Government Implementation of the Standard Rules
As Seen By Member Organizations of
World Blind Union - WBU

Sri Lanka

Download 'WBU Reports on the UN Standard Rules' as a PDF file (195 KB)

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© Dimitris Michailakis 1997

The Sri Lanka Federation of the Visually Handicapped, Sri Lanka
Compare with the following Country Report(s): the Sri Lankan Government

General policy

The officially recognized disability policy is expressed in guidelines adopted by the national disability council. According to the Government, disability policy is also expressed in guidelines adopted by the Government. The emphasis in this policy is on prevention, rehabilitation, accessibility measures, anti-discrimination law and individual support.

Since the adoption of the Rules, the government has conveyed the message of full participation through various actions.

Legislation

The rights of persons with disabilities are protected by special legislation.

General legislation applies to persons with different disabilities with respect to education, employment, the right to marriage, the right to parenthood/family, political rights, access to court of law, the right to privacy and to property rights. According to the Government, general legislation does not apply to persons with disabilities. The following benefits are guaranteed by law to persons with disabilities: health and medical care, training, rehabilitation and counselling, financial security, employment, independent living and participation in decisions affecting themselves. According to the Government, there are no benefits guaranteed by law to disabled people.

New legislation is very soon coming before the Parliament.

Accessibility

There are no rules to ensure accessibility of the built environment. There are no special transport arrangements. The most difficult obstacles, when planning to build accessible environments, are attitudinal factors, economic/budgetary factors, technical factors, geographical and climatic factors, lack of legislation and regulations and lack of knowledge, research and information. There is a disability awareness component incorporated in the training of planners, architects and construction engineers.

Sign language is used as the first language in education of deaf people and is also recognized as the main means of communication between deaf persons and others. There are government measures to encourage media to make their services accessible for persons with disabilities. The following services are provided in order to facilitate information and communication between persons with disabilities and others: literature in Braille/tape, news magazines on tape/Braille, and sign language interpretation being available for major events. According to the Government, sign language interpretation is available for any purpose.

Organizations of persons with disabilities

There is no national umbrella organization. According to the Government, there is a national umbrella organization. There are no legal provisions mandating the representatives of persons with disabilities to participate in policy-making or to work with governmental institutions. According to the Government there are such legal provisions. Disability organizations are always consulted, when laws and regulations with a disability aspect are being prepared. Consultations occur at the national level. The government gives financial support to existing or new organizations of persons with disabilities. Persons with disabilities participate to a very limited extent in judiciary and to a great extent in NGOs. The role of disabled persons organizations is to advocate rights and improved services, identify needs and priorities, mobilize persons with disabilities, participate in the planning, implementation and evaluation of services and measures concerning the lives of persons with disabilities, contribute to public awareness, provide services and promote/organize income generating activities.

Co-ordination of work

The national co-ordinating committee is reporting to the Ministry of Health Highways and Social Services. It includes representatives of many Ministries and of organizations of persons with disabilities. The government expects the co-ordinating committee to participate in policy development and to perform other tasks. The establishment of the committee has led to: improved co-ordination of measures/programmes, improved legislation, improved integration of responsibility, a better dialogue in the disability field, more accurate planning, more effective use of resources and improved promotion of public awareness.

The adoption of the rules has motivated our Government Officials.

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Contents of the WBU Report | Compare with the following Country Report(s): the Sri Lankan Government