UNPRPD funds disability inclusion initiative in Sri Lanka

UNPRPD Inception phase to reach 30 stakeholders Participants at the training

• Inception phase to reach 30 stakeholders from across country

Sri Lanka ratified the United Nations Convention on Rights of Persons with Disability (CRPD) in 2016 and was invited to implement the UNPRPD Fund Inception Phase, in 2023. 

Through the United Nations Partnership on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities (UNPRPD) Fund, the United Nations in Sri Lanka is implementing an initiative at a national level, with technical lead the United Nations Development Program (UNDP) in Sri Lanka. The UNPRPD project is a collaboration with participating agencies UNICEF, ILO, OHCHR, UN Women, WHO, WFP, UNDP, UNICEF and UNFPA. As a key activity of the inception phase of the project, an induction training reaching 30 stakeholders comprising representatives from government, disable persons organisations, and civil society organisations engaged in disability inclusion, kick started in Negombo, on 14 May 2024, with the participation of high-level representatives including State Minister of Social Empowerment Anupa Pasqual, UN in Sri Lanka Resident Coordinator Marc-André Franche, and UNDP in Sri Lanka Resident Representative Azusa Kubota. 

Sri Lanka has its unique challenges to transform the CRPD into concrete policies, systems, programs, and services that uphold the rights of persons with disabilities that result in real changes in their lives. To respond to gaps in CRPD implementation, the UNPRPD Fund adopts a multi-sectoral approach that focuses on the preconditions for disability inclusion, and furthermore, seeks to improve and increase the implementation of disability inclusive SDGs at the country level by providing fundamental support to the UN’s collective response to address national priorities and gaps concerning persons with disabilities in their national planning to advance the SDGs.

Commenting on the initiative, State Minister of Social Empowerment Anupa Pasqual noted, “There is a need to revamp Sri Lanka’s education system to be more inclusive and considerate of the needs of PWDs, while also exploring avenues to make Sri Lanka an accessible destination for tourists with disabilities. The Government of Sri Lanka is working to create an enabling environment across policy-making, livelihood interventions, educational reforms and accessibility, and we are grateful to the support of the United Nations in Sri Lanka through initiatives such as the UNPRPD to work towards a more inclusive country.” 

Highlighting the UN’s role, United Nations in Sri Lanka Resident Coordinator Marc-André Franche stated, “The CRPD is more than just a declaration; it requires Sri Lanka to actively engage in efforts to ensure that people with disabilities enjoy full equality under the law. This training provides a platform for collaborative efforts between the Government, civil society and UN entities to identify and overcome the challenges that hinder the effective implementation of the Convention in Sri Lanka.” 

The induction training was designed to be a standardised training module that would provide stakeholders with foundational knowledge on CRPD, disability inclusive SDGs and UNPRPD’s Strategic Operational Framework (SOF), with training manuals also being made available in local languages and accessible format. The training’s main objective was to ensure stakeholders are informed and prepared to participate in subsequent activities. Commenting on the outstanding participation at the induction training, UNDP Sri Lanka’s Resident Representative Azusa Kubota stated, “The full operationalisation of the CRPD is key for Sri Lanka to achieve a society where inclusivity is the norm, and persons with disabilities have the necessary infrastructure and policy framework that allows meaningful and complete integration into mainstream society. Towards this end, as the designated Disability Champion of the United Nations Country Team, I would like to reaffirm our commitment to changing mindset, attitudes and societal perceptions towards persons with disabilities.”

The induction training will be followed by a situational analysis on the rights of persons with disabilities to identify priorities for disability inclusive development and support full and effective implementation of CRPD norms and achievement of inclusive SDGs, in Sri Lanka.