UN Guidelines on access to social justice for people with disabilities.
                     UN GUIDELINES ON 
ACCESS TO SOCIAL 
JUSTICE FOR 
PEOPLE WITH 
DISABILITIES
INTRODUCTION
◦ The United Nations has released it’s first-ever 
guidelines on access to social justice for people 
with disabilities to make it easier for them to 
access justice systems around the world.
Source: iasexpress.net
DEFINING A PERSON WITH A 
DISABILITY
◦ The UN Convention on the Rights of Persons 
with Disabilities was adopted in 2007 as the first 
major instrument of human rights in the 21st 
century.
◦ It defines persons with disabilities as those “who 
have long-term physical, mental, intellectual or 
sensory impairments which in interaction with 
various barriers may hinder their full and 
effective participation in society on an equal 
basis with others”.
Source: UN News
HIGHLIGHTS OF THE GUIDELINES
PRINCIPLE 1
◦ All persons with disabilities have the legal 
capacity and, therefore, no one shall be denied 
access to justice on the basis of disability.
Source: vajiram IAS
PRINCIPLE 2
◦ Facilities and services must be universally 
accessible to ensure equal access to justice 
without discrimination of persons with 
disabilities.
Source: Neostencil
PRINCIPLE 3
◦ PWDS including children with disabilities, have 
the right to appropriate procedural 
accommodations.
◦ PWDS have the right to access legal notices and 
information in a timely and accessible manner 
on an equal basis with others.
Source: UN News
PRINCIPLE 4
◦ PWDS 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.
Source: Wikipedia
PRINCIPLE 5
◦ PWDS have the right to free or affordable legal 
assistance.
◦ PWDS have the right to participate in the 
administration of justice on an equal basis with 
others.
Source: UNFPA
PRINCIPLE 6
◦ PWDS 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.
Source: UN News
PRINCIPLE 7
◦ Effective and robust monitoring mechanisms 
play a critical role in supporting access to 
justice for persons with disabilities.
◦ All those working in the justice system must be 
provided with awareness-raising and training 
programme addressing the rights of persons 
with disabilities, in particular in the context of 
access to justice.
Source: European Union Agency
SIGNIFICANCE FOR INDIA
◦ As per statistics maintained by the UN, in India 
2.4 per cent of males are disabled and two per 
cent of females from all age groups are 
disabled.
◦ Disabilities include psychological impairment, 
intellectual impairment, speaking, multiple 
impairments, hearing, seeing among others.
◦ In comparison, the disability prevalence in the 
US is 12.9 per cent among females and 12.7 per 
cent among males.
◦ Disability prevalence in the UK is at 22.7 per Source: People Matters
cent among females and 18.7 per cent among 
males.