Senarath Attanayake facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Senarath Attanayake
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Senarath Attanayake at the COSP, UNCRPD 2013
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| Personal details | |
| Born | 5 August 1966 |
| Died | 29 August 2017 (aged 51) Colombo, Sri Lanka |
| Spouse | Shikanthini Varma (1994 - 2006)
Lasanthi Daskon Children Chetianga Attanayake (born July 2000) |
| Profession | Lawyer |
Senarath Attanayake (born August 12, 1966 – died August 29, 2017) was an important politician and lawyer from Sri Lanka. He was known for his work in helping people with disabilities. In 2016, he received the Henry Viscardi Achievement Award for his efforts.
Senarath Attanayake was a member of the Uva Provincial Council in Sri Lanka. He also served as the Minister of Agriculture, Irrigation, Livestock, Land, and Forestry for this council from 2000 to 2005. For a short time, he was even the acting Chief Minister. He was the first person with a disability in Sri Lanka to be elected as a representative and to become a lawyer. He was also the only person with a disability to hold a minister's job.
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Early Life and School
Senarath Attanayake was born in Pitakumbura, a village in the Moneragala District. His father, Attanayake Mudiyanselage Jayawardena Attanayake, was also a member of parliament. When Senarath was two years old, he got Polio. This meant he used a wheelchair for the rest of his life.
He went to school at Royal College Colombo. Later, he studied at the University of Colombo. He then passed his law exams at the Sri Lanka Law College. This allowed him to become an Attorney at law, which is a type of lawyer.
Career and Achievements
Senarath Attanayake had a successful career as a lawyer. In 1999, he decided to enter politics after his father passed away. He ran for the Uva Provincial Council Elections and won a seat. He became a minister in his first term. He always competed fairly with others and did not get special treatment because of his disability.
He represented the Moneragala district, which is a less wealthy area of Sri Lanka. Senarath worked hard to find new ways to improve life for people there. One project he helped start was "Back to Earth." This project turned natural waste into cool, eco-friendly gifts. These items were sold in stores, bringing extra money to the people in the countryside.
Making Places Accessible
Attanayake was also a strong supporter of making all public places in Sri Lanka easy for wheelchair users to access. In 2006, he sued Qatar Airways because they lost his wheelchairs. He donated all the money he won from the lawsuit to the Ragama Rehabilitation Hospital. This money was used to build better access for wheelchairs there. He worked hard to bring attention to the rights of disabled people in Sri Lanka. He also started a program to offer counseling for people with disabilities.
Moneragala: A Friendly District
In 2012, Senarath created a plan called 'Making Moneragala the First Disable Friendly District of Sri Lanka'. He shared this plan with the Uva Provincial Council and other groups. The World Health Organization (WHO) office in Colombo liked his ideas. They saw that his plan was similar to their "Global Age-friendly Cities" idea. So, they decided to support his project. The new theme became 'Moneragala, the First Disable-friendly/Age-friendly District in Sri Lanka'.
The Wellawaya Division of Moneragala District was chosen to start this project. It became the second city in Southeast Asia and the first in Sri Lanka to join the Global Age-friendly Cities Network. Senarath helped coordinate this project without pay. He worked with many groups, including disability organizations, the WHO, and government ministries. He also looked for more money from donors to expand the project.
International Recognition
Senarath Attanayake represented Sri Lanka at several important international meetings. These included conferences about the United Nations Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities. He also attended a special meeting on Disability and Development at the United Nations Headquarters in New York in 2013. In 2016, he won the Henry Viscardi Achievement Awards. This award is given to amazing leaders with disabilities.
He also worked as an adviser to the Export Development Board of Sri Lanka.
Family Life
Senarath was married to Lasanthi Daskon. She is also a lawyer and works to support the rights of people with disabilities. They lived in both Colombo and Bibila, Sri Lanka. Senarath had one daughter named Chetianga from his earlier marriage.
Passing Away
Senarath Attanayake passed away on August 29, 2017. He was 51 years old.
See also
- List of political families in Sri Lanka
- List of physically disabled politicians
- List of poliomyelitis survivors
