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DISABILITY ACCESSIBILITY AUDIT AND ENHANCE THE CAPACITY OF TECHNICAL OFFICERS IN THE LOCAL GOVERNMENT STRUCTURE in Anuradhapura District

 The objective of the initiative is to develop the capacity of local authorities and raise awareness among technical officers, Officials in the decision-making process, Engineers, Architects, and Officials in the Planning Divisions. It is expected that this intervention will ensure that people with disabilities can access all public buildings and make use of the facilities inside those buildings as Regulations are intended to be accomplished.

The team from EFC led by #Manique Gunaratne which included persons with diverse #disabilities conducted the Anuradhapura 3 training workshop at the #Corporative #Training #Resort in Anuradhapura district, in #North #Central #Province in January 2022. 

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

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 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 650 plus Companies. 

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).

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.

The importance of this workshop was that all resource persons were persons with disabilities. Manique Gunaratne conducted the session on “Technical specifications on accessibility” and Anil Seneviratne conducted the session on “law and access”. People with physical disabilities, hearing impaired persons and vision impaired persons spoke on the barriers faced by persons with disabilities and possible solutions.

Participants with non-disabilities got the opportunity to experience of using a wheel chair, walking with a white cane, walking blind folded, waring socks and shoes without using hands and communicating in sign language.

The Network on Disability is actively serving its purpose by strengthening the link between organizations dealing with disability related issues, business community and persons with disabilities. 

We play a key role in advocacy and lobbying for the rights of persons with diverse disabilities. 


Classroom-style training session with adults watching a projected video. The room has rows of chairs with desks, all facing the front where a projector screen shows a woman standing indoors and speaking. Most participants are seated, facing forward, and appear to be adults of varying ages, many with medium to dark brown skin tones. Several people have long black hair tied back; some are wearing patterned dresses or blouses, and a few are in shirts and trousers. Some participants are wearing face masks, suggesting a health-safety context. At the front, two people sit behind a table with laptops and microphones, functioning like trainers or presenters. Behind them there is a whiteboard with some writing on it and a flip chart stand. On the left side of the room there are two tall standing banners with text and photos, likely informational posters about the program or organization, and a window or glass panel beside them. The space has a polished wooden floor, white walls, a high ceiling with ceiling fans, and wall-mounted air conditioners. The overall atmosphere is that of a formal workshop or training meeting.

Classroom-style training session with adults wearing face masks seated in rows. Several men and women of varying medium to dark brown skin tones sit on black chairs with small attached writing tables. The room has a light-colored wall and a wooden-patterned floor. In the front right, a woman in an olive-green saree with glasses and a light blue surgical mask holds a microphone near her mouth, as if speaking or asking a question. Next to her on the left, another woman wears a peach and red saree with a white mask and has her arms folded. Notebooks, folders, and papers rest on the small desks in front of them. Behind them, more participants sit in multiple rows, all wearing masks in white, blue, or black. Most appear to be listening attentively; some lean slightly forward, others sit back. A door is open at the back left of the room, and on the far right near the wall there are a couple of cardboard boxes placed on chairs.

Middle‑aged woman in a colorful sari standing between two vertical banners. She has medium brown skin, dark hair pulled back, and is wearing a navy blue blouse with a bright pink and blue sari draped over her shoulder. She has a dark beaded necklace and earrings, and a small microphone clipped near the neckline of her blouse. She is smiling and facing slightly to the side. The banner on the left is mostly white. At the top are several logos, including: “Funded by European Union” with the EU flag, the UNDP logo, and others. Below that, large text reads: “STRIDE | CDLG Capacity Development of Local Gov[the rest is cut off].” Near the bottom of the banner are simple rectangular graphic elements in blue and pink. The banner on the right has shades of blue with white text that reads: “THE EMPLOYERS’ FEDERATION OF CEYLON A Voice for Your Business” “SPECIALISED T[rest of the word is cut off] AND DISABILITY RESOUR[rest is cut off].” Near the bottom of this banner there is a photo of a group of people standing together, dressed in business or semi‑formal clothing.

A group of eight adults posing together indoors at what appears to be a training or workshop. There are five people standing in the back row and three in the front, all wearing name badges on blue lanyards. Skin tones range from light brown to medium brown. Back row, from left to right: A woman with long dark hair tied back, wearing a multicolored patterned top and beige pants. A man with short dark hair and a beard, wearing a light purple long-sleeved shirt and dark trousers. A woman with dark curly hair tied back, wearing a navy top with a pink stripe and a dark jacket. A woman with dark hair pulled back, wearing a purple and blue sari with a pink blouse. A man with short dark hair, wearing a white long-sleeved shirt and dark trousers. Front row, from left to right: A man seated in a blue wheelchair, with short dark hair, wearing a light blue short-sleeved shirt and dark trousers, hands resting on his lap. A man standing and smiling broadly, with short dark hair and glasses, wearing a white short-sleeved shirt with red stripes across the chest, dark trousers, and holding a white cane in front of him. A woman with dark hair tied back and glasses, wearing a bright red short-sleeved top and a black knee-length skirt, holding a light-colored face mask in one hand. Behind them are two vertical banners with logos and text related to a specialised training and disability resource center, along with some international organisation logos at the top. The floor is wooden, and parts of classroom-style desks are visible in the foreground.


#Manique Gunaratne

The Employers’ Federation of Ceylon,

385 J3 Old Kotte Road,

Rajagiriya,

Sri Lanka.


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