Abstract:
Access to justice is a cardinal aspect of human rights which connotes equality of
individuals and non-discrimination. There cannot be a just and equitable justice for all, properly
so-called, without access to justice. Ideally, access to justice pre-supposes that all individual
human beings should have the ability to obtain redresses and/or remedies through the
instrumentality of the law, notwithstanding their circumstances of birth or social standing.
However, in Lesotho as in much of the developing world, access to justice remains a difficulty for
persons with disabilities and special needs. An array of factors ranging from societal attitudes and
gaps in the law to governmental and institutional barriers are responsible for this situation.
This study investigates the impact of the social model of disability on access to justice for
persons with disabilities and special needs in public institutions in Lesotho and examines the nature
of the difficulties encountered by these underprivileged persons in accessing justice, such as
obtaining a legal practitioner who is conversant in braille and sign language, amongst others
