Law on rights of PWDs in the offing

Owners of public buildings and public service vehicles will soon face the law if they do not provide facilities that cater for Persons with Disabilities (PWDs). This follows the presentation of a bill to Parliament that provides for the respect and promotion of human rights and freedoms of persons with disabilities. The bill titled, the Persons with Disabilities Bill, 2018 seeks to provide for the regulation of accessibility of public buildings and the provision of transport and other services to PWDs. The bill was presented for First Reading by Gender State Minister, Hon Peace Mutuuzo during a sitting of Parliament on Wednesday, 16 January 2019. Clause 11 of the bill states that, “An owner or a person in charge of a building to which the public is allowed access shall, subject to the requirements of the laws on building standards and other relevant laws, provide appropriate accessibility for persons with disabilities, to the building”. The clause also calls for putting in place accessible and easy to find entrances which are connected to accessible pathways and parking areas and provision of safe and accessible urinals and bathrooms. “Provision of accessibility for PWDs also means providing safe and well dimensioned staircases with appropriate railing and well dimensioned and accessible elevators and where necessary providing of ramps,” the bill states. Clause 12, which is on non-discrimination in the provision of transport services states that, “an owner, a driver or a person in charge of a vehicle that is used by the public and for which a fare is charged, shall not deliberately or unreasonably refuse to transport a person with a disability”. The Bill also provides that owners of public service vehicles and drivers shall not charge fares on a PWD who uses a wheel chair, calipers, crutches or white canes. The Bill also provides for non-discrimination against learners with disabilities. It also caters for rights to enjoy family life, prohibition of inhuman and degrading treatment and non-discrimination in the provision of health services among others. The Bill was referred to the Committee on Gender, Labour and Social Development by the Speaker Rebecca Kadaga for consideration. The Bill lists buildings to which the public is allowed access such as government offices, health units, places of worship, recreation and sports facilities and court houses. The others are police stations, schools and institutions of higher learning, airport buildings and shopping malls.