On the 3rd of December 2022, Sri Lanka commemorated the International Day of Persons with Disabilities. The global theme for this year’s commemoration was ‘Transformative Solutions for Inclusive Development: the role of innovation in fueling an accessible and equitable world’ which also falls in line with the promise of the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development “to leave no one behind”. As such, the development of a strategy for inclusive development of persons with disabilities is crucial as statistics lend to the conclusion that persons living with disabilities are amongst the largest ‘minority’ in the world. Three thematic topics were covered based on the main theme: Innovation for disability inclusive development in employment (SDG8);
Innovation for disability inclusive development in reducing inequality (SDG10); and Innovation for disability inclusive development, in general for example in areas like sports.
According to a study conducted by the Census and Statistics Department, the number of persons living with disabilities in Sri Lanka is 1,617,924 in the year 2012. This survey further reflects gender-disaggregated numbers of persons with disability: counting 43% males and 57% females. In fact, the proportion of females with difficulties for both, vision and mobility were higher than that of males. “It is crucial that steps be taken to update national statistics of persons living with disabilities to enable policy-makers to better understand the extent and the gravity of support and resources-mobilization needed for inclusive development of persons with disabilities, particularly in the areas of employment and gender-based violence”, said Hon. Dr. Sudarshini Fernandopulle, the Chairperson of the Women Parliamentarians’ Caucus (WPC). She added, “In this regard, it is important to compile and maintain disaggregated data for better targeted interventions”.
In 2017, a study in Sri Lanka found that monetary and multidimensional poverty among households with persons with disabilities is higher than among other households. “I strongly agree with the saying that the true measure of any society can be found in how it treats its most vulnerable members. Therefore, we as policy-makers need to re-evaluate the position in terms of priority that we have given to inclusive development of persons with disabilities in Sri Lanka. We must not let the economic crisis eclipse the discourse on inclusive development of persons with disabilities because the repercussions of the crisis would gravely impact persons with disabilities, the majority of whom are already placed at a disadvantage economically”, said Hon. Dr. Harini Amarasuriya, Member of WPC.
Article 12(1) and (2) of the 1978 Constitution of Sri Lanka guarantee equal protection of everyone before the law and freedom from discrimination. However, the Article guaranteeing non-discrimination of people do not expressly refer to persons with disabilities or disabilities as a ground based on which a person cannot be discriminated against. This is in the backdrop of having ratified the UN Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities (UNCRPD) in 2016. Amongst other obligations, Article 33 of the UNCRPD also requires member states to set up an independent body entrusted with the task of promoting, protecting and monitoring implementation of the UNCRPD.
On the 28th of June 2021, WPC in collaboration with other stakeholders conducted a ‘Policy Dialogue on Disability Rights’. “In this forum, the Caucus members and the Select Committee got the opportunity to directly hear from representatives of the community. We as Caucus members are determined to take steps to accelerate the passing of the ‘Disability Rights Bill’, which was drafted having inclusive development of persons with disabilities at the forefront”, said Hon. Rohini Kumari Wijeratne-Kaviratne, Vice-Chairperson of WPC.
Steps must and will be taken to improve the opportunities that persons with disabilities will have, particularly in employment. In combating the prevailing economic crisis, Sri Lanka simply cannot forgo citizens who could contribute their labour to the formal workforce due to technicalities or harmful prejudices. Everybody should be given the opportunity to contribute towards the economy of the country”, said Hon. Diana Gamage, State Minister of Tourism.
“We must improve legal protection awarded to persons with disabilities and strive towards a more inclusive country as a whole so that persons with disabilities also have the ability to live without discrimination and lead fulfilling lives as human beings”, said Hon. Manjula Dissanayake, Member of WPC.
WPC makes this an opportunity to reiterate its commitment to build a more inclusive nation and is determined to continue on with its efforts to garner political will and mobilize resources towards inclusive development of persons with disabilities, notwithstanding economic, social or political challenges.
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