Achieving Justice for People with Disability in Practice
**Nota: Ita bele mós lee testu nee iha lian Tetun iha RHTO nia Blog.
The situation for people with disability in Timor-Leste is challenging. Stigma and discrimination mean that people who have physical impairments, mental health issues, or difficulties seeing, hearing or speaking are often unable to attend school, get access to health care or get a job. This situation continues even though Timor-Leste’s Constitution explicitly provides for non-discrimination and equal treatment for persons with mental or physical disabilities.
Access to justice is another key area where the rights of people with disability in Timor-Leste are not being effectively implemented. But RHTO has been helping to change this, by supporting women with disability who have experienced violence to access police services and tribunal processes.
One of RHTO’s members, we can call her “J.C,”, is a woman with both physical and speech impairments. She was attacked and sexually abused one time when she was in her house alone during the day when her parents were working in the fields. When RHTO’s district officer next visited J.C., her family told of the attack. They wanted to have the case resolved, and to get justice for the crime, either through a tribunal or another process. RHTO’s staff member was able to help make connections with the Vulnerable Person’s Unit of the Police (PNTL) and to provide support as J.C. went through the process to appear at tribunal. ALFeLa, Fokupers, and Rede Feto also provided support.
The first time J.C. attended the tribunal to present her evidence, her speech impairment meant that the judges were unable to understand her testimony. Judges in Timor-Lese do not receive training in sign language or disability awareness.
The tribunal asked RHTO to facilitate the provision of sign language interpretation to resolve this challenge. RHTO worked with AGAPE, an organisation that provides training in sign language for people with hearing impairments. RHTO and AGAPE accompanied JC to the tribunal hearing, and with this support JC was able to tell her story.
The members of the Tribunal were very pleased with the process, and congratulated RHTO and the other organisations involved. This was the first time that such support has been provided. RHTO feels proud that we were able to be part of this process, and provide useful support and practical help.
People with disability have the same right as other citizens to access justice. JC’s story shows that to achieve this does not require huge amounts of effort. We just need to work together to serve the people and the nation, using resources we already have in Timor-Leste. People with disability are citizens who can contribute to the development of the nation. To achieve an inclusive society we need to make their rights real too.
