**International Day of Persons with Disabilities**
On October 14, 1992, the United Nations General Assembly declared December 3 as the International Day of Persons with Disabilities, calling on countries to intensify efforts to adopt meaningful and sustained measures to improve the lives of people with disabilities.
Our country has played a crucial role in advocating for the rights of people with disabilities on a global scale. In September 2001, Mexico proposed the development of a specific convention to the UN General Assembly for the protection of these rights. This initiative led to the signing of the Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities on March 30, 2007, with formal ratification occurring on December 17 of the same year.
This Convention is an essential international instrument that underscores that everyone, regardless of their disabilities, should be entitled to all human rights and fundamental freedoms. Disability is recognized as a social condition resulting from the interaction between physical, psychosocial, or sensory limitations and the barriers presented by the environment.
The most prominent and detrimental barrier remains discrimination. Despite advances in enshrining equality and inclusion as legal obligations, a profound societal shift is still needed to create a fair community that refrains from labeling people with disabilities as social burdens.
Progress has been made, yet challenges remain. One significant advancement is the “Protocol for Action to Implement Procedure Adjustments, Supports, and Safeguards to Ensure Equal Access to Justice for Persons with Disabilities” by the Baja California Judicial Power. This protocol sets out the legal standards necessary to ensure that the justice system respects, protects, and guarantees equal access to justice for persons with disabilities. This involves making procedural adjustments and providing the necessary support and safeguards.
If a person with a disability seeks justice in court, judges must make necessary adjustments to the proceedings, facilitating fair trials and enabling participation in the justice process without discrimination. This can involve taking evidence ex officio, employing alternative communication methods, providing sign language interpretation, offering information on complaint mechanisms, using simple language, providing easy-to-read or braille documents, allowing video call testimonies, offering emotional support, permitting frequent breaks, and adapting procedural tasks.
With this protocol, the judicial power aims to address procedural rigidity by considering individual diversity and eliminating barriers preventing equal access to justice for persons with disabilities. It emphasizes that ensuring equal access to justice is a responsibility of the judiciary, asserting that impartial conflict resolution should not equate to social indifference or neutrality. Reality should guide the interpretation and application of rules.
This step forward by the Baja California Judiciary demonstrates their commitment to equality, helping to lessen the inequality gap faced by persons with disabilities. This progress calls for shared responsibility across all sectors. Increasing social awareness of inclusion and justice will lead us closer to a life of genuine dignity, a right to which everyone is entitled.
**Additional Resources and Developments**
Recent developments highlight the ongoing dedication of international organizations and local governments to enhance the lives of people with disabilities. The introduction of innovative programs aiming for greater accessibility in public spaces and services, as well as amplified support for inclusive education and employment opportunities, illustrate this commitment. There is also a growing advocacy for improved healthcare services and adaptive technologies, ensuring comprehensive coverage for individuals with disabilities, fostering an environment where they can thrive.
In this journey towards a more inclusive society, collaboration and continuous awareness are essential. Efforts by various sectors to recognize and dismantle systemic barriers are paving the way to a world where individuals with disabilities can lead empowered, independent lives. Such initiatives not only promote equality but enrich the community by valuing diversity and inclusion.