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Limited services, lack of recognition among many challenges for less-abled
View(s):By Minaza Hassan
Many public buildings still contain structural barriers that prevent people with disabilities from accessing essential services. These include inaccessible entrances, the lack of ramps or lifts, and facilities that are not designed to be inclusive.
As a result, people with disabilities are often excluded from fully participating in public life, said Director of National Secretariat for Persons with Disabilities (NSPD), Mrs. Jayamalie Wickramarachchi.
A gazette notice citing The Disabled Persons (Accessibility) Regulations was published in 2006, highlighting inclusive design and constructions of public buildings and places where common services are available. But these regulations are not always enforced, said Mrs. Wickramarachchi.
Discussions are taking place on reinforcing inclusive constructions of buildings and on providing inclusive transport.
People with disabilities who are recognised as disabled by a government doctor and whose income falls below Rs. 16,191 (as of April 2025) are eligible to make requests for assistive devices such as wheelchairs and prosthetic legs through their Grama Seva Officers, said Mrs. Wickramarachchi.
Additionally, people with disabilities from low-income households are also entitled to a monthly allowance of Rs.10,000.
However, despite the existing procedures and the certain level of legal recognition of the rights of Persons with Disabilities in place, in Sri Lanka, services for people with disabilities remain quite limited, said a researcher at the Centre for Poverty Analysis (CEPA).
“For instance, in addition to not having inclusive infrastructure, in areas like Mullaitivu, we found that children with disabilities often don’t receive the support they need sometimes because they attend the same schools as non-disabled children,’’ said the researcher from CEPA.
There are many individuals who live with disabilities but aren’t formally recognised as disabled and this can push them even further to the margins of the economy. Without official status, they are excluded from disability-related allowances and support systems. This is especially true for those with mental or invisible disabilities, which Sri Lanka is still struggling to properly acknowledge and address, she said.
Another important issue is how data on disability is collected, particularly in relation to disability allowances. Questions remain about the accuracy of existing data and whether current collection practices are inclusive enough to capture the full spectrum of disability. It’s not just about who is ‘fully’ disabled, many people live with partial or less visible disabilities.
Sri Lanka must ensure that its data systems are updated and informed by more nuanced understandings of disability, so that support reaches everyone who needs it, said the researcher.
Additionally, there appears to be regional disparity in accessibility as well, particularly across sectors. The differences in infrastructure in urban and rural areas can be stark in relation to inclusivity, said the researcher.
Sometimes, the struggles and discrimination faced by people with disabilities intersect with other forms of marginalisation. Whether it’s being a woman and disabled, belonging to a marginalised ethnic group and disabled, or being queer and disabled, these overlapping identities shape how people experience exclusion and access. Sri Lanka has yet to fully engage with these complexities, said the researcher from CEPA.
Disability can be acquired later in life or one may be born with it. According to certain people with disabilities, society’s response to acquired disability can sometimes differ from those born with it.
However, while some communities acknowledge a difference, others perceive no such difference, said former National Consultant and Psychologist who worked with Persons with Disabilities, Shiyamalan Viyakesh.
Echoing the thoughts of the researcher from CEPA, Mr. Viyakesh said that some people with disabilities struggle to get assistive equipment especially as they live below the poverty line.
For instance, In the northern regions, many affected by the war face serious challenges in accessing proper assistive equipment, particularly artificial limbs, said Mr. Viyakesh.
Most cannot afford these devices due to their low daily income, often earning only Rs.500-Rs 800 as daily wage labourers and as a result they resort to makeshift aids like handmade wooden sticks, Mr. Viyakesh explained.
In terms of prosthetic limbs, there are also issues with categorisation and fit, such as failing to differentiate between above-knee, below-knee or ankle level amputations, resulting in inappropriate distribution sometimes, said Mr. Viyakesh.
Additionally, support items like socks and powders which prevent friction are often not provided and as a result many have ended being hospitalised due to preventable wounds, Mr. Viyakesh explained.
There are also subtle forms of discrimination in employment. Some companies initially hire persons with disabilities to showcase inclusive practices only to fire them later citing lower productivity and slower mobility, said Mr. Viyakesh.
In war affected areas such as Killinochchi and Mullaitivu, people with disabilities continue to face structural and social exclusion where disability is seen as a misfortune, said Mr. Viyakesh.
For instance, a proposal to build a disability centre was resisted because it was near a temple and some believed that temple-goers should not encounter visibly injured individuals, Mr. Viyakesh said.
Sometimes inequities also exist in the distribution of government disability allowances. For instance, the disability allowance of someone with no financial security at all may sometimes be the same as the disability allowance of a government employee with a stable income, said Mr. Viyakesh.
In addition to this, in education and vocational training, people with disabilities have also often been discouraged or excluded outright on the grounds that no one would hire them and that they are wasting a slot, said Mr. Viyakesh.
Many ex-combatants with disabilities face harsh judgement because their injuries are viewed as self-inflicted and they were aware of the risks of war, said Mr. Viyakesh.
There is also an ongoing issue in Sri Lanka regarding licenses for people with disabilities.
Sometimes authorities lack understanding or proper procedures when it comes to disabled drivers or even access to customised vehicles for the less abled, highlighting the need for clearer policies and awareness of licensing and people with disabilities, said Mr. Viyakesh.
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