Tag Archives: #Disability

JOB INTERVIEWS FOR PERSONS WITH DISABILITY

The Employers’ Federation of Ceylon, Specialised Training & Disability Resource Centre train persons with diverse #disabilities in employability skills and place them in gainful employment. Coats Thread Exports PLC conducted job interviews for hearing impaired persons in March 2021 to employ persons with disabilities.

Hearing-impaired Candidate
Hearing-impaired Candidate
 Hearing-impaired Candidate
Hearing-impaired Candidate

#Manique Gunaratne
Executive Committee Member – Asia Pacific Women with Disability United

STRENGTHENING THE INCLUSIVITY OF COMMUNITY COVID RESPONSES TO PROTECT THE FUNDAMENTAL FREEDOMS OF WOMEN AND GIRLS WITH DISABILITIES DURING COVID-19 PANDEMIC

Mobility International USA (MIUSA) and the Employers’ Federation of Ceylon (EFC) Specialised Training & Disability Resource Centre organized a programme on Mobilizing Women Leaders with #Disabilities for Inclusive Responses to Gender-Based Violence During the COVID-19 Pandemic in Uva Province in January 2021. The programme was organized with the support of the Wellassa Organization for the Disabled in Monaragala district and was held at Little Rose Inn Hotel in Vallawaya.

The programme was organized to strengthen the inclusivity of community and government COVID responses to protect the fundamental freedoms of women and girls with disabilities. The objective was to Mobilize disabled women in leading efforts to promote inclusive gender-based violence (GBV) services and programming during the COVID-19 pandemic.

Introduction on “mobilizing women leaders with disabilities for “inclusive responses to gender-based violence during the Covid-19 pandemic” and “Briefing on what is GBV for women with disabilities during Covid-19 pandemic” were some of the areas covered at these training at the provincial level. The programme was conducted under the leadership of Ms. #Manique Gunaratne.

A Participant With A Physical Disability Speaking 
A Participant With A Physical Disability Speaking
 Partially Sighted Participant Speaking
Partially Sighted Participant Speaking
Hearing-impaired Participant Speaking
Hearing-impaired Participant Speaking
Introducing Participants
Introducing Participants
Conducting the Session
Conducting the Session
Training Materials
Training Materials
 Training Materials
Training Materials
Session in Progress
Session in Progress
 Session in Progress
Session in Progress
Awarding Certificates
Awarding Certificates
 Awarding Certificates
Awarding Certificates
Lighting Virtual Oil Lamp
Lighting Virtual Oil Lamp
 Lighting Virtual Oil Lamp
Lighting Virtual Oil Lamp
 Introduction of the Programme With Sign Language Interpretation
Introduction of the Programme With Sign Language Interpretation
  Introduction of the Programme
Introduction of the Programme
  Awarding Certificates
Awarding Certificates
 Awarding Certificates
Awarding Certificates
Awarding Certificates
Awarding Certificates
Conducting a Session with Sign Language Interpretation
Conducting a Session with Sign Language Interpretation
Conducting a Session
Conducting a Session
Online Session in Progress
Online Session in Progress
Resource Person Connecting Online
Resource Person Connecting Online
Conducting a Session Online
Conducting a Session Online
  Awarding Certificates
Awarding Certificates
  Awarding Certificates
Awarding Certificates
Feedback Session
Feedback Session
Participants
Participants
 Participants
Participants
 Awarding Certificates
Awarding Certificates
 Awarding Certificates
Awarding Certificates
Group Activity
Group Activity
Group Activity
Group Activity
Group Photograph with Participants Holding Certificates
Group Photograph with Participants Holding Certificates
Group Photograph of the Participants
Group Photograph of the Participants
Standing for the National Anthem
Standing for the National Anthem

Manique Gunaratne
E-mail – maniqueg@empfed.lk, manique.g@gmail.com   

DISABILITY AWARENESS AND SENSITISATION

The University of Colombo conducted training on Disability Awareness and Sensitization under the Faculty of Arts – AHEAD grant and implemented in collaboration with the Centre for Disability Research Education and Practice (CEDREP) and the Staff Development Centre (SDC), the University of Colombo for the non-academic staff in December 2020. Ms. #Manique Gunaratne conducted the session on how to provide reasonable accommodation for under-graduate with #disabilities.

