CIL-Kathmandu is completely non-profitable and non political self help organization entirely run by persons with disabilities. This is a non governmental organization established to work for the promotion and protection of the rights of persons with disabilities (PWDs) through the concept of independent living. The term ‘Independent Living’ as defined by people with disabilities does not mean doing things for yourself, or living on your own. It means having choice and control over the assistance and/or equipment/assistive devices needed for daily life and having access to amenities that society has to offer such as housing, transport, health services, employment, as well as entertainment, education and training opportunities. Independent Living (IL) is a vision, a philosophy and a movement of persons with disabilities to promote and protect the human rights of PWDs. It interprets disability in social model and rights based approach. The concept of Independent Living was born on California University in the 1970s, the movement spread to Europe and Asia in the 1980s, and has since reached around the globe and changed the way people view and respond to disability.

In Nepal, CIL-Kathmandu has been working basically in policy advocacy for increasing the participation of PWDs in the decision making process, peer counseling to the disabled persons, personal assistant services (PAS), independent living program (ILP) in terms of training on daily living skills etc.

As an organization CIL-Kathmandu started its work on disability rights since 2005. In the beginning the first initiation to promote the concept of independent living in Nepal was brought by disabled persons in the leadership of Mr. Krishna Gautam (a person with physical disabilities). When Mr. Gautam came back to Nepal after the completion of 10 months 'DUSKIN Leadership Training" from Japan he took this initiation with the support of some other experienced and energetic disabled youth. Since Mr. Gautam has gained good knowledge on Independent Living Concept during his training period he was quite enthusiastic to promote this concept in Nepal. The main objective behind this effort was to shift the paradigm of disability from charity based to rights based. In 2005 the political situation Nepal was not favourable to work in right based movement. The whole nation was suffering by the extreme phase of arm conflict and on the other hand there was direct ruling of King. In the leadership of seven party's alliance the people of Nepal were in the preparation of peoples' movement to liberate the country from the cruel claws of autocracy. In this situation CIL-Kathmandu also thought to show its solidarity with the physical involvement of persons with disabilities in the movement. In the April of 2006 all Nepalese came on the road for agitation against and CIL-Kathmandu also showed its adventurous contribution in the movement on behalf of civil society by involving PWDs in the great peoples' movement.

After the success of peoples' movement this organization was legally registered in the district administration office, Kathmandu in August 2006 along with the changing political scenario.