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Voices for Justice

The project focuses on creating practical tools for people with disabilities who are victims of crime, to help ensure that they can participate actively in criminal justice processes.

National findings reports

National findings reports – Easy-to-Read

International synthesis report

Toolchest for professionals and victims with disabilities

Voices for Justice: Empowering persons with disabilities to access justice

878604 —  InfoComPWDs

Click here for the Easy-to-read version of this page.

People with intellectual and psychosocial disabilities often face significant barriers when seeking justice. Many are denied their right to make legal decisions, experience inaccessible court procedures, or are not taken seriously when reporting crimes. This project focused on strengthening access to justice for people with intellectual and psychosocial disabilities by ensuring they can exercise their rights and participate fully in legal processes. 

Justice systems frequently lack accommodations for persons with disabilities, making legal procedures difficult to understand and navigate. Some individuals are placed under guardianship, legally preventing them from making key decisions about their lives, including seeking legal recourse. Women and children with disabilities are particularly vulnerable to discrimination, abuse, and violence, yet they face additional challenges when reporting crimes or accessing support. 

The Voices for Justice project was implemented in Bulgaria, Croatia, Czechia, Lithuania, Romania, Slovakia, and Slovenia between 2021 and 2023. It brought together experts in law, disability rights, and advocacy to develop solutions that empower people with disabilities to access justice on an equal basis with others.  

The two-year project is implemented between 2020 July and 2022 December in 7 EU countries: Bulgaria, Czechia, Lithuania, Romania and Slovakia, Slovenia. The project consortium includes:  

People with disabilities face systemic barriers to justice, leaving them largely invisible as victims. The Voices for Justice project described this absence as a ‘blank space,’ caused by legal, physical, and attitudinal obstacles. The lack of data and inadequate justice responses further enable impunity for perpetrators. Our analysis highlighted the urgent need for accessible information and effective communication to ensure participation of persons with disabilities in the justice system.

Project Objectives

Voices for Justice worked to remove barriers preventing persons with disabilities from exercising their legal rights. Through research and advocacy, we aimed to ensure that justice systems become more inclusive and that people with intellectual and psychosocial disabilities receive the support they need to participate in legal processes. 

Key Activities

  • Conducted research on barriers to justice for people with disabilities; 
  • Developed tools and guidance to help people with disabilities navigate legal systems; 
  • Advocated for legal reforms to ensure equal access to justice. 

Methodology and Implementations

We conducted research across participating countries, gathering testimonies from persons with disabilities and assessing legal frameworks that impact their access to justice. These findings informed recommendations for improving justice systems and ensuring compliance with international human rights standards, particularly the UN Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities (CRPD). Access our National Findings Reports here and watch the recording from our ‘Voices for Justice: Communicating with victims with disabilities webinar’. 

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Resources Developed:

  • Practical tools for criminal justice professionals
    • Guidance materials for people with disabilities who have been victims of crime 
    • The Toolchest with guidance on reporting crimes, investigations, and testimony 
    • Easy-to-read materials for accessibility 
    • International Synthesis Report on EU’s Victims’ Rights Directive 

Advocacy and Impact

Our advocacy efforts promoted legal reforms to uphold the rights of people with disabilities, particularly in areas where restrictive guardianship laws limit individual autonomy. We engaged policymakers, civil society organisations, and disability rights activists to advance alternatives such as supported decision-making frameworks and the revision of the EU’s Victims’ Rights Directive. 

As the project concludes, we are sharing our research findings and recommendations with policymakers and stakeholders across Europe to ensure lasting improvements. Our goal is to create a justice system that is fair, accessible, and inclusive for all. 

Watch the recording from the Voices for Justice: Communicating with victims with disabilities webinar, where we launched the national reports, here:

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Full Name of the Project

Information and Communications: Cornerstones of Justice for Victims of Crime with Disability (878604 — InfoComPWDs).
JUST-AG-2019 / JUST-JACC-AG-2019

The contents of this project represent the views of the project partners only and are their sole responsibility. The European Commission does not accept any responsibility for use that may be made of the information it contains..