Manique Presenting
Manique Presenting
 Manique Presenting
Manique Presenting

Manique Gunaratne
Fax – 0094112867946

MOBILISING WOMEN LEADERS WITH DISABILITY FOR INCLUSIVE RESPONSE TO GENDER-BASED VIOLENCE DURING COVID-19 PANDEMIC

Mobility International USA (MIUSA) and the Employers’ Federation of Ceylon (EFC) Specialised Training & Disability Resource Centre jointly organised the webinar on Mobilizing Women Leaders with #Disabilities for Inclusive Responses to Gender-Based Violence During the COVID Pandemic’ in November 2020.

 Community and government responses to the global COVID-19 pandemic are further perpetuating domestic violence against women and girls with disabilities by the exclusion of women and girls with disabilities in decision-making processes, and denying women and girls with disabilities access to timely and vital communication, information, services, and protection measures.

This webinar was focused on the situation of women with disabilities during the COVID-19 pandemic and the challenges they face, particularly on the issue of gender-based violence. Participants were encouraged to join this call to explore information on existing efforts and opportunities to work collaboratively to address this issue going forward.

The Guest Speaker was from the US Embassy – Mr Adam Smith. Project introduction was done by #Manique Gunaratne. common forms of GBV among persons with disabilities, Role of Mainstream Women Organisations and women with non-disabilities in Gender-Based Violence (GBV) for women with disability, Importance of Sexual and reproductive health concerning GBV, Protection and Support systems available for GBV, What is GBV and How does violence intersect with gender and disability? Were discussed.

 Session on Sexual and Reproductive Health
Session on Sexual and Reproductive Health
Manique Conducting the Session
Manique Conducting the Session
 Presentation on Screen
Presentation on Screen
 Session on Causes for GBV 
Session on Causes for GBV
UNFPA Presentation
Session on the Inclusion of Women with Disability into Mainstream Women Organizations
Session on the Inclusion of Women with Disability into Mainstream Women Organisations
 MIUSA Conducting the Session
MIUSA Conducting the Session

Manique Gunaratne
Mobile – 0094779571918

TOWARDS AN INCLUSIVE SOCIETY WITH THE  RIGHT- BASED APPROACH

The Student Social Workers in the academic year 2017/18 at the National Institute of Social Development (NISD), following the Bachelor of Social Work Degree, organised a live discussion in December 2020, under the topic, “Towards an Inclusive Society with The Right-Based Approach in #Disability“. Additionally, the discussion was focusing on the importance of the right-based approach in different settings, the role of social workers and the society to make inclusion and the role of persons with disability to make a path for an inclusive society.

The guest speakers were; Ms #Manique Guneratne, Manager – Specialised Training & Disability Resource Centre of the Employers’ Federation of Ceylon, Ms Niluka Gunawardena, an educator, examiner, advocator for disability rights and a visiting lecturer at the University of Colombo & Kelaniya and Mr Amila Adikaram, psychiatrist social worker and counsellor at the Teaching Hospital, Ratnapura.

Flyer of the Webinar
Flyer of the Webinar
Participants on Screen
Participants on Screen
Manique Presenting
Manique Presenting

Manique Gunaratne
Tele – 0094117801801

REASONABLE ACCOMMODATION FOR UNDERGRADUATES WITH DISABILITY

The University of Colombo conducted training on Disability Awareness and Sensitization under the Faculty of Arts – AHEAD grant and implemented in collaboration with the Centre for Disability Research Education and Practice (CEDREP) and the Staff Development Centre (SDC), the University of Colombo for the academic staff in December 2020. Ms. #Manique Gunaratne conducted the session on how to provide reasonable accommodation for under-graduate with #Disabilities.

Manique Presenting
Manique Presenting
Manique with Audience
Manique with Audience
Participants
Participants

Manique Gunaratne,
The Employers’ Federation of Ceylon,
385 J3 Old Kotte Road,
Rajagiriya,
Sri Lanka.

