Sri Lanka’s first report under the United Nations Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities will be reviewed this week at the 35th session of the UN Committee on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities in Geneva.
A government delegation led by Minister of Rural Development, Social Security and Community Empowerment Dr. Upali Pannilage will take part in the review at the UN human rights headquarters. The delegation includes ministry secretary Sampath Manthrinayake, Additional Solicitor General Kanishka de Silva Balapatabendi of the Attorney General’s Department, and Thilini Jayasekara, Director of the United Nations and Human Rights Division of the Foreign Ministry. Officials from other ministries and institutions involved in implementing the convention are scheduled to join online.
According to the committee’s own advisory, Sri Lanka’s public dialogue with the 18-member expert panel is set for August 14, in two sessions running 10:00–13:00 and 15:00–18:00 Geneva time. Ada Derana reported the sessions as falling on August 14 and 15. The session as a whole runs from August 12 to 27, and also reviews Qatar, Lithuania, Chile and Slovakia.
Minister points to legislative changes
Speaking to media before the delegation’s departure, Pannilage said the government had taken several policy decisions and implemented measures on the welfare and rights of persons with disabilities over the past 18 months.
He said that for the first time in Sri Lanka’s history a person with a disability had been appointed to Parliament through the National List, and that the MP also chairs the Parliamentary Caucus for Persons with Disabilities.
Cabinet approval has been granted to amend the Rights of Persons with Disabilities Act, with the proposed amendments now referred to the Attorney General’s Department, the minister said. The Cabinet has also approved a Sign Language Bill expected to be presented to Parliament.
Pannilage said line ministries responsible for education, transport, housing and water supply are working together on accessibility and services for persons with disabilities.
States party to the convention are required to report periodically to the committee on how they are implementing it.
