Bahir Dar, June 27, 2026 (Amhara Region Supreme Court)
Senior and middle-level leaders of judicial and justice institutions in the Amhara Region have discussed practical measures to ensure the equal participation of persons with disabilities in the justice system as part of the region's ongoing judicial reform efforts.
The discussion took place during a workshop organized by the Amhara Region Supreme Court on the implementation of judicial and justice sector reforms and the adoption of best practices to enhance the effectiveness of justice service delivery. The workshop featured a series of training sessions and research presentations on key issues affecting the justice sector.
During the afternoon session, Molla Belay (Dr.), Assistant Professor at the University of Gondar, presented a discussion paper entitled Strategic Measures to Enhance Access to Justice and Institutional Coordination. The presentation focused on promoting an inclusive justice system that guarantees equal access and participation for persons with disabilities.
Dr. Molla emphasized that ensuring access to justice for persons with disabilities extends beyond making court buildings physically accessible. It also requires creating an inclusive justice system that enables persons with disabilities to participate fully and equally throughout the judicial process.
The presentation identified a number of challenges that continue to hinder equal access to justice, including inaccessible court facilities, the shortage of sign language interpreters, the limited availability of legal documents in Braille, and insufficient disability awareness and inclusion training for judges, prosecutors, police officers, and other justice sector professionals.
To address these challenges, Dr. Molla recommended comprehensive reforms, including improvements to physical infrastructure, procedural reforms, and stronger institutional measures to ensure that justice services are accessible to all members of society without discrimination.
The workshop also featured another research presentation entitled The Role of Police and Prosecutors in Criminal Investigations, delivered jointly by Chief Inspector Medareshaw Tafese (PhD) and Chief Inspector Tinsae Gebrekristos, Head of the Department of Law at the Ethiopian Police University.
The presenters examined the respective roles and responsibilities of police and prosecutors during criminal investigations and highlighted the importance of effective coordination among justice sector institutions in ensuring fair, efficient, and accountable criminal justice processes.
Participants engaged in extensive discussions on presentations, exchanging views and recommendations on strengthening the justice system.
Summarizing the discussions, the President of the Amhara Region Supreme Court, Honorable Ato Alemante Agidew, reaffirmed the Court's commitment to expanding access to justice for persons with disabilities. He noted that the Supreme Court is undertaking initiatives to ensure that its digital justice services are designed to be accessible and inclusive for persons with disabilities, thereby enabling them to participate fully and equally in the administration of justice.
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