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Equal AccessHow to Include Persons with Disabilities in

Elections and Political Processes

2 5 Y EA R S

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Equal AccessHow to Include Persons with Disabilities in


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Equal Access: How to Include Persons with Disabilies in Elecons and Polical Processes

© 2014 by IFES. All rights reserved.

Permission Statement: No part of this work may be reproduced in any form or by any means, electronic or mechanical, including photocopying, re-

cording or by any informaon storage and retrieval system without the wrien permission of IFES.

Requests for permission should include the following informaon:

• A descripon of the material for which permission to copy is desired.

• The purpose for which the copied material will be used and the manner in which it will be used.

• Your name, tle, company or organizaon name, telephone number, fax number, e-mail address and mailing address.

Please send all requests for permission to:

Internaonal Foundaon for Electoral Systems 1850 K Street, NW, Fih Floor Washington, D.C. 20006

E-mail: [email protected]

Fax: 202.350.6701

Cover photo by Tsheten Dorji, Bhutan. Photos on page 26, 31, 55 (top and boom) are property of NDI.

All other photos are property of IFES. Easy-to-read poron prepared by Grainne de Paor, Down Syndrome Ireland.

2 5 Y EA R S

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FES I N

T E R N A T

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O N A L

F O U N D

A T ION F O R E

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mailto:[email protected]:[email protected]


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Equal Access: How to Include Persons with Disabilies in Elecons and Polical Processes V

This publicaon is dedicated to Yusdiana, an ambassador for the disability community. Her reless

eorts provided connued inspiraon to her partners in Southeast Asia and beyond.


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Equal Access: How to Include Persons with Disabilies in Elecons and Polical Processes VI

About IFES and NDI

Internaonal Foundaon for Electoral Systems

The Internaonal Foundaon for Electoral Systems (IFES) supports cizens’ right to parcipate in free and fairelecons. Our independent experse strengthens electoral systems and builds local capacity to deliver sus-tainable soluons.

As the global leader in democracy promoon, we advance good governance and democrac rights by:

• Providing technical assistance to elecon ocials

• Empowering the underrepresented to parcipate in the polical process

• Applying eld-based research to improve the electoral cycle

IFES has extensive experience in leading iniaves around the world that promote electoral and polical en-

franchisement of persons with disabilies. IFES collaborates with a cross-secon of disabled persons’ organiza-

ons, as well as civil society groups and governments. This includes applying experse to global tools such as

www.EleconAccess.org – the rst online global resource on polical parcipaon of persons with disabilies.

In recognion of its eorts, IFES received the InterAcon Disability Inclusion Award in 2011.

Since 1987, IFES has worked in over 135 countries – from developing democracies, to mature democracies.For more informaon, visit www.IFES.org and www.EleconAccess.org.

Naonal Democrac Instute

The Naonal Democrac Instute (NDI) is a nonprot, nonparsan, nongovernmental organizaon that re-sponds to the aspiraons of people around the world to live in democrac sociees that recognize and pro-mote basic human rights.

Since its founding in 1983, NDI and its local partners have worked to support and strengthen democrac ins-tuons and pracces by strengthening polical pares, civic organizaons and parliaments, safeguarding elec-ons, and promong cizen parcipaon, openness and accountability in government.

With sta members and volunteer polical praconers from more than 100 naons, NDI brings togetherindividuals and groups to share ideas, knowledge, experiences and experse. Partners receive broad exposureto best pracces in internaonal democrac development that can be adapted to the needs of their owncountries. NDI’s mulnaonal approach reinforces the message that while there is no single democrac mod-el, certain core principles are shared by all democracies.

