UN’s guidelines on access to social justice for people with disabilities
Part of: GS-Prelims and GS-II – Global Groupings; Welfare schemes for vulnerable sections
In News:
The first-ever guidelines on access to social justice for people with disabilities have been released.
Released by: United Nations
Objective: To make it easier for them to access justice systems around the world.
Key takeaways
The guidelines outline a set of 10 principles
Principle 1: All persons with disabilities have legal capacity. No one shall be denied access to justice on the basis of disability.
Principle 2: Facilities and services must be universally accessible to ensure equal access to justice without discrimination.
Principle 3: They have the right to appropriate procedural accommodations.
Principle 4: They have the right to access legal notices and information in a timely and accessible manner on an equal basis with others.
Principle 5: They are entitled to all substantive and procedural safeguards recognized in international law on an equal basis with others, and States must provide the necessary accommodations to guarantee due process.
Principle 6: They have the right to free or affordable legal assistance.
Principle 7: They have the right to participate in the administration of justice on an equal basis with others.
Principle 8: They have the rights to report complaints and initiate legal proceedings concerning human rights violations and crimes, have their complaints investigated and be afforded effective remedies.
Principle 9: Effective and robust monitoring mechanisms play a critical role in supporting access to justice for them.
Principle 10: All those working in the justice system must be provided with awareness-raising and training programmes addressing the rights of persons with disabilities, in particular in the context of access to justice.
