JCPD Deems First Ever Justice Fair for Persons with Disabilities a Success

The Jamaica Council for Persons with Disabilities (JCPD) has hailed the first ever justice fair, hosted for persons with disabilities, a success.

The event, which was held in December, was hosted in collaboration with the Ministry of Justice.

Corporate Communications and Public Relations Manager at the JCPD, Adrienne Pinnock, told JIS News that the fair was well received by members of the disabled community, noting that it served to increase their awareness about the legal services available to them at no cost.

“Based on the interactions with some of the participants on the ground, I got the knowledge that they were not so much aware of some of the services available to them, so they were happy for the opportunity to have some knowledge about the services. They were also encouraged that we are moving to ensure that services of this nature and others that will enable and protect their rights are barrier-free,” Ms. Pinnock said.

She noted that while there are no immediate plans for another staging of the justice fair, the Council’s work to promote the inclusion of persons with disabilities in different aspects of life and educate these Jamaicans about the services and support available to them is ongoing, as the community is ever growing.

“With the enactment of the Disabilities Act, there is need for greater awareness. So, the calls have been around for what is now its 51st year. There would have been, over time, information sharing and awareness building within the community of persons with disabilities. We will never be able to exhaust such an initiative because generations change, people are born into the community every day and there’s also the acquisition of disabilities,” she informed.

Ms. Pinnock reaffirmed the Council’s commitment to its mandate of ensuring that persons with disabilities are kept abreast and made aware of the programmes and initiatives, like the recent justice fair, that are tailored for them.

“It will be an ongoing activity. The initiatives may change from time to time, meaning how we execute these activities. But the mandate will keep going, where we ensure that persons with disabilities are made aware,” she said.

The Disabilities Act (2014) came into effect on February 14, 2022. It makes provisions to safeguard and enhance the welfare of persons with disabilities across Jamaica.

This is consistent with the United Nations Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities, to which Jamaica is a Party.