVI’s Latin America network, including her previous role as Southern Cone Coordinator.
Andean Coordinator
Mr. Fredy Cince Ata
Peru.
Brazil Coordinator
Ms. Rita de Casia Luz
Brazil.
Coordinator for Central America and the Caribbean
Ms. María Victoria de la Rosa
Panama.
Southern Cone Coordinator
Mr. Luis Ignacio Cabrera
Uruguay.
Mexico Coordinator
Ms. Brenda Leal
Mexico.
Immediate Past President
Mr. Julio Cesar Canizalez
President, Salvadoran Association for the Blind (ASCES); Director, Casa de la Cultura del Ciego, El Salvador; First Vice President, Latin American Blind Union (ULAC), El Salvador.