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The Employers’ Federation of Ceylon is exploring the possibility of setting up an Employer Network to promote employment for disabled persons in Sri Lanka. The Federation is the country's premier grouping of private sector employers. The International Labour Organisation (ILO) Colombo Branch has welcomed this initiative and said it could play a vital role in promoting employment opportunities for people with disabilities. It could also enable employers and society to benefit from their contribution to the national economy. According to ILO statistics, the Asian and Pacific Region has by far the largest number of people with disabilities in the world. Hence, the governments of the Asian and Pacific region declared the period 1993-2002 as the Asian and Pacific Decade of Disabled Persons. This unique regional initiative focuses on the inclusion of people with disabilities in society and in all mainstream development programmes to reach the decade goal of full participation and equality of people with disabilities. “Sri Lanka has at least one million people with disabilities, some of whom have their disabilities since birth, others acquired their disabilities later in life due to various reasons” an ILO press release said. The ILO says that it welcomes the involvement of employers in the challenging task of creating a 'Society for All' in Sri Lanka. Since 1990, Ranaviru Sevana in the outskirts of Colombo has been spearheading a campaign to counsel and train soldiers disabled in Sri Lanka's war with rebels in the north of the country, a chance to be reintegrated into society. The Sri Lanka Army runs the institution.
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