Kathmandu: A study has revealed that judicial bodies must ensure facilitating and discrimination-free behavior to improve access to justice for women with disabilities. Out of 200 respondents in the study, “Voices of the Margin: Status of Women with Disability on Access to Justice in Nepal,” conducted by Access Planet, 95 emphasized the need for facilitating and discrimination-free conduct by judicial agencies and stressed that these agencies should be physically accessible.
According to National News Agency Nepal, the study, which was carried out in four provinces-Gandaki, Karnali, Koshi, and Madhes-explored the experiences of women with disabilities regarding their access to justice. During an interaction titled “Role of Stakeholders for Promotion of Adolescents and Women Friendly Justice,” organized by the National Women Commission in collaboration with Access Planet, principal researcher Dr. Niti Aryal Khanal highlighted the complexities faced by women with disabilities in accessing justice and underscored the importance of creating an enabling environment for their engagement with judicial agencies.
The research report stated that women with disabilities should be allowed equal participation in judicial processes. It noted that Nepal’s justice system, structure, services, and policies have been developed based on the experiences of people without disabilities, and significant changes are required to transform these established setups. The study also revealed that over one-fourth of the respondents (27.5%) were unaware of any services offered by judicial agencies.
Participants who had experienced violence reported not seeking justice for the injustices they faced. Only 36 percent of women chose to pursue justice, as noted in the study findings. The study recommended simplifying and making disability ID distribution more effective, improving policy implementation and advocacy impacts, and increasing investments in constructing disability-friendly and secure structures.
Executive Director of Access Planet, Laxmi Nepal, highlighted the significant research and data gaps concerning people with disabilities, which have contributed to further injustices against them.