Show Society How Able People With Disabilities Are
Interview with Cyril Siriwardena, about Access for All Campaign, Sri Lanka
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Cyril Siriwardena is the Secretary General of the Disability Organisations Joint Front (DOJF) and the Advocacy Project Manager of CBM's partner organisation Motivation in Sri Lanka. In an interview, he told CBM on the phone, about the major aims of Access for All: to include the rights and needs of people with disabilities into post tsunami rehabilitation and reconstruction with a particular focus on architectural accessibility in the first phase of the campaign.
© CBM
The Access for All campaign was launched in the immediate aftermath of the tsunami, which devastated large parts of coastal areas in Sri Lanka in December 2004. The campaign aims to promote the inclusion of all disabled people and their needs in the tsunami relief, reconstruction and rehabilitation work in Sri Lanka. In the interview, Cyril Siriwardena, Project Manager Advocacy of CBM’s partner Motivation, and Secretary General of the Disability Organisations Joint Front (DOJF), tells what Access for All is about and what has been achieved so far.
What are the aims of the Access For All Campaign, which was initiated in the immediate aftermaths of the tsunami disaster in Sri Lanka?
The overall aim is to include the rights and needs of people with disabilities into post tsunami rehabilitation and reconstruction with a particular focus on architectural accessibility in the first phase of the campaign. The Access for All Campaign has disabled persons stationed in different districts affected by the tsunami, and they talk to organisations involved in post tsunami reconstruction and rehabilitation activities and make them aware of the needs of disabled people.
Why is it so important to include architectural accessibility at such an early stage of rehabilitation?
Before the tsunami took place, architectural accessibility of buildings was not so good. So, we thought the comprehensive reconstruction and rehabilitation activities that were started after the tsunami presented a very good opportunity to include architectural accessibility from the outset. Since the first two weeks after the tsunami, we from Access for All committee held meetings with people responsible for rehabilitation and reconstruction including governmental authorities as well as INGOs and NGOs and the public sector and made everybody involved aware of the need for accessibility. Since, we provide training and consultancy in the area of architectural accessibility.
What are the aims of the Access For All Campaign, which was initiated in the immediate aftermaths of the tsunami disaster in Sri Lanka?
The overall aim is to include the rights and needs of people with disabilities into post tsunami rehabilitation and reconstruction with a particular focus on architectural accessibility in the first phase of the campaign. The Access for All Campaign has disabled persons stationed in different districts affected by the tsunami, and they talk to organisations involved in post tsunami reconstruction and rehabilitation activities and make them aware of the needs of disabled people.
Why is it so important to include architectural accessibility at such an early stage of rehabilitation?
Before the tsunami took place, architectural accessibility of buildings was not so good. So, we thought the comprehensive reconstruction and rehabilitation activities that were started after the tsunami presented a very good opportunity to include architectural accessibility from the outset. Since the first two weeks after the tsunami, we from Access for All committee held meetings with people responsible for rehabilitation and reconstruction including governmental authorities as well as INGOs and NGOs and the public sector and made everybody involved aware of the need for accessibility. Since, we provide training and consultancy in the area of architectural accessibility.
- Cyril Siriwardena: "26 years ago in 1980, I sustained a spinal cord injury due to a road traffic accident and use a wheel chair since. I was in the Air Force for 37 years and retired in 1996, being qualified in aviation electronics and telecommunication engineering. In 1988 I started working in the disability field as Honorary Secretary of Rehab Lanka a DPO. In 2001 Disability Organisations Joint Front (DOJF) started as an umbrella organization of Disabled Peoples Organizations. And since then I am the secretary general of DOJF. In 1989, Motivation started working in Sri Lanka, and I became a staff member of Motivation in 2002, working as Advocacy Programme Manager. I am also a member of the National Council for Persons with Disabilities, and Vice President of the Spinal Injuries Association."
So all stakeholders were included at a very early stage?
Yes, another important reason for this was that many people were living in camps/ temporary shelters mostly school buildings and temples where the water and sanitation situation was not very good. So we had to make people aware very quickly that there are those disabled people, who need special water and sanitation facilities meeting their specific needs or impairments. We had to ask them about their needs very early, so that these needs could be communicated to people concerned for them to make the necessary arrangements.
It is very difficult to get relief goods to People with disabilities…
Yes, they had problems to access distribution points. Either they had problems to get into the distribution process or they were expecting more special supplies. Access for All made people who did the distribution aware that there are people around who are not able to come to the distribution points and make sure that they will get relief items. If the person is deaf, he cannot inform relief workers what he needs without the assistance of a sign language.
The governments are important stakeholders to rebuild the nation. In which way are people with disabilities included to make sure that architectural accessibility is implemented in the course of the post tsunami rehabilitation work?
This happens through close cooperation and communication between the different stakeholders: The department of social welfare and the 18 members of the Disability Organisations Joint Front (DOJF) see all the work what the government does and are consultants to local government authorities and inform them about the needs of disabled persons and possible solutions. In such way the government has the input of the people with disabilities.
How does Access for All make sure that the government is informed – are there regular meetings?
In Sri Lanka, they do meet. Officials and people from the Access for All campaign make people concerned aware, what the needs are. We meet people who plan and fund and make sure that their plans include disability related issues. Access for All campaign members made representations to the Authority set up by the Government to handle post tsunami reconstruction and rehabilitation.
What is the role of international NGOs including CBM with regards to the promotion of inclusive practises in the course of rehabilitation?
