Tag Archives: #2021

ENHANCING INDEPENDENCE AND DEVELOPING SELF CONFIDENCE OF PERSONS WITH DISABILITIES AT RAJANGANAYA TANK

September 7, 2023 Manique

Enhances independence and self-confidence for many individuals with disabilities everyday life can be constrained by reliance on others. Traveling offers a chance to step out of their comfort zones, make decisions independently, and overcome challenges. As they successfully navigate unfamiliar environments, their self-confidence soars, and they gain a renewed sense of self-worth.

Manique Gunaratne created the opportunity for a group of persons with disabilities to visit the Rajanganaya Tank in Anuradhapura district in November 2021.

Rajanganaya is an ancient region which is 2000 years old. It is one of the 1655 lakes in Sri lanka in the Tank kingdom that very important things of the Sinhala culture have deposited. Before the arrival of Prince Vijaya, 4 tribal groups in Sri Lanka, namely yakka, Deva, Naga and Raksha. Among these tribal groups, main settlements and commercial cities of the yakka, had been built related to the Asela Pabbatha of Rajanganaya region.

According to the ancient folk tales left band of the Kalaoya was known as Giriba Rata and right band was Angamuwa rata. Maharapi Off the Rajanganaya tank was built by crossing Kalaoya and Kaadigala had joing to the built tank bund. It was a creation of king Wasamba. According to the history prince Thissa the son of the king Wasamba had built the ” Maha Mangala Vihara ” on the top of the kaadigala to be memorized his beloved mother. In addition, that “Anula Pabbatha Vihara”, Aselastupa and vihara was built relating to Angamuwa region, for the memories of his mother.

MANIQUE GUNARATNE
Web: www.employers.lk

Accessibility

ACCESS FOR ALL AT PALAGALA PRADESHIYA SABHA

July 22, 2023 Manique

A disability accessibility audit and a advocacy group discussions were held with persons with disabilities belonging to Palagala Pradeshiya Sabha and staff members (persons with non-disabilities) of the Pradeshiya Sabha on how to have an inclusive approach when providing services which already exists at the Palagala Pradeshiya Sabha in Anuradhapura district in North Central Province in December 2021.

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.

The Capacity Development for Local Governments (CDLG) Project of UNDP Sri Lanka is part of larger efforts by the Government of Sri Lanka to strengthen the local governance system in the country. These efforts are supported by the European Union, and the World Bank.

Disability inclusion is one of the key strategic priorities for UNDP Sri Lanka in keeping with the commitment of UNDP globally and the new initiatives of disability inclusion strategy and their commitment to leave no one behind.

MANIQUE GUNARATNE
Blog: http://efcnetworkondisability.employers.lk/

Travel

OVERCOMING OBSTACLES THROUGH TRAVEL

July 22, 2023 Manique

It is a matter of “pulling out all the stops”, as much as possible, so that people with #disabilities can achieve their own goals, reach their own conclusions and get to places that would otherwise be difficult for them to reach.

In short, the goal is to use all the different tools we can find (especially our human resources) to train the brains of people with disabilities in order to overcome any obstacles we encounter along the way. Travel helps persons with disabilities to achieve their goals.

Manique Gunaratne gave the opportunity to a group of persons with Diverse disabilities to visit the Iranamadu Tank in Kilinochchi in April 2022.

Iranamadu Tank is located in Northern Province, Sri Lanka. Iranamadu tank is one of the man-made largest #reservoirs of Sri Lanka. Iranamadu village and the tank belong to Killinochi District. Iranamadu tank has been a traditional #fishing ground for generations. It is located 8km from the city of Kilinochi. Water reservoir capacity is 131.4mcm. Sri Lanka is a popular #tourist country, Iranamadu tank is a place to be visited on your way to Jaffna peninsula. Killinochi district people are facilitated with irrigation services, fishing industry and sanitation services. This is one of the deepest tanks in Sri Lanka.

King Dhatusena built the Iranamadu tank another. In 1920 the tank was repaired and reconstructed. People in Killinochi mostly do farming so they are very useful with the Iranamadu tank. Iranamadu Irrigation Development Project is a basic part of the arrangement to Jaffna for the passing of water on the one hand and the treatment of the downstream canal system as ordered by the target group population on the other. The choice of the project area is determined by the nature of the Project and it includes the Iranamadu irrigation scheme. The tank is now allowed for fishing and a project is proposed to extract drinking water from the tank.

