Karla Henson

Biography

Karla Maria Henson, a woman with visual disability from the Philippines, is a committed advocate for disability rights and inclusion. As Executive Director of Life Haven CIL, she leads efforts to address systemic barriers and advance independent living for persons with disabilities. Her work spans research, policy advocacy, and capacity development.
Karla co-chairs the Aging and Disability Task Force, advancing inclusive humanitarian action, and co-convenes the Disability Migration Network, advocating for disability-responsive labor migration in ASEAN. She has spearheaded campaigns for the Disability Support Allowance Bill and led research on disability and climate change, presented at COP28.
An advocate of evidence-based initiatives, Karla contributed to the 2023 SDG Parallel Report and co-designed the CityZens mobile app to promote children’s rights and inclusion. She champions the belief that persons with disabilities can be active contributors to social change.