CBM was one of the first to come to the meetings and initiate a consortium for the Access for All campaign, along with them we have Handicap International, John Grooms, Motivation, The spinal Injury Association, and the Ministry of Health.
CBM is providing funds and as well as the local CBM Liaison Office in Colombo take part in the planning meetings and the various activities.
CBM’s partner organisation Navajeevana is also with the support of CBM implementing a tsunami construction project at Tangalle that fully adheres to the Access for All objectives of inclusion of people with disabilities and their needs in tsunami reconstruction and rehabilitation.
Did you notice an awareness process among relief organization that begins to include disability issues?
There has been great openness of organisations involved in tsunami reconstruction and rehabilitation towards this issue. Many INGO’s and NGO’s have undertaken to help to rebuild a lot of buildings. We are meeting with them and familiarise them with the importance of accessibility for persons with disabilities; in which way we ensure that they are accessible for all.
What are the aims achieved so far and which changes have occurred in society?
Any new public buildings have to consider architectural accessibility and regulations are in place. All inaccessible public buildings have to be made accessible within a stipulated period. Architectural Accessibility has become law in Sri Lanka.
What will be the future of Access for All?
After reconstruction, we will carry on. We as Disability Organisations Joint Front will continue, because there are many more people who need better accessibility. For example, we run a media campaign to make more people aware of the need for accessibility and inclusion of disabled persons in the wider context.
In Sri Lanka, what we are trying to show is that persons with disabilities are not asking for charity but have rights, and we want to make sure that there are rights for employment, and that they are applied. Therefore, another area we focus on is advocacy. We are for equal opportunities and we want to work and earn a living and we want the right to go to school. We don’t want to live dependant on someone’s charity. It’s the rights based approach we are working on now in Sri Lanka.
Our aim is to include persons with disabilities in society and show society how able, people with disabilities are and that they can contribute to the development of the country.
Mr. Siriwardena: We thank you for your work and what you have achieved and thank you for the interview.
Read more: New Homes and Hopes After the Tsunami
Yes, another important reason for this was that many people were living in camps/ temporary shelters mostly school buildings and temples where the water and sanitation situation was not very good. So we had to make people aware very quickly that there are those disabled people, who need special water and sanitation facilities meeting their specific needs or impairments. We had to ask them about their needs very early, so that these needs could be communicated to people concerned for them to make the necessary arrangements.
It is very difficult to get relief goods to People with disabilities…
Yes, they had problems to access distribution points. Either they had problems to get into the distribution process or they were expecting more special supplies. Access for All made people who did the distribution aware that there are people around who are not able to come to the distribution points and make sure that they will get relief items. If the person is deaf, he cannot inform relief workers what he needs without the assistance of a sign language.
The governments are important stakeholders to rebuild the nation. In which way are people with disabilities included to make sure that architectural accessibility is implemented in the course of the post tsunami rehabilitation work?
This happens through close cooperation and communication between the different stakeholders: The department of social welfare and the 18 members of the Disability Organisations Joint Front (DOJF) see all the work what the government does and are consultants to local government authorities and inform them about the needs of disabled persons and possible solutions. In such way the government has the input of the people with disabilities.
How does Access for All make sure that the government is informed – are there regular meetings?
In Sri Lanka, they do meet. Officials and people from the Access for All campaign make people concerned aware, what the needs are. We meet people who plan and fund and make sure that their plans include disability related issues. Access for All campaign members made representations to the Authority set up by the Government to handle post tsunami reconstruction and rehabilitation.
What is the role of international NGOs including CBM with regards to the promotion of inclusive practises in the course of rehabilitation?
CBM was one of the first to come to the meetings and initiate a consortium for the Access for All campaign, along with them we have Handicap International, John Grooms, Motivation, The spinal Injury Association, and the Ministry of Health.
CBM is providing funds and as well as the local CBM Liaison Office in Colombo take part in the planning meetings and the various activities.
CBM’s partner organisation Navajeevana is also with the support of CBM implementing a tsunami construction project at Tangalle that fully adheres to the Access for All objectives of inclusion of people with disabilities and their needs in tsunami reconstruction and rehabilitation.
Did you notice an awareness process among relief organization that begins to include disability issues?
There has been great openness of organisations involved in tsunami reconstruction and rehabilitation towards this issue. Many INGO’s and NGO’s have undertaken to help to rebuild a lot of buildings. We are meeting with them and familiarise them with the importance of accessibility for persons with disabilities; in which way we ensure that they are accessible for all.
What are the aims achieved so far and which changes have occurred in society?
Any new public buildings have to consider architectural accessibility and regulations are in place. All inaccessible public buildings have to be made accessible within a stipulated period. Architectural Accessibility has become law in Sri Lanka.
What will be the future of Access for All?
After reconstruction, we will carry on. We as Disability Organisations Joint Front will continue, because there are many more people who need better accessibility. For example, we run a media campaign to make more people aware of the need for accessibility and inclusion of disabled persons in the wider context.
In Sri Lanka, what we are trying to show is that persons with disabilities are not asking for charity but have rights, and we want to make sure that there are rights for employment, and that they are applied. Therefore, another area we focus on is advocacy. We are for equal opportunities and we want to work and earn a living and we want the right to go to school. We don’t want to live dependant on someone’s charity. It’s the rights based approach we are working on now in Sri Lanka.
Our aim is to include persons with disabilities in society and show society how able, people with disabilities are and that they can contribute to the development of the country.
Mr. Siriwardena: We thank you for your work and what you have achieved and thank you for the interview.
Read more: New Homes and Hopes After the Tsunami
