People with disabilities are more likely to suffer anxiety, discomfort, and animosity than the general population. To a significant measure, such attitudes arise from a lack of understanding of disability and what it’s like to live in a world with individuals who do not share that experience. As a result, in Sri Lanka, collaboration with the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) and the Employers’ Federation of Ceylon (EFC), Specialised Training & Disability Resource Centre took the initiative to implement a project on Disability Accessibility Audit and Capacity Building of Local Government Authorities in Sri Lanka. The audit team from EFC led by #Manique Gunaratne, which included persons with diverse disabilities, did a disability accessibility audit at Anuradhapura Municipal Council (MC), in Anuradhapura district, in North Central Province in November 2021 to give recommendations on how to make the Anuradhapura Municipal Council access for all.
Two Advocacy Group discussions were held with persons with disabilities belonging to Anuradhapura MC and staff members (persons with non-disabilities) of the Municipal Council on how to have an inclusive approach when providing services which already exists.
Manique Gunaratne
Member of the National Council for Persons with Disabilities
