Palesa Manaleng13 November 2024 | 13:14

Disability Rights in Africa Conference grapples with using AI to provide access to justice for persons with disabilities

The Centre for Human Rights at the University of Pretoria's law faculty is hosting its Annual Disability Rights in Africa Conference on 13 and 14 November.

Disability Rights in Africa Conference grapples with using AI to provide access to justice for persons with disabilities

The Centre for Human Rights, Faculty of Law, University of Pretoria, is hosting its Annual Disability Rights in Africa Conference on November 13 and 14. Picture: @CHR_HumanRights/X

JOHANNESBURG - South Africa celebrates National Disability Rights Awareness Month annually between 3 November and 3 December.

The Centre for Human Rights at the University of Pretoria's law faculty is hosting its Annual Disability Rights in Africa Conference on 13 and 14 November.

The theme of the conference is 'Disability Rights, Information and Communication Technologies (ICT) in Africa'.

READ: Finding permanent employment a big challenge for people with disabilities - NCPD

One of the presentations given at the conference was the digitalisation of courts and the use of judicial artificial intelligence to ensure access to justice for persons with disabilities in Africa by Dr Paul Ochieng Juma from the Kabarak University in Kenya.

"When it comes to the CRPD, we have to look at Article Two and Article 13 of the CRPD (Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities), which provide strategies for persons with disabilities. So the CRPD requires us to conduct research in the area of technology so that we can see how we can accommodate persons with disabilities," said Juma.

Opportunities for AI include using predictive applications for legal outcomes, offering personalised reasonable accommodations, providing accessible legal information, and reducing structural biases in courts.

An example of structural bias mentioned is a historical case in India where a judge deemed visually impaired individuals unfit for the judiciary. The potential of AI to improve accessibility and legal services is highlighted, while caution is advised to avoid infringing on the rights of disabled individuals.

"Recently, the Special Rapporteur also invited us to consider exploring artificial intelligence to ensure the participation of persons with disabilities. But also, we must be cautious. Yeah, we must be cautious so that we don't end up violating the rights of persons with disabilities. So what are the opportunities for artificial intelligence when it comes to ensuring the participation of persons with disabilities in access to justice?" asked Juma.

AI can be used as an accessibility measure, with predictive applications in developed countries helping individuals predict court case outcomes. It can also facilitate the online filing of complaints in the criminal justice system, providing an alternative for complainants.

AI can serve as an accessibility measure, allowing individuals to file cases and access legal information more easily.

"Reasonable accommodation measures allow persons with disabilities to choose individualised support that suits their needs. Legal aid can be enhanced through AI by providing basic information and reducing the cost of legal services. Advanced technology can generate artificial information, making it easier for individuals to access legal resources without extensive searching," said Juma.

AI can help reduce structural biases in physical courts, such as attitudinal barriers and barriers to employment for persons with disabilities.