Legal Aid in the United States

Legal Aid in the United States The purpose of legal aid is to provide free legal services to low income Americans. Civil legal aid helps ensure fairness in the justice system, regardless of how much money one has. Equal justice under law is a fundamental American value. In the United States, legal aid is primarily… Continue reading Legal Aid in the United States

Guatemala and the CRPD

History of Guatemala and the CRPD Guatemala ratified the CRPD and Optional Protocol in April 2009. Guatemala’s disability law is from 1996 and therefore predates the country’s ratification of the CRPD. As of March 2017, Guatemala is in the process of finalizing a new law on disability which will replace the 1996 Law on the… Continue reading Guatemala and the CRPD

Guatemala’s National Laws Relating to Disability

Guatemala has only one major national law that addresses the rights of people with disabilities. The Law for the Integral Attention to People with Disabilities–Decree No. 135-96–was enacted in 1996. As of February 2017, draft bill 5127 was approved during its third hearing in Guatemalan Congress. Law 5125 is pending final approval of articles.

Peru and the CRPD

Peru and the history of the CRPD Peru was the first Latin American country to ratify the CRPD, which it did in December 2007. Peru was the 15th country to ratify the CRPD and the 9th country to ratify the accompanying Optional Protocol. A DPO coalition in Peru, led by CONFENADIP (the National Confederation on… Continue reading Peru and the CRPD

Using the Inter-American Human Rights System

Introduction Indigenous women and girls with disabilities face marginalization, discrimination, and exclusion on the basis of their indigenous identity, their gender, and their disability status. Protecting their human rights may require both domestic advocacy (within your country) and also regional or international advocacy. In North, Central, and South America, indigenous women with disabilities can use… Continue reading Using the Inter-American Human Rights System