Access to Justice for Persons with Disabilities in Kenya: from Principles to Practice

Abstract

Approximately 15% of the world’s population experience a form of disability, with a significant number of them experiencing a severe disability. According to the 2019 Kenya Population and Housing Census, about 2.2% of all Kenyans have a form of disability; with the most prevalent types of disabilities being mobility-related. These persons with disabilities face disproportionate marginalisation, which results in broad ranging restrictions on their full and effective participation in society. This marginalisation is further exacerbated by social, structural and legal barriers which impede their access to justice, a fundamental right, and a prerequisite for the realisation of other rights guaranteed across local and international human rights instruments. The international community has shifted towards a human rights approach which is aimed at enhancing effective participation of persons with disabilities on an equal basis with others. Kenya has expressed its commitment towards this approach through ratifying international human rights instruments such as the United Nations Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities which forms part of Kenyan law pursuant to article 2(6) of the Constitution of Kenya 2010. Article 13 of the Convention requires access to justice for persons with disabilities to be enhanced at all phases of the administration of justice. This notwithstanding, access to justice for persons with disabilities in Kenya remains an unfulfilled desire. Against this background, this thesis seeks to identify the main challenges and practices that impede access to justice in the Kenyan justice system with a specific focus on persons with disabilities, with the aim of suggesting possible solutions that can aid in solving this paradox. It achieves this through examining- the nature and scope of the right of access to justice for persons with disabilities; the recognition of the right of access to justice for persons with disabilities in the Kenyan and international legal framework; the barriers that hinder the full and effective participation of persons with disabilities in the Kenyan justice system, with a specific focus on the courts; and the steps that Kenya should take to eliminate the identified barriers.