Manique Gunaratne is engaged in inclusion of persons with #disabilities in the Lighting Digital Capacity Building Drive and regional development initiatives of ICTA for the citizen empowerment and youth sector. With the critical foundational work completed and multiple initiatives ongoing; ICTA plans to facilitate the adoption and rolling-out initiatives island-wide with a Regional Development Drive.
The ICTA hosted a Stakeholder Engagement Forum at the Information & Technology Agency (ICTA) Auditorium in December 2022 for Citizen Capacity Building as part of the Lighting Digital National Forum. This offers a space for retrospect, the exchange of success stories, knowledge, problems, lessons learned, technological innovation, and other issues related to Citizen capacity building on digital transformation, the identification, and improvement of key initiatives for 2023, and the exploration of potential partner collaborations.
Lighting Digital BannerManique with the ParticipantsManique with the ParticipantsManique with the ParticipantsParticipantsParticipantsParticipantsParticipantsParticipantsParticipants
People with disabilities are more likely than the general population to suffer anxiety, discomfort, and animosity. 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. Therefore, this initiative greatly supported to bring a change to create an inclusive approach.
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 andCapacity 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 Dimbulagala Pradeshiya Sabha, in Polonnaruwa district, in North Central Province in January 2022 to give recommendations on how to make the Dimbulagala 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 Dimbulagala Pradeshiya Sabha with persons with disabilities belonging to Dimbulagala
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.
Dimbulagala Pradeshiya SabhaGroup PhotographManique at the PSChecking AccessibilityChecking AccessibilityChecking AccessibilityChecking AccessibilityChecking AccessibilityChecking AccessibilityAdvocacy Group DiscussionChecking AccessibilityAdvocacy Group DiscussionManique at the PSChecking AccessibilityChecking AccessibilityChecking AccessibilityAdvocacy Group DiscussionAdvocacy Group Discussion
MANIQUE GUNARATNE The Employers’ Federation of Ceylon, 385 J3 Old Kotte Road, Rajagiriya, Sri Lanka.
Two Advocacy Group discussions were held at the Madirigiriya Pradeshiya Sabha with persons with disabilities belonging to Madirigiriya 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. People with disabilities are more likely than the general population to suffer anxiety, discomfort, and animosity. 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. Therefore, this initiative greatly supported to bring a change to create an inclusive approach.
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 Madirigiriya Pradeshiya Sabha, in Polonnaruwa district, in North Central Province in January 2022 to give recommendations on how to make the Madirigiriya 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.
Medirigiya PS NameboardTeam MembersManique in front of the main gateAdvocacy group discussionAdvocacy group discussionAccessibility CheckingAccessibility CheckingAdvocacy group discussionAccessibility CheckingAccessibility CheckingAdvocacy group discussionAccessibility CheckingAccessibility CheckingAccessibility CheckingHanding over a Braille calendar to a vision impaired personAccessibility CheckingAccessibility Checking
MANIQUE GUNARATNE Manager – Specialised Training and Disability Resource Centre of The Employers’ Federation of Ceylon
The team from EFC led by Manique Gunaratne which included persons with diverse disabilities did an disability accessibility checking to give recommendations at Galnawa Pradeshiya Sabha, in Anuradhapura district, in North Central Province in December 2021 to give recommendations on how to make the Galnawa Pradeshiya Sabha access for all.
2 Advocacy Group discussions were held with persons with disabilities belonging to Galnawa 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. People with disabilities are more likely than the general population to suffer anxiety, discomfort, and animosity. 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. Therefore, this initiative greatly supported to bring a change to create an inclusive approach.
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).
Galnawa NameboardTeam Members Checking AccessibilityChecking AccessibilityChecking AccessibilityGalnawa Public Library Advocacy Group DiscussionChecking AccessibilityAdvocacy Group DiscussionChecking AccessibilityChecking AccessibilityAdvocacy Group DiscussionAdvocacy Group DiscussionAdvocacy Group DiscussionChecking Accessibility
MANIQUE GUNARATNE CISCO International Trainer for I T E (Information Technology Essentials) and CCNA (Cisco Computer Network Associates)
Manique Gunaratne was a speaker at the Asia Pacific Network Information Centre (APNIC)54, Asia Pacific Regional Internet Governance Forum (APRIGF) 2022, Asia Pacific School on Internet Governance (APSIG) 2022 conferences held at the Grand Hytte Hotel in Singapore in September 2022.
The events were organised by APNIC, the Regional Internet Registry for the Asia Pacific, in conjunction with APRIGF and APSIG.
The combined event was a summit comprising training workshops and conference sessions and which attracted hundreds of delegates and speakers from around the world. The technical workshops provided participants with hands-on training to build and manage Internet infrastructure. The conferences included technical sessions on topics such as IPv6, networking and security, Internet governance discussions, as well as community-driven Special Interest Group meetings on Internet numbers policy and Internet cooperation.
Manique Gunaratne conducted sessions on “Inclusion of persons with disabilities in the ICT Job Sector”, “Accessibility, Diversity and the Digital Divide”, “Digital accessibility and connectivity for disabled students in higher education during COVID-19”,“Strengthening the Disability Voice in Internet governance” and “Inclusion and Tech”.
APRIGF – Manique with participantsAPRIGF – Manique in the panel
APRIGF – Manique presenting
APRIGF – Manique in the panelAPRIGF – Manique presentingAPRIGF – Manique in the panelAPRIGF – Manique in the panelAPRIGF – Manique in the panel
APRIGF – Manique presenting
APSIG – Manique in the panelAPSIG – Manique in the panel APSIG – Manique in the panelAPSIG – Manique in the panel
APSIG – Resource persons
APSIG – Resource personsAPSIG – at the conference
MANIQUE GUNARATNE Vice Chair Person – South Asian Disability Forum
