RIGHTS OF PERSONS LIVING WITH DISABILITIES UNDER THE DISCRIMINATION AGAINST PERSONS WITH DISABILITIES (PROHIBITION) ACT 2018

Abstract

This paper examines the rights of persons with disabilities in the Discrimination against Persons with Disabilities (Prohibition) Act 2018, which came into force on the 23rd January 2019. The major objective of the Act is to eliminate discrimination against persons with disabilities, reduce the unnecessary hardship and suffering they encounter on daily basis and to improve their standard of living. Persons with disabilities in this country suffer a lot, many could be seen begging on street, many roaming half or completely naked on the street because of mental issues, many want to pursue their higher education but no support, many were opportune to study up to tertiary education but securing employment becomes most difficult for them, while even those who succeeded in securing the employment accessing their offices and other public places in course of their work becomes impossible as a result of the discriminatory building plans used in the construction of the said public building etc. To ameliorate the situation, the government enacted the said Act to achieve the abovementioned objectives. It is now over a year since the enactment of the Act, but yet, no step so far taken by the government to start implementing the provisions of the Act. The prime objectives of this research are to find out how the Act will eliminate discrimination against persons with disabilities, assist in improving their standard of living and alleviate the sufferings being experienced by persons with disabilities. Doctrinal research methodology is adopted in this research. The research observes that it is now over one year after the enactment of the Act but neither a Commission nor its governing council provided by the Act is inaugurated by the government and it is also observed that the free medical care provided in the Act for the disable persons is limited to persons with mental disability. The research recommends that there is need for the government to sit up and start implementing the provisions of the Act by constituting governing council and inaugurating the commission itself provided by the Act. It is also recommended that provision of free medical care for persons with the mental disability be extended to all certified persons living with disabilities by enrolling them into the National Health Insurance Scheme, where they could get medication free of charge.