Press briefing of Cabinet Decision taken on 2013-10-17

Legal Protection to White Cane Users

- white cane is used by the visually impaired community for mobility, to ensure protection and to display their identity. At present, nearly 200,000 visually impaired persons in the country use white canes but there is no specific provision in the Protection of the Rights of Persons with Disabilities Act No.28 of 1996 for the purpose. Having considered the proposal submitted by Hon. Felix Perera, Minister of Social Services pertaining to this issue, the Cabinet of Ministers decided that laws should enacted to provide legal protection to all physically handicapped persons.