The Instute’s work upholds the principles enshrined in the Universal Declaraon of Human Rights. It also pro-motes the development of instuonalized channels of communicaons among cizens, polical instuonsand elected ocials, and strengthens their ability to improve the quality of life for all cizens. For more infor -maon about NDI, please visit www.NDI.org.

http://www.electionaccess.org/http://www.ifes.org/http://www.electionaccess.org/http://www.ndi.org/http://www.ndi.org/http://www.electionaccess.org/http://www.ifes.org/http://www.electionaccess.org/


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Equal Access: How to Include Persons with Disabilies in Elecons and Polical Processes IX

Acknowledgements

The Equal Access manual was wrien by Virginia Atkinson of the Internaonal Foundaon for ElectoralSystems (IFES) and Aaron Azelton and Kent Fogg of the Naonal Democrac Instute (NDI).

IFES and NDI would like to express deep gratude to the many organizaons and individuals who lenttheir experse and me toward the development of this manual. The nal product beneted tremen-dously from the insighul feedback of the following peer reviewers and organizaons:

• Patrick Clarke – Chief Execuve, Down Syndrome Ireland

• Crisna Francisco – Founder of Circle of Women with Disabilies, Dominican Republic

• Susan Henderson – Execuve Director, Disability Rights and Educaon Defence Fund, U.S.-based

• Anna Lawson – Associate Professor, Disability Rights and Law, University of Leeds, United Kingdom

• Farai Mukuta – Execuve Director, Naonal Associaon of Sociees for the Care of theHandicapped, Zimbabwe

• Alexandria Panehal – United States Agency for Internaonal Development/Dominican Republic,Mission Director

• Hicham Rachidi – Consultant, Moroccan Collecve for the Promoon of the Rights of Personswith Disabilies

• Susan Sygall – Co-founder and CEO, Mobility Internaonal USA

• Stefan Tromel – Execuve Director, Internaonal Disability Alliance, Switzerland-based

• Yusdiana – Senior Disability Rights Adviser, Indonesia Disabled People’s Associaon

• Center for Society Orientaon, Serbia

• Youth with Disabilies Forum, Serbia

IFES and NDI would also like to extend a warm thanks to colleagues who provided technical support

based on their experiences working with elecon management bodies and civil society groups, including:David Ennis, Kyle Lemargie and Maximo Zaldivar of IFES and Jelena Abramovic, Pat Merloe and ThomasKelly of NDI. This manual is a beer product thanks to the keen eye of Erica Shein and the eding andgraphic design talent of Bella Desai and Jayne Miller of IFES.

Lastly, it would not have been possible to create the Equal Access manual without strong support fromthe United States Agency for Internaonal Development, in parcular thanks to Rob Horvath and LeahMaxson.


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Equal Access: How to Include Persons with Disabilies in Elecons and Polical Processes 1

Table of Contents

Acronyms and Abbreviaons...................................................................................................... 3

Denion of Key Terms...............................................................................................................5

Easy-to-Read Execuve Summary................................................................................................8

Execuve Summary.....................................................................................................................15

Introducon............................................................................................................................... 19

Secon 1: Disability 101..............................................................................................................25

What is Disability?......................................................................................................................... 25

Rights-based Language................................................................................................................. 26

Diversity of the Disability Community........................................................................................... 27

Disabled Persons’ Organizaons (DPOs)....................................................................................... 28

Mapping the DPO Community...................................................................................................... 29

Legal Basis for Polical Rights of Persons with Disabilies............................................................30

Disability Policies among Development Aid Agencies...................................................................32

Breaking Down the Barriers.......................................................................................................... 34Strategies to Support Inclusive Electoral and Polical Processes.................................................. 35

The Electoral Cycle........................................................................................................................ 36

Secon 2: Pre-electoral Period.................................................................................................... 39

Assessments through a Disability Lens........................................................................................ 40

Elecon Law Reform.................................................................................................................... 40

Inclusive Elecon Administraon................................................................................................ 42

Secon 3: Electoral Period.......................................................................................................... 51

Observaon................................................................................................................................. 51

Nominaon.................................................................................................................................. 53Campaigns................................................................................................................................... 54

Elecon Day Implementaon...................................................................................................... 56

Results Transmission................................................................................................................... 56

Elecon Dispute Resoluon......................................................................................................... 56

Secon 4: Post-electoral Period.................................................................................................. 59

Polling Staon Audits.................................................................................................................. 59