MANIQUE GUNARATNEE
maniqueg@empfed.lk manique.g@gmail.com

Accessibility

ACCESS FOR ALL AT KAKIRAWA PRADESHIYA SABHA

June 25, 2023 Manique

A Disability Accessibility Audit and two Advocacy Group discussions were held at the Kakirawa Pradeshiya Sabha in Anuradhapura district in North Central Province in Sri Lanka in December 2021. 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 Kakirawa Pradeshiya Sabha and staff members (persons with non-disabilities) of the Pradeshiya Sabha 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 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 Organisation 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. The Capacity Development for Local Governments (CDLG) Project of UNDP Sri Lanka is part of larger efforts by the Government of Sri Lanka to strengthen the local governance system in the country.

MANIQUE GUNARATNE
Core Founder – Lanka School on Internet Governance

Rights of Persons with Disabilities, Travel

DEVELOPING PROBLEM SOLVING SKILLS OF PERSONS WITH DISABILITIES

June 4, 2023 Manique

Traveling involves broadening the horizons of the personal universe, thereby increasing the ability to connect abstract concepts, such as experiences or situations that, when applied to everyday life, provide the solutions to many of the problems encounter every day. Therefore, creating the “Self-managed Trips” programmes in which persons with disabilities are actively involved in the entire organisation and decision-making process required to plan a trip, regardless of its duration, be it a month or only two days.

#Manique Gunaratne created the opportunity for a group of persons with diverse #disabilities to visit the Hatthikuchchi Vihara in Anuradhapura district in November 2021.

#Hatthikucchi Viharaya is a ruined ancient temple complex situated on the northern border of the North Western Province (Wayamba), in Sri Lanka.

The name ‘Hatthikucchi’ is a pali word meaning ‘Elephant Stomach’ This names has been given because of a large rock inside the temple complex which resembles an elephant.

There are more than fifty rock inscriptions have been identified on the vihara rock and its base, dating from 2nd to 9th centuries AD. Among them several inscriptions, called Vaharala, mention the freeing of slaves from compulsory service.

The Temple complex is considered to have been built by King Devanampiyatissa (307–267 BC) and one of the oldest Buddhist temple complexes in the country. Later for various reasons this complex was forgotten and by the time of king Sirisangabo this was covered with jungle.

It has been taken into consideration that this was the location where King Sirisangabo (251–253 AD) offered his own head to a peasant. Previously it was widely considered that this incident took place at Attanagalla in Gampaha district now most scholars have raised the argument that this must be the place that it really took place.

Main reason for this idea was that, in the story it says the peasant walked half a day from Anuradhapura towards the south where he met the former king Sirisangabo. Since Hatthikucchi Viharaya is only 38.5 km from Anuradhapura rather than Attanagalla which is 170 km from Anuradhapura there is a better chance this is the actual place the incident took place.

Supporting this facts there is a tomb which is considered to have the ashes of the king Sirisangabo. In this tomb the tombstone which is built from bricks resembling a human body have a granite sphere as the head piece since it was missing in the dead body.

Excavations are still under way at the site and more ruins are yet to be found which are covered with the jungle.

MANIQUE GUNARATNE
E-mail – maniqueg@empfed.lk
manique.g@gmail.com

Accessibility

ACCESS FOR ALL AT HOROWPOTHANA PRADESHIYA SABHA

May 16, 2023 Manique

The team from EFC led by #Manique Gunaratne which included persons with diverse #disabilities did an disability #accessibility checking to give recommendations at Horwpothana Pradeshiya Sabha in Anuradhapura district, in North Central Province in November 2021 to give recommendations on how to make the Horwpothana Pradeshiya Sabha access for all.

CDLG is a four-year project (2020-2023) targeting the Eastern, Northern, North-Central and Uva Provinces of Sri Lanka.

Two Advocacy Group discussions were held at the Horowpothana Pradeshiya Sabha with persons with disabilities belonging to Horowpothana Pradeshiya Sabha and staff members (persons with non-disabilities) of the Pradeshiya Sabha on how to have an inclusive approach when providing services which already exists.

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 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 Organisation 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.

Formed in 1929, it was the first Organisation to register under the Trade Unions Ordinance and is the principal Trade Union representing employers.

MANIQUE GUNARATNE
Facebook – https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=100000521211893

Conferences, Rights of Persons with Disabilities

VICLIS2021 – LIBRARY ACCESS FOR ALL

April 1, 2023 Manique

Sri Lanka Technological Campus hosted its first-ever virtual international conference on Library and Information Science (VICLIS2021) in collaboration with the department of library and information science, University of Kelaniya, Sri Lanka, National Science Library, and Resource Centre of the National Science Foundation of Sri Lanka, and the Department of Library and Information Science University of Kerala, India. The conference was held in August 2021, under the theme of ‘Challenges of Library and Information Science Profession in New Normal Context.

