Between Rights and Reality : An Analysis of the Lived Experiences of Persons with Disabilities In Accessing Healthcare, Public and Administrative Services in Sri Lanka

Sammanfattning

Studying the country of Sri Lanka, this thesis investigates the access to healthcare and services, such as public and administrative services, for persons with disabilities (PwDs) and the extent to which national laws and policies meet these access realities. Documentary analysis involving six key sources – reports from UN, national policies and IVA disability observations – uses thematic analysis to discover patterns of exclusion in both structural and institutional and attitudinal lenses. The studies are based on an integrated theory that integrates the social model of disability, the human rights model, implementation gap theory and stigma as conceptualised by Goffman. Despite legal protection in national laws and covenants, results show that there is a great disconnect between the laws and what is actually being experienced. This implementation gap may be because of unclear policy language, poor policy enforcement, negative attitudes from the service providers, lack of resources, and the lack of participation of PwD in the policy-making process. A gender lens reveals that barriers to rural women's and women with disabilities are further exacerbated. The thesis concludes that there is a lack of effectiveness without legal recognition. It calls for specific measures such as better laws, more effective enforcement, better professional Development, investments in rural infrastructure and better disability data collection for more inclusive policymaking, etc.