1. Country Data Go back to Global Navigation

1-1 General Information

Sri Lanka
(1) Total land area : 65,710 km2
(2) Capital city : Sri Jayawardenapura, Kotte
(3) Total population : 19.3 million
(4) Ethnic groups : Sinhalese
Sri Lankan Tamils
Indian Tamils
Sri Lankan Moors
Indian Moors
Malays
Burghers
(5) Languages National Languages
Sinhala
Tamil
English
(6) Religions - Buddhism
Hinduism
Islam
Roman Catholic
Christianity
Other sects

1-2 Disability Related Information

(1) Definition / Classification of Disability :

Definition in Section 37 of Act 28, The Protection of Rights of Persons with Disability

"A person with disability means any person who as a result of any deficiency in his / her physical or mental capabilities, whether congenital or not, is unable by himself/herself to ensure for himself/herself wholely or partly the necessities of life."

(2) Population of persons with disability

Source – Census of Population and Housing – 2001
Total 274,711
By Gender
Male 158,446
Female 116,265
On the basis of Disability
In Seeing 69,096
In Hearing & Speaking 73,343
In Hand 48,131
In Legs 90,576
Other physical 13,275
Mental 69,026
On the basis of Employment
Employed 39,512 14.4%
Supported by family or relations 201,0264 73.3%
Supported by Government Institution / Organisation 16,969 6.2%
Begging 1,025 0.04%
Other 15,856 0.8%
Not specified 76 00%

(3) Major laws and regulations concerned with persons with disability

(i) The Constitution of Sri Lanka

Under Chapter III, Fundamental Rights, Clause (1) of Article 12 states that, "All persons are equal before the law and are entitled to the equal protection of the law". In the anti-discrimination Clauses (2) and (3), persons with disabilities are not mentioned as a separate group. Clause (4) states that, "Nothing in this article shall prevent special provision being made, by law, subordinate legislation or executive action, for the advancement of women, children or disabled persons.

(ii) The Protection of the Rights of Persons with Disabilities Act, No. 28 of 1996

The Act was passed in the Parliament in October 1996. The Act established the National Council for Persons with Disabilities and made provision for the establishment of a National Secretariat for Persons with Disabilities to assist the Council in the discharge of its duties.. The only rights mentioned in the Act are related to non-discrimination in employment and education, and access to the built environment. There is no particular mention of other rights such as economic, civil social, cultural and political rights.

(iii) The National Policy on Disability for Sri Lanka - 2004

The National Policy on Disability provides disabled people with the conditions for them to exercise their rights and responsibilities, guarantee for them an equitable share of available resources and inclusion into the socio-economic mainstream.

The policy includes sectoral policies and strategies for inclusion in the following areas.

  1. Employment
  2. Vocational Training and Skills Development
  3. Poverty Alleviation
  4. School Education
  5. Non - Formal Education
  6. Higher Education
  7. Health
  8. Sports
  9. Transport
  10. Housing
  11. Social Security
  12. Access to the Built Environment and Accessible Tourism
  13. Access to Communication and Information
  14. Assistive Devices and Information Technology
  15. Children
  16. Youth
  17. Women
  18. Elderly Persons
  19. Persons Affected by Armed Conflict
  20. Individuals who have Severe Disability
  21. Mass Media.

The policy also includes Policies and Strategies to ensure holistic implementation. These are

  1. Community based rehabilitation
  2. Non Government Organisations and the Private Sector
  3. Research
  4. Legislation
  5. Implementation, Monitoring and Evaluation of Policy

Discussions have begun within the National Council for Persons with Disabilities on how the existing legislation can be amended / enacted to provide social, civil, economic and legal protection to people who have disability as outlined in the National Disability Policy.

(iv) The Ranaviru Seva Act No. 54 of 1999

The Ranaviru Seva Act was enacted by parliament by which the Ranaviru Seva Authority was set up to provide for the after care and rehabilitation of members of the armed forces and police who have been disabled in action and to look after the welfare of the families of those killed or missing in action.

(v) The Visually Handicapped Trust Fund Act No. 9 of 1992

The Act established the Trust Fund for the Visually Handicapped. The functions of the Trust Fund are to provide educational and vocational training opportunities for the visually handicapped, to create employment opportunities for poverty reduction and provide financial assistance for self-employment, The other functions are to give assistance for housing, to implement schemes for the welfare of the visually handicapped, assist projects undertaken by registered NGOs working for visually handicapped, and to take action to eliminate conditions that prevent visually handicapped persons gaining equal rights and opportunities.

(vi) Social Security Board Act No. 17 of 1996

The Act provided for the establishment of a Social Security Board for the management of a Social Security Benefit Scheme for people who are self - employed. Persons with Disabilities who are self - employed can contribute to this scheme. Benefits include compensation for accidents at work and pension on retirement from work.

(4) Financial assistance for persons with disability if any

  • Housing Assistance upto a maximum of Rs. 100,000 for an individual who gains an income of less than Rs.5,000 oer mensem
  • Self - employment Assistance upto a maximum of Rs.10,000
  • Medical Assistance for people with disabilities for settlement of medical bills upto a maximum of Rs.25,000
  • Relief for disabled bread winners bereft of any income – Rs.3,000 per mensem under the Mahinda Chinthana Programme
  • Season cards for 60% of the cost for disabled persons using public transport.

(5) Disability related organisations

Attached

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