The VICLIS2021 aimed to bring together the Library and Information Science (LIS) professionals, researchers, and LIS students to exchange and share their experiences and research findings on all aspects of Library Science. This free conference also provided a premier interdisciplinary platform for 104 research presenters from over 10 countries to present and discuss the most recent innovations, trends, and concerns as well as practical challenges encountered and solutions adopted in the fields of Library Science.

The chief guest of the event was Mrs.Christine Mackenzie, the President of the International Federation of Library Association and Institution, IFLA. Keynote speeches were delivered by Prof.Anne Goulding, Professor of Library and Information Management, School of Information Management, Victoria University, New Zealand and Dr.Raymond Pun, President of the Asia Pacific American Librarians Association, APALA.

The Founder President and the CEO of the SLTC stated in his welcome address that the VICLIS2021 is a landmark event hosted by SLTC as this is the very first conference on Library and Information Science organized by a Non-State Higher Educational Institutions in Sri Lanka.

There were nine (9) technical sessions conducted under nine (9) timely sub-themes at the conference. Over 350 participants from 17 countries have participated in the conference.

Ms. Manique Gunaratne conducted the session on “Library access for persons with disabilities”.

MANIQUE GUNARATNE
Administrative Vice President – Internet Society Sri Lanka Chapter

Accessibility

ACCESS FOR ALL AT PADAVIYA PRADESHIYA SABHA

March 20, 2023 Manique

The “Disability Accessibility” project implemented by The Employers’ Federation of Ceylon, Specialised Training & #Disability Resource Centre is a part of an initiative supported under the Capacity Development of Local Governments (CDLG) project implemented by the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) in Sri Lanka with the financial assistance of the European Union (EU).

The team from EFC led by #Manique Gunaratne which included persons with diverse disabilities did an disability accessibility checking to give recommendations at Padaviya Pradeshiya Sabha in Anuradhapura district, in North Central Province in December 2021 to give recommendations on how to make the Padaviya Pradeshiya Sabha access for all.

CDLG is a four-year project (2020-2023) targeting the Eastern, Northern, North-Central and Uva Provinces of Sri Lanka.

Two Advocacy Group discussions were held at the Padaviya Pradeshiya Sabha with persons with disabilities belonging to Padaviya Pradeshiya Sabha and staff members (persons with non-disabilities) of the Pradeshiya Sabha on how to have an inclusive approach when providing services which already exists.

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 structures.

(Honoured, Deshabandu) Manique Gunaratne

Rights of Persons with Disabilities

SENSITISING PERSONS WITH DISABILITIES ON PREVENTION OF CANCER

March 6, 2023 Manique

The Employers’ Federation of Ceylon, Specialised Training & Disability Resource Centre conducted a sensitise programme for persons with diverse #disabilities on “Prevention of Cancer” in September 2021. Dr. Janaki Widanapathirana conducted the session to make awareness among persons with disabilities because health is equally important for persons with disabilities as well.

**Session with Sign-language Interpretation**

**Resource Person conducting the Session**

MANIQUE GUNARATNE
Facebook – https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=100000521211893

Accessibility

ACCESS FOR ALL AT IPOLAGAMA PRADESHIYA SABHA

March 6, 2023 Manique

The Employers’ Federation of Ceylon, Specialised Training & #Disability Resource Centre in collaboration with the United Nations Development Programme (#UNDP) and the European Union (EU) took the initiative to implement a project to provide recommendations on Disability Accessibility and Capacity Building of Local Government Authorities in Sri Lanka. This project is part of an initiative supported under the Capacity Development of Local Governments (CDLG) project implemented by the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) in Sri Lanka with the financial assistance of the European Union (EU).

The team from EFC led by #Manique Gunaratne which included persons with diverse disabilities did an disability accessibility checking to give recommendations at Ipolagama Pradeshiya Sabha in Anuradhapura district, in North Central Province in December 2021 to give recommendations on how to make the Epolagama Pradeshiya Sabha access for all.

CDLG is a four-year project (2020-2023) targeting the Eastern, Northern, North-Central and Uva Provinces of Sri Lanka.

2 Advocacy Group discussions were held at the Ipolagama Pradeshiya Sabha with persons with disabilities belonging to Epolagama Pradeshiya Sabha and staff members (persons with non-disabilities) of the Pradeshiya Sabha on how to have an inclusive approach when providing services which already exists.

MANIQUE GUNARATNE
LinkedIn : linkedin.com/in/manique-gunaratne-34722519