Hill Country Disability Group

Living with Disabilities in Sri Lanka

Q. What are disabled people's rights and do they live by these rights in Sri Lanka?

The Universal Declaration of Human Rights states that all human beings are born free and equal in dignity and rights... (read more)

Q. How many people with disabilities are there in Sri Lanka?

Regular statistical collections by the government and other national bodies produce conflicting data and so there is no reliable... (read more)

Q. What is meant by the term ‘disability' and what terms are used to describe the people affected?

The legislative understanding of the term ‘person with disability' in Sri Lanka means "any person who as a result of any deficiency in his physical or mental... (read more)

Q. What government policies inform services for people with disabilities?

There has been slow and steady progress of legislation to recognise and support people with disabilities in Sri Lanka. The difficulties with data collection... (read more)

Q. Do children with disabilities attend schools?

The government in Sri Lanka intends that all children with disabilities who are able to, attend local government schools... (read more)

Q. What help is available for families of a disabled person?

National statistics show that the vast majority of disabled people are supported by their families (73.3%) and this places... (read more)

Q. What kind of employment opportunities do disabled people have?

The government estimates that there are around 200,000 work-eligible people with disabilities in Sri Lanka. National statistics show that... (read more)

Q. Is there a voice for disabled people in Sri Lanka?

To provide examples of the level of exclusion of people with disabilities in Sri Lankan society, government sources suggest that... (read more)

Disability FAQs for Sri Lanka