By Chris Agbo
Lawyers with disabilities in Nigeria under the auspices of Association of Lawyers with Disabilities in Nigeria, ALDIN on Friday in Abuja paid an advocacy visit to the Chief Judge of Federal High Court, Hon. Justice J.T. Tsoho.
The President of ALDIN Daniel Onwe while addressing the Chief Judge said that their objective is to champion the cause of persons with disabilities generally, and in particular, lawyers with disabilities, in the practice of their profession. In other words, they are striving for the actualization of level playing field for lawyers with disabilities in the legal profession.
Speaking further, he said that their visit is necessitated by the fact that persons with disabilities are usually not put into consideration in the scheme of affairs in the Nigerian society, hence their interest usually comes as an afterthought. For instance, public buildings are usually constructed with steep flights of steps, without considering that there are people on wheelchairs and crutches who would need to access those buildings. The modus operandi in our society does not contemplate that there are the blind, the deaf and other persons with other disabilities who would requires peculiar format of communication. Therefore, persons with disabilities seemed abandoned to their fate.
He lamented that Our courts which is the temple of justice, the court buildings are inaccessible to PWDs who come to court as counsels, litigants or witnesses. When they come to court, they face untold hardship, for instance, PWDs can only access most courts by they either crawling on the floor or being carried in the hand like babies, with the attendant indignity. How can the lawyer with disability be crawling in and out the court and still compete fairly with other lawyers for patronage of clients?
He reminded the Chief Judge that Sections 3 to 8 of Discrimination against Persons with Disabilities (Prohibition) Act, 2018 makes it unlawful and even criminal to have inaccessible public buildings. Therefore, by virtue of the said provisions of the Act, it is tantamount to criminality for court buildings to be inaccessible. Again, if the temple of justice cannot be seen just and fair to persons with disabilities, how will the ordinary man have confidence in getting justice from the said temple of justice?
The group made the following demands that Accessibility of Buildings/Environment: Elevators and ramps should be installed at the divisions of the Federal High Court buildings and environment across the country, to make them accessible to persons with disabilities, whether, lawyers, litigants or witness, who need to approach the court for justice.
Parking Lots: There should be parking lots, near the court, reserved and marked for the use of persons with disabilities at all divisions of the Divisions of the Federal High Courts in Nigeria. This will minimize instances where persons with disabilities would have to walk quite a long distance from their vehicles to the courtroom.
Provision of sign language Interpreters for the deaf/Assistive formats of communication for the blind: This will aid the communication and functionality of the deaf and the blind in the Court.
Appointment of Lawyers with Disabilities as Judges: There are many lawyers with disabilities, who are academically, intellectual and otherwise qualified to be judges. We are therefore, strongly making a case for the appoint of lawyers with disabilities to the bench of the Federal High Court. This will send a strong message that the Federal High Court is a Court poised to do justice and equity to all, irrespective of circumstance. This will also be a huge source of inspiration to other persons with disabilities and other disadvantaged persons. We can assure My Lord that persons with disabilities will give a good account of themselves on the bench.
Employment as Judicial Staff: If there are many persons with disabilities who are qualified to be judges, then it goes without saying that there are much more of them qualified to be employed as judicial staff. We therefore urge my Lord to consider the employment of more persons with the disabilities as judicial staff. This will portray the Court as being non-discriminatory. It is pathetic when persons with disability remain unemployed after striving and earning impressive qualifications, despite all odds.
Practice Direction: It is imperative for your Lordship to issue a practice direction for the Court to cater for the peculiarities of counsel and litigants with disabilities. For guidance on this, we have attached a draft of our proposed Practice Direction for My Lords consideration.
The Chief Judge in his response promised to put into consideration these demands made by the group and began to address those within his powers.
This part of the project ALDIN started running last year, it is an on-going project, which is on advocacy for accessibility of the justice administration system to persons with disabilities, it is supported by the Disability Rights Fund (DRF).
SOME PICTURES OF THE VISIT