Capture Lessons Learned............................................................................................................ 60


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2 Internaonal Foundaon for Electoral Systems and Naonal Democrac Instute

Accessibility of Government Instuons.................................................................................... 60

Capacity-building of DPOs........................................................................................................... 60

Elecon Commissioner Selecon Criteria................................................................................... 61

Inclusive Civic Educaon.............................................................................................................. 61

Secon 5: Challenges.................................................................................................................. 63

Lack of Data................................................................................................................................. 63

Discriminaon............................................................................................................................. 63

Operang Environment............................................................................................................... 64

Mandatory Vong....................................................................................................................... 64

Leadership................................................................................................................................... 64

Accessible Technology................................................................................................................. 65

Monitoring and Evaluaon.......................................................................................................... 65

Sharing Lessons Learned............................................................................................................. 66

Secon 6: Dominican Republic Case Study.................................................................................. 69

Overview..................................................................................................................................... 69

How Did the Project Include People with Disabilies in Elecons and Polical Life?.................. 69

Challenges and Lessons Learned................................................................................................. 72

Impact ........................................................................................................................................ 73

Recommendaons....................................................................................................................... 73

Annex: Elecon Access Milestones............................................................................................. 75

December 1984 ‒ Universal Declaraon of Human Rights ‒ Article 21...................................... 75

March 1976 ‒ International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights ‒ Article 25.......................... 75

September 2001 ‒ Inter-American Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination

against Persons with Disabilities ‒ Article 3................................................................................ 76

May 2008 ‒ Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities ‒ Article 29......................... 76

May 2010 ‒ European Court of Human Rights ‒ Kiss V. Hungary ................................................ 77

November 2011 ‒ Bali Declaration on the Enhancement of the Role and Participation of Persons

with Disabilities in the ASEAN Community.................................................................................. 78

November 2011 ‒ Council of Europe Recommendation CM/Rec(2011)14 of the Committee of

Ministers to Member States on the Participation of Persons with Disabilities in Political and

Public Life.................................................................................................................................... 78

December 2011 ‒ Revised Venice Commission Interpretative Declaration to the Code of Good

Practice in Electoral Matters on the Participation of People with Disabilities............................ 79

December 2011 ‒ UN Economic and Social Commission for Asia and the Pacific ‒ Regional

Stakeholder Consultation for the High-level Intergovernmental Meeting on the Final Review

of the Implementation of the Asian and Pacific Decade of Disabled Persons, 2003-2013 (Second

Session)....................................................................................................................................... 81

December 2011 ‒ Thematic Study by the Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for

Human Rights on Participation in Political and Public Life by Persons with Disabilities.............. 82

November 2012 ‒ Bali Commitments on Equal Access to Elections........................................... 83


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Acronyms and Abbreviations

ADA Americans with Disabilies Act

AGENDA General Elecon Network for Disability Access in Southeast Asia

ASEAN Associaon of Southeast Asian Naons

CRPD Convenon on the Rights of Persons with Disabilies

CSO Civil society organizaon

DPO Disabled persons’ organizaon

EMB Elecon management body

ICCPR Internaonal Covenant on Civil and Polical Rights

IFES Internaonal Foundaon for Electoral Systems

INGO Internaonal non-governmental organizaon

LGBT Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender

NDI Naonal Democrac Instute

NGO Nongovernmental organizaon

PSA Public service announcement

UN United Naons

UDHR Universal Declaraon of Human Rights

UN ESCAP United Naons Economic and Social Commission for Asia and the Pacic

UN OHCHR United Naons Oce for the High Commissioner for Human Rights

USAID United States Agency for Internaonal Development

WHO World Health Organizaon


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Deinition of Key Terms

Throughout this manual, the terms listed below are frequently menoned. Figure 1 denes how theword is used in this context and provides an example for addional guidance.

