Members of the public are being urged to respect all parking lots allocated for persons with disabilities either in public or private spaces.
According to the Human Rights and Anti-Discrimination Commission (HRADC) these accessible spaces specifically marked for persons with disabilities ensures they have safe, convenient and equal access to services such as supermarkets, health care facilities, banking, entertainment and public institutions and it should not be abused by non-disabled persons.
In a statement Human Rights Commissioner, Lanieta Tuimabu who is also a representative of the Fiji Disabled Peoples Federation says parking lots reserved for persons with disabilities ensures that the wheel-chair users, those using walkers , White cane and other mobility aid users are able to get off their vehicle and safely access the facility they are visiting to run their errands.
“The onus is on the non-disabled members of the public to ensure they do not use the parking spaces allocated for persons with disabilities. Many times, these accessible parking spaces are being occupied by non-disabled persons who are just looking for a convenient parking space, “Commissioner Tuimabu said.
“These spaces are designed to make it comfortable for the persons with disabilities to alight and board. Also, it allows easy and safe access to enter the facility. it is a matter of shame when a non-disabled person disregards the disability sign and uses the space allocated for all persons with disabilities.”
HRADC Director, Ashwin Raj says “Reasonable accessibility for persons with disabilities is
not an act of charity but a concrete expression of our constitutional obligation as well as
under international human rights law. Fiji is a signatory to the International Convention on
the Rights of Persons with Disabilities (CRPD).”
Section 42 of the Fijian Constitution states that a person with any disability has the right to reasonable access to all places and reasonable adaptation of buildings, infrastructure, vehicles, working arrangements, rules, practices or procedures, to enable their full articipation in society and the effective realisation of their rights.
Section 29 of the Rights of Persons with Disabilities Act of 2018 states that persons with disabilities have the right to reasonable access to all indoor and outdoor places and in buildings and other facilities open to the public.
Article 9 of CRPD focusses on accessibility calling on the state parties to take appropriate measures to ensure to persons with disabilities access, on an equal basis with others, to the physical environment, to transportation, to information and communications, including information and communications technologies and systems, and to other facilities and services open or provided to the public, both in urban and in rural areas.
The Commission is urging the facility managers and security guards managing the parking lots in both public and private spaces to be vigilant in ensuring accessible parking lots are not misused.
The Commission will be working closely with institutions and business houses to ensure compliance otherwise this is an abuse of space which has been specifically designated for persons with disabilities.
The Commission encourages the facility managers to also effectively deal with any complaints about people abusing the parking spaces.
Complaints can also be filed with the Commission on mobile no: 9709894 or email info@fhradc.org.fj
