Persons with disabilities to get better access to justice
MASERU – Persons with disabilities are set to have improved access to justice following a partnership between the Persons with Disability Advisory Council (PWDAC) and the Law Society of Lesotho (LSL).
The two institutions signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) in Maseru on Monday, paving the way for the Law Society to represent persons with disabilities in disability-related cases referred through PWDAC.
The Law Society of Lesotho Deputy President Advocate Mokhoro Makara said the agreement would allow the Society to use its legal mandate to represent persons with disabilities.
“As LSL, the law allows us to appear before the courts of law, so through this MOU we will represent people with disabilities” Makara said.
He said the Law Society was proud of the initiative, describing the agreement as an important step towards supporting persons with disabilities.
PWDAC Director General Advocate Nkhasi Sefuthi said the agreement was more than an administrative arrangement between the two institutions, describing it as a practical commitment to ensuring that persons with disabilities enjoy their rights on an equal basis with others.
He said meaningful access to justice was central to the protection of human rights because rights had little meaning if people were unable to enforce them, seek remedies when their rights were violated or participate effectively in justice processes.
“Access to justice is at the heart of human rights,” Adv. Sefuthi said.
According to Adv. Sefuthi, persons with disabilities have historically faced various barriers when seeking justice, including physical barriers within courts and other justice institutions, communication barriers, inaccessible information and procedures, as well as negative attitudes and stereotypes.
He also pointed to situations where appropriate accommodations are not available to enable persons with disabilities to participate effectively in the justice system.
Adv. Sefuthi said the Persons with Disability Equity Act recognises these challenges, with Section 32 specifically providing for access to justice for persons with disabilities.
PWDAC Human Rights Manager Advocate Lerato Ramoholi said the purpose of the event was to formalise the MOU between PWDAC and the Lesotho Law Society.
She said the agreement would facilitate the handling of disability-related cases referred to the Law Society through PWDAC.
She said the partnership seeks to strengthen the protection of the rights of persons with disabilities by improving their access to legal services and enabling them to participate meaningfully in the justice system.
The Persons with Disability Advisory Council (PWDAC) is an autonomous statutory body in Lesotho established to advise the government on disability rights, monitor compliance and promote inclusion. It was formally introduced to stakeholders on 21 August 2025 by the Ministry of Gender, Youth and Social Development, marking its operationalization under the Persons with Disability Equity Act, 2021.
The Law Society of Lesotho is a regulatory body established as a corporate body and is a non-profit organization. It was established in 1967 through an act of Parliament.