Figure 1: Denion of Key Terms1 2

1 Disabled People’s Internaonal. .

2 Nigerian Naonal Associaon of the Deaf. “Nigerian Naonal Associaon of the Deaf.” .

Term Denion Example

Accessible

A site, facility, work environment, serviceor program that is easy to approach, enter,

operate, parcipate in and/or use safely,independently and with dignity by persons

with disabilies

A polling staon where a voterwho uses a wheelchair can ma-

neuver unaided

Accessible formatsPrint, audio or visual informaon that is ac-cessible to persons with disabilies

Braille, tacle, large print, signlanguage, easy-to-read

Assisve toolA device that aids compleon of a task orother funcon that might otherwise be dif -cult or impossible

Tacle ballot guide or magnifyingglass

BrailleWring system comprised of raised dotsused by people who are blind or have low

vision

Cross-disability

organizaonAn organizaon that is comprised of peoplewith dierent types of disabilies

Disabled People’s Internaonal1

is a network of naonal disabled

persons’ organizaons

Disabled persons’organizaon

A civil society organizaon that is run byand for persons with disabilies

Nigerian Naonal Associaon of

the Deaf 2 is comprised of deaf

and hard-of-hearing Nigerians

and works to promote and pro-

tect their rights

http://www.dpi.org/http://www.nnadeaf.org/http://www.nnadeaf.org/http://www.dpi.org/


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Equal Access: How to Include Persons with Disabilities in


This manual tells you about the ways that

people with disabilities can take part inelections and politics.

One of the ways that people with disabilities

take part in politics is when they vote in

elections.

Voting gives people with disabilities a

stronger political voice.

People with disabilities who vote in elections

show the public that they are equal citizens.

This manual outlines the challenges that

people with disabilities face when they take

part in politics.

This manual gives ideas about how to

address these challenges.

This manual explains how taking part in

politics can help people with disabilities to

inuence policies that are important to their

lives.

Policies are action plans that the

government carries out.


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This manual gives ideas about the different

ways people with disabilities can take part in

elections and politics.

This manual explains that working in

partnerships is important.

People with disabilities need to be involved

in any decisions that will affect their lives.

Politicians, the media and

disability organizations are some of the

groups that should work together.

The United Nations Convention on the

Rights of Persons with Disabilities is called

CRPD for short.

The CRPD is a legal document about the

rights of people with disabilities to take part

in public life.

Parts of this document called Article 12 and

Article 29 talk about people with disabilitiestaking part in elections.


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This manual supports the aims in the CRPD.

This manual gives 4 main ideas of ways to

help people with disabilities to take

part in politics.

1. Provide training about politics to

people with disabilities and

disability organizations.

2. Support governments and people

working in politics to develop policies

and partnerships that will help more peoplewith disabilities take part in politics.

3. Involve organizations for people with

disabilities in developing education

campaigns about voting for the public.

4. Help political parties to include people

with disabilities during electionplanning and preparations.

There are 4 main parts in this manual.

Part 1 explains the correct words to use

when talking about different disabilities.


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Part 2 talks about what happens before an

election. This part is about making

sure that people with disabilities can

be a part of elections and politics. Some

ideas in this section include:

• Making sure that the information about

elections is accessible.

• Changing laws that make it too difcult

for people with disabilities to take part

in elections.

Part 2 also talks about programs that

disability organizations can use to

develop a stronger voice at different

times of an election.

Accessible means a place that a

person is able to enter.

Accessible also means information

that people can understand.


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Part 3 of this manual talks about what

happens during the election.

Part 3 of this manual gives ideas about:

• Disability organizations and people with

disabilities working in partnership with other

groups. The job of the partnership would be

to observe elections to make sure that people

with disabilities can take part in elections.

• Finding ways to make sure that people

with disabilities can be candidates ifthey wish.

• Helping political parties to make

information in accessible formats.

• Helping disability organizations to

have a voice during elections.

• Making rules about ensuring thatinformation about elections is accessible.

• Helping to make sure that voting in the

election is accessible.

• Making sure election results are

accessible to people with disabilities.


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The last part of this manual talks about

people with disabilities taking part in elections

and politics in the Dominican Republic.

Part 4 talks about what happens after an

election.


