Disability Rights 15:The right to access buildings and facilities

In addition to the human rights laws in the Constitution of Uganda there are several other rights granted to persons with disabilities (PWDs). These rights are given by law in the Persons With Disabilities Act 2006 (PWDA) which is modeled on the United Nations Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities (CRPD). Whether you are a PWD or not, these laws apply to you.

Section 26 of the PWDA says that a building or facility must be accessible to all PWDs. If the building or facility is not accessible because of design it is the responsibility of the provider to give an alternative method to make the building or facility accessible.

If you are a PWD, providing access means giving dignity and equality to everyone. Dignity and equality are the cornerstones of the PWDA and they are everyone's right. Failure to provide access to a building or facility is against the law and against human rights.

It is the duty of the provider to offer alternative access for PWDs.
Unfortunately, most of the buildings in the country do not have ramps even when the law says they should. 

This law is written like this in section 26 of the Persons With Disabilities Act 2006:

26. Inaccessible physical features 

(1) Where a physical feature such as one arising from the design or construction of a building or the access to premises makes it impossible for persons with disabilities to use that facility, it shall be the duty of the provider of the facility to make adjustments or to provide an alternative method of making the facility available to persons with disabilities.

(2) The provisions of subsection (1) shall not require a provider of services to do any act, which would fundamentally alter the nature of the service provided, the trade, profession or business.