Legal Protections Accorded to Persons with Disabilities under Ethiopian Law

Abstract

Persons with disabilities are marginalized members of society who do not fully
and effectively participate in socio-economic activities on an equal basis with
others due to various barriers in the environment. Taking this into account, the
United Nations has promulgated the Convention on the Rights of Persons with
Disabilities, which complements general human rights instruments and gives
particular emphasis to respect and protection of the rights of persons with
disabilities. As a member state, Ethiopia ratified the convention and enacted
other domestic laws to ensure equality before the law and benefits for persons
with disabilities. This article appraises these laws in order to examine the level
of protection accorded to persons with disabilities in Ethiopia. For this
purpose, the article gives emphasis to the rights to equality and nondiscrimination, access to the environment, information and communication,
employment, and tertiary education.