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Executive Summary

Equal Access: How to Include Persons with Disabilies in Elecons and Polical Processes is a manual thatprovides strategies and tools for strengthening the parcipaon of persons with disabilies in eleconsand polical processes. Drawing on experiences from the Internaonal Foundaon for Electoral Systems(IFES) and the Naonal Democrac Instute (NDI), this manual recognizes the fundamental role policalparcipaon plays in helping persons with disabilies inuence policies that aect their lives and estab-lish a foundaon for inclusion in all aspects of society.

Elecons provide a unique opportunity to increase parcipaon and change public percepons aboutthe abilies of persons with disabilies. As a result, persons with disabilies can have a stronger poli-cal voice and be increasingly recognized as equal cizens. This sets the stage for ongoing parcipaon intheir communies and social and economic integraon.

Equal Access idenes the challenges persons with disabilies face in polical parcipaon and providesways to migate them. This manual also recognizes that – alongside these unique barriers – persons withdisabilies confront the same challenges aecng cizens in new and emerging democracies. Equal Ac-cess includes guidance on how to empower persons with disabilies to play acve roles in the electoralprocess as elecon administrators, poll workers, voters, candidates, policy advocates, monitors, educa-tors and/or campaigners. Involvement empowers persons with disabilies and posively shapes the po-lical process and democrazaon outcomes.

Many of the approaches outlined in Equal Access emphasize partnerships with a range of stakeholders,such as electoral ocials, media, polical pares, disabled persons’ organizaons (DPOs) and other civilsociety organizaons. However, regardless of the approach used to increase polical inclusion, it is im-portant to engage persons with disabilies from the outset of program design. This ensures that personswith disabilies are also equal partners who have a voice in decisions that aect their lives.

The United Naons Convenon on the Rights of Persons with Disabilies (CRPD) serves as the guid-ing framework for the manual and provides the legal basis and a set of standards for the full and equal

parcipaon of persons with disabilies in public life. Arcles 29 and 12 are parcularly relevant forelecon-related acvies.

In support of the CRPD’s objecves, the manual presents four mutually supporve strategies to increasethe polical parcipaon of persons with disabilies:

• Build the capacity of DPOs and empower their members through trainings on the electoral sys-tem, government structure, and basic organizaonal and advocacy skills. This helps build the po-lical prole of DPOs and enables organizaons to get their issues onto the polical agenda.

• Support government instuons such as legislatures and elecon management bodies (EMBs) tocreate legal and regulatory frameworks that provide an opportunity for increasing polical par-cipaon of persons with disabilies and encourage partnerships with DPOs.


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• Include DPOs in broad-based civil society coalions to conduct domesc elecon observaon orvoter educaon campaigns.

• Assist polical pares to conduct meaningful outreach to persons with disabilies when creangelecon campaign strategies and developing policy posions, and encourage pares to includepersons with disabilies as candidates and in leadership roles.

This manual begins with a review of disability concepts and terminology, highlighng the diversity of thedisability community and the best pracce of consulng the local disability community on their preferredterms. The central part of Equal Access is organized around the electoral cycle, highlighng how pro-grams can address barriers and increase the ability of DPOs to exercise power and inuence at variousstages throughout an elecon. The manual then ends with a case study on eorts taken in the DominicanRepublic to increase elecon access – providing lessons learned on how to increase program impact.

Equal Access also highlights challenges to implemenng inclusive elecon programming, such as:

• Lack of available data on the number and locaon of persons with disabilies in developing coun-tries

• Societal discriminaon

• Polically challenging operang environments where cizen parcipaon is discouraged by gov-ernment authories

• Mandatory vong provisions that ne persons with disabilies for not vong or automacallyremove them from voter lists

• Scarcity of leadership opportunies for persons with disabilies

• Limited capacity of local EMBs to implement accessible technology soluons

Addionally, the manual discusses benets of monitoring and evaluang the impact of elecon programsthat disaggregate data by disability and collect qualitave data on disability inclusion. IFES launchedwww.EleconAccess.org to serve as a plaorm for sharing lessons learned on addressing these challeng-es.6

The approaches and program examples highlighted throughout the manual can help ensure personswith disabilies parcipate in polical life as equal cizens. To address the full range of barriers, eortsmust focus beyond just Elecon Day. While seng precedent is important, one elecon does not breakdown all physical and social barriers or alter the prevailing negave percepons of persons with disabili-es. Equal Access seeks to give local and naonal governments, internaonal organizaons, civil societygroups, development professionals and donors the tools and knowledge needed to ensure every voice is

heard on Elecon Day and beyond.

