Founded in June 2001, the Disability Organization Joint Front (DOJF) is the first and only umbrella body for disability organizations in Sri Lanka. DOJF aims to enable disability organizations to work jointly as a pressure group to protect the rights of persons with disabilities, ensuring them a free and independent life. There are at present 18 member organizations from various parts of the country. These organizations represent people with physical, intellectual, visual and hearing disabilities.
The DOJF envisages a society where people with disabilities can realize and exercise their rights and where they are recognized as equal citizens of the country.
People with disabilities throughout Sri Lanka continue to face barriers which prevent them from participating as equal members of society. Disabled children are often denied access to education, and adults denied access to training and employment opportunities. This makes it very difficult for people with disabilities to have equal opportunities to realize their potential.
As a cohesive movement, the DOJF and its member organizations are in a stronger position to influence policy and to address the issues that have marginalized disabled people and excluded them from mainstream society.
Vision
A society which enjoys equal rights through the combined strength of Disability Organisations.
Mission
While recognizing the individual identity of organisations ‘of’ and ‘for’ Persons with Disabilities, to work in close cooperation with organisations to achieving common objectives which are otherwise difficult to be handled by those organisations independently.
Aim
Disability organisations to work jointly as a pressure group to protect rights of the Persons with Disabilities ensuring them a free and independent life.
Objectives
- To Mobilize the Disability organisations into an effective movement.
- Changing attitudes of disabled and non disabled people and their organisations.
- To activate the implementation of provisions laid down in Act No. 28 of 1996 for the Protection of the Rights of Persons with Disabilities and to lobby for making appropriate amendments therein.
- To motivate the state and private media to disseminate accurate national and international information frequently to the community in regard to Persons with Disabilities.
- To lobby for repeal or amend all rules and regulations which are discriminatory or restrictive to Persons with Disabilities and new legislation where necessary.
- To work for the inclusion of Persons with Disabilities in the national decision making process.
- Accessibility facilities to be made available to all sectors of disability in all respects including access to the built environment, information, education, employment, income generation and sports and recreation.
- To lobby for the sign language to be accepted as a recognized language and to take appropriate action for its propagation.
- To take appropriate measures to set up homes for those who are severely disabled and cannot be rehabilitated in the community.
- To take appropriate measures in collaboration with government and non governmental organisations to identify the requirements of Persons with Special Needs (intellectual disability) and to launch programmes for their development.
- To take appropriate measures to ensure adequate representation of women with disabilities in all national forums.
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