| IDIRIYA | |
|---|---|
| Motto | Enabling the dis-Abled |
| Formation | 2005 |
| Type | Non-Profit |
| Location | Sri Lanka |
| Chief Executive / Secretary-General | Dr.Ajith C. S. Perera |
IDIRIYA,[1] is a not-for-profit registered humanitarian organisation focusing on disability rights that fully understands disability related access issues that affect a wide range of people in day-to-day life that concerns even their safety and physical, mental and social well being.
Based in Sri Lanka, IDIRIYA comprises a group of professionals in diverse fields who give their services voluntarily.
Their work [2] is all about making a positive difference to human lives of able people who are disadvantaged or marginalised by dis-abling society as they experience, for different reasons, restricted ability, mobility in particular.
Although IDIRIYA do not seek to represent such people, they support and strive to empower them to lobby individually and collectively for change, to benefit their own day-to-day productive lives.
Their aims are not to make profits. In fact, all members work in an honorary capacity, in continuing IDIRIYA to be: The Trusted Friend exceptionally responsive towards designing for inclusion of all and thereby emPowering everyone through 'increased opportunities' in daily life, to be more productive and gainful, healthier and full-fledged citizens.
However, the organisation, not an affluent body, receives no outside funding from any source and has been kept functioning actively, with commitment and integrity, by voluntary contributions of time and resources, mainly by its members.
Contents |
IDIRIYA was founded in 2005 [3] by disability activist Dr. Ajith C. S. Perera.
It was born from Perera’s (i). Passion for creating an environment that is accessible and user-friendly equally to everyone, enabling choice and with dignity, (ii). Commitment to make a consciousness-raising eye-opener on accessibility to built environments, technology, goods and services and (iii). Desire to promote universal design principles.
IDIRIYA have identified ISBN 978-955-1914-00-4 two prerequisites for a formidable and sustainable national economy: Viz. (i). Arresting the waste of productive human potential through mobilising the productive value of all people, able-bodied or otherwise, and (ii). Minimising unwanted dependents through empowering people.
They believe that construction of environments for inclusion of all people and optimum use of technology in daily life is cost effective, realistic and the effective way to arrest colossal waste of precious assets, enhances gainful opportunities for an increasing wide range of people and make everyone meaningful equal partners in Sri Lankan National development.
They realise the need for a new and more positive understanding and changing reactions to dis-Ability and its related key issues.
This requires opening of minds to the social model of disability that explains how it's the dis-abling designs of social environment that renders a wide and diverse range of people increasingly dis-Abled.
IDIRIYA’s vision is: Enabling the people who are severely ‘disadvantaged’ or ‘marginalised’ in day-to-day normal life due to continuing poor building design and thereby establishing a society that does not discriminate against people with limited mobility - an inevitable fact as life unfolds.
Creating awareness, Engaging support and Catalysing change actively ISBN 978-955-1914-00-4 to promote built environments that can be used equally and safely by all sectors of society, with choice, with dignity and without any hindrance.
The Simultaneous focus here is on two key aspects.
1. To design and conduct educational and awareness programmes [4][5][6][7] as an on-going process, to stimulate the interest - and thereby induce a positive change in attitudes - to deliver better living environments and thereby to make communities liveable by everyone.
2. To provide the right guidance and proper advice,[8] if required, to those who desire to construct or modify environments or even a mixture of both, so as to be enabling equally for everyone.
IDIRIYA recognise the fact that disability related internationally accepted standards and regulations in building construction and design of key building parts by professionals in this vital industry, often run high risks of failure in terms of practical implementation, if not backed by a good understanding of its intricacies and practical experience, as theory without practice is blind.
As such, authorities undertaking such tasks of National importance may well need expert guidance from those with insight and proven competence as to how best to do this Humanitarian work rightly.
To ease the difficulty of finding the right help, IDIRIYA, as a trusted friend, has also stepped in here.
Several Organisations in Sri Lanka, both large and small, who desire to design and deliver better environments that can be used equally and safely by all sectors of society, with dignity and with safety, have already benefited to get what they want here with the right guidance of IDIRIYA - a good testimony to their sincere commitment and proven competence.[9][10][11]
IDIRIYA in 2007 also initiated action and paved the way in the establishment and launch of the first Sri Lanka Standard for design in building construction by the Sri Lanka Standards Institution - SLS ISO TR 9527:2006 - taking into consideration diversity in ability of people.[12][13]
Accessibility to built environments is an indispensable inherent basic human right.
Laws to require public buildings and facilities to be designed and constructed accessible to dis-abled persons were established in Sri Lanka in 1996 and further strengthened by the introduction of accessibility regulations under this law in 2005 and thereafter, receiving unanimous Parliament approval 0n 20 March 2007.
However, inept bureaucracy failed to establish a formal mechanism to implement and pursue the legislation and thereby to deliver practical effect, even in respect of NEW public buildings.[14]
Violators roam scot-free, significant setbacks to gainful opportunities of disabled people, increasing numbers hence driven towards poverty affecting even their immediate families, waste of human potential, etc., and thereby reduce our limited resources causing substantial losses to the country.
Even after 15 years this malady continues as the non-disabled decision makers fail to recognise this National disaster.
Seeking redress for physically disabled persons accessing new public buildings, a fundamental rights application [Ref: SCFR: 221/2009] aimed at preventing further colossal losses the country incurs, was filed by IDIRIYA at the Supreme Court in March 2009.
Dr. Ajith C. S. Perera – Hony.Secretary-General of IDIRIYA appearing in person on a wheelchair, argued the need to have the disability access laws and regulations already enacted some years ago, fully enforced and implemented with respect to new public buildings in Sri Lanka.[15]
The bench headed by the country's Chief Justice, in delivering their unanimous judgement on 27 April 2011 which further strengthened the order given earlier on 14 October 2009, issued landmark orders (See External links.) having the potential to reverse these adverse trends and reap over 30 rich dividends for the country and its people - disabled and non-disabled alike.
This has been recognised in Sri Lanka as a significant achievement towards equalisation of opportunities, 'not simply' but the hard way, by the dis-abled for the dis-abled.
* Supreme Court Orders of 27 April 2011 - ‘Accessibility for All’ at public buildings.