A true democracy is one that includes all cizens, including those with disabilies.

6 www.EleconAccess.orgwas launched in 1998; the site is currently being redesigned.

http://www.electionaccess.org/http://www.electionaccess.org/http://www.electionaccess.org/http://www.electionaccess.org/


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What’s Inside

Secon 1 reviews disability concepts and preferred terminology, highlighng the diversity of the disabil-ity community.

Secon 2 summarizes the following approaches and consideraons in the Pre-electoral Period:

• Pre-elecon assessments with a specic disability lens

• Elecon law reform to remove outright barriers to vong and increase overall accessibility

• Inclusive elecon administraon with a disability lens in all areas of preparaon

Secon 3 examines the following aspects and potenal intervenons during the Electoral Period:

• Supporng partnerships between naonal or internaonal observer groups and DPOs, and includ-

ing persons with disabilies as short and long-term observers and monitors

• Empowering persons with disabilies during the nominaon process to be viable candidates

• Supporng the EMB and polical pares in providing informaon in accessible formats and con-ducng specic outreach to persons with disabilies during campaigns

• Assisng DPOs in securing elecon pledges from candidates and polical pares to increase aware-ness of advocacy iniaves and constuent concerns, and hold elected ocials accountable

• Promong codes of conduct for polical pares and candidates that feature language on providinginformaon in accessible formats and including persons with disabilies in acvies

• Organizing debates with candidates on policies that aect persons with disabilies and ensuring allcandidate debates are accessible to persons with disabilies

• Supporng EMBs in Elecon Day implementaon of accessibility provisions

• Transming results in accessible formats

• Ensuring access to elecon dispute mechanisms and complaint adjudicaon processes

Secon 4 explores the following opportunies for connued engagement in the Post-electoral Period:

• Polling staon audits that include the authority to impose penales when accessibility standardsare not followed

• An inclusive review process to capture lessons learned and assess the impact of acons taken toincrease access

• Ensuring accessibility of government instuons

The manual ends with a case study of the Dominican Republic which:

• Provides lessons learned

• Shows how to increase program impact by including persons with disabilies during program de-sign


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Introduction

Eecve democrac development involves making sure the poorest and most marginalized have ameaningful voice in decisions aecng their welfare. Yet persons with disabilies, oen the poorest ofthe poor, are frequently overlooked and struggle to achieve a beer quality of life. The World HealthOrganizaon (WHO) esmates that 15 percent of the world’s populaon has a disability, with 80 percentof these persons living in developing countries, with potenally higher levels in post-conict States.Democracy assistance programs can empower persons with disabilies to engage polically and becomemainstream members of society with the rights, responsibilies and respect aorded to all cizens. Peo-ple with disabilies represent various ethnic, religious, socioeconomic and gender groups. When such alarge, cross-cu ng poron of society is not parcipang polically, it prevents democracy from deepen-ing and allowing all cizens a voice in the way they are governed.

Persons with disabilies parcipate polically for a variety of reasons. In some cases, they are pursuinginterests specically ed to their disability, such as making public buildings accessible or having sign-language interpretaon in schools. In other cases, their interests coincide with wider segments of societywhen it comes to basic human needs, such as access to clean water, educaon for their children or de-veloping a safe and secure community. Like all cizens, persons with disabilies want the opportunity toshape their communies and, in doing so, they can become recognized and valued community members.