INCLUSIVE APPROACHES TO GBV PREVENTION AND RESPONSE IN HUMANITARIAN EMERGENCIES: LEARNING FROM WOMEN AT THE FRONTLINES OF HUMANITARIAN ACTION AND DISABILITY RIGHTS

Ms. #Manique Gunaratne was a speaker at the virtual public event in the margins of the 13th Conference of State Parties to the Convention on the Rights of People with #Disabilities (CoSP13 CRPD) in December 2020

Organized by: CARE, Community Association for Vulnerable Persons (CAVP, Cameroon), National Union of Women with Disabilities of Uganda (NUWODU) and Women Enabled International.
Co-sponsored by: Permanent Mission to Mexico to the UN, Permanent Mission of Ireland to the UN and UNICEF

We have known for years that people with disabilities are often excluded from programs and services designed to prevent and respond to GBV in humanitarian emergencies. More recently with the onset of COVID-19 and the GBV ‘shadow pandemic,’ it has triggered, women and girls with disabilities are being left out and left behind in even greater numbers. They may be isolated in their homes, overlooked during needs assessments and not consulted in the design or evaluation of programs, but global pandemic or no, all human rights of women and girls with disabilities must be ensured and particular protections to those in humanitarian crises must be guaranteed.

This event brings together women who are at the frontlines in Cameroon, Uganda and South Sudan, addressing the intersection between gender, disabilities, GBV prevention and humanitarian response. Through a moderated discussion these women’s firsthand experiences about the key challenges they face were heard and what approaches are working and what needs to change or scale up to ensure we deliver on our collective commitment to make access to GBV services, mental health and psychosocial support, and sexual and reproductive health services and programs available to all on an equal basis. There was also an opportunity for participants to pose their own questions to the panel.

The objectives of the event were To provide an international platform for local disability rights advocates working in a range of countries experiencing humanitarian emergencies to talk directly with States Parties to the CRPD about the challenges that women and girls with disabilities face in these contexts, particularly when it comes to GBV prevention and response and access to the highest attainable standard of mental and physical health, including sexual and reproductive health services. The speakers provided recommendations about how these challenges can be overcome to advance commitments to inclusive humanitarian action and inclusive and gender-responsive sustainable development.  

  1. By promoting a better understanding of the challenges local women-led and women’s rights organisations are experiencing both pre-and post-COVID, provide concrete recommendations to the humanitarian system and States Parties to the CRPD to ensure all stakeholders take action to put women and girls with disabilities at the centre of humanitarian action, both as agents of change and as members of affected communities.
  2. To showcase the tools that have been developed to address the intersection between disability, gender and humanitarian response, including the IASC Disability Guidelines, Minimum Standards for Prevention and Response to GBV in Emergencies; and the WRC/IRC Toolkit for GBV Practitioners.

Participants included UN Permanent Missions, experts on gender and disability rights from Member States that are Parties to the CRPD; UN officials and staff; civil society representatives from national, regional and international NGOs.

Manique Presenting
Manique Presenting
Manique Presenting
Manique Presenting

Manique Gunaratne
Visiting Lecturer – University of Colombo

MAKE YOUR ORGANISATION AN INCLUSIVE WORKPLACE

The Employers’ Federation of Ceylon, Specialised Training & #Disability Resource Centre conducts training on “How to make your organisation an inclusive workplace”. If you wish to have an inhouse training please contact us. Ms. #Manique Gunaratne conducted the “Inclusive Workplace” session at the H R Diploma conducted by EFC in November 2020.

Manique Demonstrating Disability Etiquettes For Vision Impaired Persons
Manique Demonstrating Disability Etiquettes For Vision Impaired Persons
Manique Demonstrating Disability Etiquettes For Vision Impaired Persons
Manique Demonstrating Disability Etiquettes For Vision Impaired Persons
Manique Conducting The Session
Manique Conducting The Session
Manique Conducting The Session
Manique Conducting The Session
Presentation on Screen
Presentation on Screen

Manique Gunaratne
Resource Person – Beyond the Reach Project of Internet Society Sri Lanka Chapter

ADVOCACY INITIATIVE FOR PERSONS WITH DISABILITY

Disability Organizations’ Joint Front (DOJF) has embarked on an advocacy initiative to provide “Education and Awareness on the Rights of persons with #disability” to district level leaders as an integral part of the project titled “Disability Inclusion in Mainstream Development Process”. The Advanced phase of the Rights Education was held in September 2020 at Hotel Janaki. The selected participants who have completed the initial training will receive a comprehensive education and training on Disability, Gender & Human Rights.

Ms. #Manique Gunaratne shared her experience in this training program by conducting a session on the “Vocational Training & Employment” thematic area. 

Manique Presenting
Manique Presenting
 Manique Presenting
Manique Presenting

Manique with the Panelists
Manique with the Panelists
Participants
Participants
Participants
Participants

Participants
Participants
Participants
Participants

Manique Gunaratne
Member of the Expert Body of the Sub Committee on Persons with Disabilities – Human Rights Commission of Sri Lanka