Commonwealth insights: inclusion of persons with disabilities

Across the Commonwealth, persons with disabilities (PwDs) face institutional, social, legal, and physical barriers to justice. Addressing this challenge requires looking beyond the rights of individuals to the justice system as a whole to understand how PwDs can fully participate at every level of society.

Inclusion of persons with disabilities: access to justice was one of several sessions that explored the theme of exclusion at CPF 2018. Participants discussed the measures needed to ensure PwDs are able to access legal services in civil and criminal matters. This included access to recourse for human rights violations as enshrined in the United Nations Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities (UNCRPD) and national constitutions, and strengthening the commitment of States to the rule of law so that PwDs can gain equal access to justice for all as set out in the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), in particular SDG 16. Participants concluded that access to justice is a fundamental aspect of inclusive governance and the exercise of citizenship. Several policy recommendations to achieve equal access to justice and more sustainable outcomes for PwDs across the Commonwealth were identified.

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