Below, we show you an example of cognitive accessibility carried out by the Unit of Attention to Victims with Intellectual Disability of ATADES – UADVi Aragónin which it has been adapted to easy reading, pictograms of ARASAAC and photographs the Explanatory Diptych of the Extrajudicial and Intrajudicial Mediation Program – MEDIATIC.

MEDIATIC PROGRAM

ATADES created, in 2015, the Unit for Attention to Victims with Intellectual Disabilities in Aragon (UAVDI)to guarantee effective judicial protection to people with intellectual disabilities, in compliance with the Legal Statute of the Victim of Crime and the New York Convention. The need to adapt judicial procedures to guarantee the right to equality and non-discrimination of persons with intellectual disabilities is identified at the national level.

Based on the experience accumulated by the UAVDI-Aragon, it is detected the need to analyze the processes of extrajudicial and intrajudicial mediation, to adapt the different mediation processes in the criminal, civil and family jurisdictions or propose the necessary supports so that people with intellectual disabilities (DI) can access, if they wish, to current procedures.
This research aims to analyze the current situation of access to people with intellectual disabilities who want to opt for a form of conflict resolution alternative to judicial confrontation.

RECOMMENDATIONS

The UAVDI recommends that all parties involved in mediation processes:

• All material provided is adapted based on the capacity of the participating parties.
• The language is simple.
• Special relevance is given to the duration of each phase and the times that people with intellectual disabilities need to express their opinions, interests, fears…
• Support is provided to the person with intellectual disabilities to develop ideas that benefit both parties and to be able to reach an agreement satisfactory to them.
• It is consistently confirmed that the person with intellectual disability is understanding the information so that they can make decisions freely and consciously.

DIPTYCH IN EASY READING AND PICTOGRAMS

In the diptych adapted in Easy Reading (LF) with the support of pictograms, users with DI are explained what mediation is and:

• Principios de la mediación
• Advantages of mediation
• Extrajudicial and intrajudicial mediation in the civil, criminal and family spheres.
• Difficulties encountered by people with ID in participating in a mediation process.

At UADVi Aragón works a group of professionals specialized in intellectual disability from ATADES. The UAVDI Aragón team is made up of psychologists, social workers and lawyers.

We count on the collaboration of the Government of Aragon, Justice of Aragon, Delegation of Government, Institute of Legal Medicine, Superior Court of Justice of Aragon, Dean Judge of Zaragoza, Superior Prosecutor of Aragon, Chief Prosecutor of Zaragoza, Superior Chief of Police, General of the Eighth Zone of the Civil Guard in Aragon, Official College of Physicians of Zaragoza, Royal and Illustrious Bar Association of Zaragoza, Professional Association of Social Workers of Aragon and Professional College of Psychologists of Aragon.

A great initiative that has all the support and recognition from ARASAAC and that will help many people who suffer from this scourge that we must eradicate from our society.