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Parliamentary groups call for sensitivity training for staff at public places
ECONOMYNEXT – Two parliamentary groups have called for sensitivity training for staff at public spaces after a woman with disabilities was harassed at a government office, adding that the Government is obliged to ensure persons with disabilities have comfortable access to all public buildings.
“We strongly condemn the incident that took place on 5th April 2024 at the Sethsiripaya where a woman with disabilities was obstructed from utilising her transportation services to leave the premises,” the Women Parliamentarians’ Caucus (WPC) and the Parliamentary Caucus for the Inclusion of Persons with Disabilities (PCIPD) said in a joint statement.
“It has been brought to our notice that the language used by the relevant Security Officers has been highly insensitive, disrespectful and hurtful.”
The two groups strongly urged “that the staff of Sethsiripaya (and other public spaces) be appropriately sensitised and informed about the rights of persons with disabilities.”
“Ironically, the aforementioned incident occurred while she was an invited speaker in a workshop aimed at raising awareness about the inclusion of persons with disabilities, which was organised by the Ministry of Buddhasasana, Religious and Cultural Affairs.”
Joint Statement by the Women Parliamentarians’ Caucus (WPC) and the Parliamentary Caucus for the Inclusion of Persons with Disabilities (PCIPD)
As the Women Parliamentarians’ Caucus (WPC) and the Parliamentary Caucus for the Inclusion of Persons with Disabilities (PCIPD), we strongly condemn the incident that took place on 5th April 2024 at the Sethsiripaya where a woman with disabilities was obstructed from utilising her transportation services to leave the premises and was informed that vehicle access was exclusively reserved for VIPs.
It has been brought to our notice that the language used by the relevant Security Officers has been highly insensitive, disrespectful and hurtful.
Ironically, the aforementioned incident occurred while she was an invited speaker in a workshop aimed at raising awareness about the inclusion of persons with disabilities, which was organised by the Ministry of Buddhasasana, Religious and Cultural Affairs.
Persons with disabilities makeup 9% of Sri Lanka’s population and often face discrimination and harassment in various spheres when they access different services, carry out their activities of daily living, and participate in their communities.
Persons with disabilities also often experience difficulties due to the lack of necessary infrastructure and necessary provisions such as sign language interpretation, disability-friendly educational and employment facilities, and accessible transport.
Sri Lanka ratified the United Nations Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities (UNCRPD) in 2016, undertaking the responsibility to “promote, protect and ensure the full and equal enjoyment of all human rights and fundamental freedoms by all persons with disabilities (people living with disabilities), and to promote respect for their inherent dignity”.
The Sri Lankan Constitution also guarantees the right to equal access to shops, public restaurants, hotels, places of public entertainment and places of public worship of his own religion, regardless of race, religion, language, caste, sex or disability (Article 12 (3)).
Therefore, the Government of Sri Lanka is obliged to ensure that persons with disabilities have comfortable access to all public buildings.
Moreover, the Constitution further states that special provisions can be made by law, subordinate legislation or executive action, for the advancement of women, children or disabled persons (Article 12 (4)).
As such, Sri Lanka must uphold her promises for the advancement of the welfare of persons with disabilities, and strive to ensure that their rights are protected.
This incident highlights the intersectionality of discrimination and obstacles encountered by persons due to multiple identities. The individual concerned here is a woman with a disability rendering her particularly vulnerable to daily challenges.
Therefore, it is incumbent upon the Government to factor in all these circumstances and strive to alleviate some of their burdens.The National Secretariat for Persons with Disabilities, the Passport Office and many more Government services are regularly accessed by persons with disabilities.
Since the security services to the Government offices in Battaramulla are the primary responsibility of the Urban Development Authority (UDA), we also urge the UDA to take necessary action to, inter alia, sensitise and educate the Security Officers on inclusive treatment and the use of inclusive language when dealing with women and persons with disabilities.
It is our responsibility as Sri Lankan citizens to ensure incidents like this do not occur in the future.As the WPC and the PCIPD, we strongly urge that the staff of Sethsiripaya (and other public spaces) be appropriately sensitised and informed about the rights of persons with disabilities.
Moreover, we particularly urge Government officers to be aware and informed of the needs of persons with disabilities and to anticipate and make necessary provisions when conducting any future programs.
The U.S. Embassy in Colombo welcomed the U.S. Sports Envoys to Sri Lanka, former National Basketball Association (NBA) and Women’s National Basketball Association (WNBA) players Stephen Howard and Astou Ndiaye, from June 8 through 14.
