UNDP CDLG is a four-year project (2020-2023) targeting the Eastern, Northern, North-Central and Uva Provinces of Sri Lanka.
A Disability Accessibility Audit and two Advocacy Group discussions were held at the Polonnaruwa Municipal Council in Polonnaruwa district in North Central Province in Sri Lanka in January 2022. The team was led by Ms. Manique Gunaratne of The Employers’ Federation of Ceylon, Specialised Training & Disability Resource Centre. The advocacy group discussions were held with persons with disabilities belonging to Polonnaruwa Municipal Council and staff members (persons with non-disabilities) of the Municipal Council on how to have an inclusive approach when providing services which already exists.
It is part of the European Union’s STRIDE (Strengthening Transformation, Reconciliation, and Inclusive Democratic Engagement) programme focused on strengthening the capacities of local government authorities to be inclusive, responsive, and accountable, and improve service delivery.
Together with the Capacity Development of Local Governments (CDLG) Project of United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) and The Employers’ Federation of Ceylon (EFC), implemented this project on Disability accessibility audit and enhancing the capacity of technical officers in the local government structure.
The EFC, with an overall vision statement to promote social harmony through productive employment, is implementing several proactive measures to encourage its members to hire people with disabilities. The EFC is the representative employers’ Organisation in Sri Lanka on social issues. It has a membership of 700 plus member Companies. Formed in 1929, it was the first organization to register under the Trade Unions Ordinance and is the principal Trade Union representing employers. The EFC, with funding from the ILO, developed the Employers’ Network on Disability to facilitate employment and training opportunities in the Private Sector for disabled jobseekers, which was officially launched in the year 1999. It has a membership of 700 plus Companies. The object of forming the Network is to link the business community and the organizations dealing with disability issues to facilitate mainstreaming its work.
MANIQUE GUNARATNE
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