Special Discussion Between the Parliamentary Caucus for Persons with Disabilities and the Australian High Commissioner
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- October 30, 2026
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A special meeting of the Parliamentary Caucus for Persons with Disabilities was held recently at the Parliament premises under the chairmanship of the Hon. Sugath Wasantha de Silva, Member of Parliament. Australian High Commissioner H.E. Matthew John Duckworth and a group of officials, along with representatives of the International Foundation for Electoral Systems (IFES), also participated in the meeting.
During the meeting, the Deputy Co-Chair of the Caucus, Member of Parliament Dr. Pathmanathan Sathiyalingam, made a detailed presentation on the work carried out by the Caucus and the progress achieved over the past one and a half years.
He stated that the Caucus had organized a series of district-level consultations involving persons with disabilities and relevant government officials. The consultations in the Northern Province and Kalutara District have been successfully completed, and plans are underway to conduct similar programmes in six more districts.
Proposals for next year’s Budget have also been collected with the participation of more than 50 organizations representing the disability community. The Caucus has proposed introducing a separate budget line for persons with disabilities in the budget estimates of every ministry to ensure that their needs are adequately addressed.
The Caucus is also taking steps to introduce a new Disability Bill in line with international standards to replace the Protection of the Rights of Persons with Disabilities Act, No. 28 of 1996. In addition, work is underway to introduce a Sign Language Act and make necessary amendments to the special education sector.
With the intervention of the Chair of the Caucus, a WhatsApp video call service has also been launched to enable persons with hearing impairments to contact the Police Emergency Service on 119 using sign language during emergencies. The service is supported by police officers trained in sign language.
Dr. Padmanathan Sathyalingam further highlighted the achievements of the Chair of the Caucus, Hon. Sugath Wasantha de Silva, who received the 2026 Commonwealth New Parliamentarian Award presented by the Commonwealth Parliamentary Association (CPA) in recognition of his outstanding service. He also noted that the election of Hon. Sugath Wasantha de Silva to the Tenth Parliament as a representative of the disability community was a historic achievement for Sri Lanka.
Addressing the meeting, the Australian High Commissioner stated that ensuring the advancement of persons with disabilities alongside other members of society is a key objective of democratic governance and Australia’s foreign policy. He also expressed Australia’s interest in providing long-term support for policy and legislative reforms, including the development of data systems and the preparation of sign language dictionaries.
The Chair of the Caucus emphasized that a comprehensive Action Plan covering the needs and priorities of the disability community had been presented to guide the Caucus’s future work. He reaffirmed the Caucus’s commitment to working with all relevant stakeholders to improve the lives of persons with disabilities in Sri Lanka.
Several Members of Parliament who are members of the Parliamentary Caucus for Persons with Disabilities also attended the meeting.