The Public Diplomacy section of the U.S. Embassy said that it would launch a weeklong basketball program intended to harness the unifying power of sports, made possible through collaboration with Foundation of Goodness and IImpact Hoop Lab.
While in Sri Lanka, Howard and Ndiaye, both retired professional basketball players, will conduct a weeklong program, Hoops for Hope: Bridging Borders through Basketball. The Sports Envoys will lead basketball clinics and exhibition matches and engage in leadership sessions in Colombo and Southern Province for youth aged 14-18 from Northern, Uva, Eastern and Western Provinces, offering skills and leadership training both on and off the court. The U.S. Envoys will also share their expertise with the Sri Lanka Basketball Federation, national coaches, and players, furthering the development of basketball in the country. Beyond the clinics, they will collaborate with Sri Lankan schoolchildren to take part in a community service project in the Colombo area.
“We are so proud to welcome Stephen and Astou as our Sports Envoys to Sri Lanka, to build on the strong people-to-people connections between the United States and Sri Lanka,” said U.S. Ambassador Julie Chung. “The lessons that will be shared by our Sports Envoys – communication, teamwork, resilience, inclusion, and conflict resolution – are essential for leadership development, community building, equality, and peace. The U.S. Sports Envoy program is a testament to our belief that sports can be a powerful tool in promoting peace and unity.”
SJB Colombo District MP Mujibur Rahuman in parliament demanded to know from the government the reasons for CEB suspending the leave of all its employees until further notice from Thursday.
MP Rahuman said that the CEB has got an acting General Manager anew and the latter yesterday morning issued a circular suspending leave of all CEB employees with immediate effect until further notice.
“We demand that Minister Kanchana Wijesekera should explain this to the House. This circular was issued while this debate on the new Electricity Amendment Bill was pending. There are many who oppose this Bill. The Minister must tell parliament the reason for the urge to cancel the leave of CEB employees,” the MP said.However, Speaker Mahinda Yapa Abeywardena prevented Minister Wijesekera responding to the query and said that the matter raised by MP Rahuman was not relevant.
The Chartered Institute of Personnel Management (CIPM) successfully concluded the 8th Annual CIPM Symposium, which took place on 31st May 2024. Themed “Nurturing the Human Element—Redefining HRM in a Rapidly Changing World,” the symposium underscored the pivotal role of human resource management (HRM) in today’s dynamic global landscape. Since its inception in 1959, CIPM has been dedicated to advancing the HR profession through education, professional development, and advocacy, solidifying its position as Sri Lanka’s leading professional body for HRM.
Ken Vijayakumar, the President of the CIPM, graced the occasion as the chief guest. The symposium commenced with the welcome address by the Chairperson, Prof. Arosha Adikaram, followed by the Web Launch of the Symposium Proceedings and Abstract Book by the CIPM President. The event featured distinguished addresses, including a speech by Chief Guest Ken Vijayakumar, President of CIPM, and an address by Guest of Honor Shakthi Ranatunga, Chief Operating Officer of MAS Holdings Pvt. Ltd., Sri Lanka.
The symposium also featured an inspiring keynote address by Prof. Mario Fernando, Professor of Management and Director of the Centre for Cross Cultural Management (CCCM) at the University of Wollongong, Australia.
Vote of Thanks of the inauguration session was delivered by Dr. Dillanjani Weeratunga, Symposium Co-chair.
The symposium served as a comprehensive platform for researchers to present their findings across a wide range of critical topics in HRM. These included Cultural Diversity and Inclusion, Talent Development and Retention, Ethical Leadership and Corporate Social Responsibility, Adapting to Technological Advancements, Mental Health and Well-being at Work, Global Workforce Challenges, Employee Empowerment, and Reskilling and Upskilling.
The plenary session was led by Prof. Wasantha Rajapakse. Certificates were awarded to the best paper presenters during the valedictory session, followed by a vote of thanks delivered by Kamani Perera, Manager of Research and Development.
The annual symposium of CIPM was a truly inclusive event, attracting a diverse audience that spanned undergraduates, graduates, working professionals, research scholars and lecturers. This widespread interest highlights the symposium’s significance in the field of HRM, offering a unique opportunity for everyone to network and learn from scholarly brains.The CIPM International Research Symposium was sponsored by Hambantota International Port, Sri Lanka Institute of Information Technology (SLIIT), E B Creasy & Co. PLC, and Print Xcel Company.
US sports envoys to Lanka to champion youth development
Rahuman questions sudden cancellation of leave of CEB employees