To achieve this status, persons with disabilies need to parcipate polically. Elecons provide an op-portunity for their power and inuence to be exercised and strengthened. As with other cizens, elec-ons are a fundamental way for persons with disabilies to express their preferences and shape policaloutcomes. Elecons also allow persons with disabilies to develop leadership and organizing skills, buildrelaonships, publicly raise issues important to them, demonstrate their abilies and set the stage forconnual parcipaon and leadership. For this reason, the elecon programs described in this manual

are framed as ways to posion persons with disabilies as equal, acve and engaged cizens before, dur-ing and aer elecons.

We have a moral duty to remove the barriers to parcipaon,

and to invest su cient funding and experse to unlock the

vast potenal of people with disabilies.“

”

Stephen Hawking

Author, Physicist, Advocate

World Health Organizaon World Report on Disability, 2011


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While providing direct nancial assistance can be part of the equaon, there are many addional waysto include persons with disabilies in elecons and polical processes, starng with their involvement

in program-planning decisions. This means that persons with disabilies and disabled persons’ organiza-ons (DPOs) should always have a voice in programs that aect them. The principle of “nothing about uswithout us” is a cornerstone of disability inclusion.

About this ManualThe Equal Access: How to Include Persons with Disabilies in Elecons and Polical Processes manualaims to provide local and naonal governments, internaonal organizaons, civil society groups, devel-opment professionals and donors with the tools and knowledge to strengthen the polical parcipaonof persons with disabilies in elecons and polical process programs so they have a greater voice indecisions that impact their welfare and communies. The manual draws on experiences from the Inter-naonal Foundaon for Electoral Systems (IFES) and the Naonal Democrac Instute (NDI) and placesemphasis on partnerships with elecon management bodies (EMBs) and organizaons run by and forpersons with disabilies.

Benets of Disability Inclusive Elecons ProgrammingInclusion of persons with disabilies is fundamental to democracy. Without the inclusion of all cizens, a

country is not a true democracy. Including persons with disabilies in polical life also provides the basisfor mainstreaming their inclusion in all aspects of society. During elecons, the concept of cizenshipis oen featured in State and non-State media, and thus dened in the public conscious. This providesa unique opportunity to break down social sgmas by ensuring that persons with disabilies appearalongside other cizens as acve parcipants in the polical process. Persons with disabilies can playthe same roles as all other cizens in the electoral process, including serving as elecon administratorsor poll workers, vong, running for o ce, advocang for policies, monitoring the vong and counngprocess, reporng, educang voters and campaigning for candidates and polical pares. Involvementin these dierent acvies not only empowers persons with disabilies, but can also help transform theelectoral process and public percepon. This sets the stage for ongoing parcipaon and integraon insociety, ensuring the equal rights of persons with disabilies.

By empowering persons with disabilies to take their place alongside other cizens, barriers are broken

down and equality is promoted. For example, hiring persons with disabilies to work at polling staonsempowers individual poll workers and provides a valuable opportunity to eradicate stereotypes. Likewise,

ensuring women with disabilies are involved in programs designed to increase the polical parcipaonof women provides an opportunity to shi percepons about disability and gender.

Persons with disabilies and disabled persons’ organizaonsshould always have a voice in programs that aect them. The

principle of “nothing about us without us” is a cornerstone of dis-ability inclusion.


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lead to greater comfort in discussing

human rights more generally. Encour-

aging policians and governmentinstuons to partner with DPOs toaddress issues facing the disability

community also sets a precedent for

engagement with civil society, which

may lead to the adopon of this prac-ce in other areas.

How to Use this ManualThis manual idenes barriers per-sons with disabilies encounter whenparcipang in polical life and pro-vides ways to reduce these barriers.

It idenes acons key stakeholdersinvolved in electoral processes – suchas electoral ocials, media, civil soci-ety organizaons and polical pares – can take to foster greater inclusion.Twin-track approaches are discussed;that is, some programming ideas are

targeted specically to the disabilitycommunity, while others give suggesons on how to mainstream the inclusion of persons with disabili-es in assistance work targeted to the enre populaon.

Praccal steps to include persons with disabilies in elecons and polical processes will be discussed.There are no easy soluons to all barriers, and in some cases there is not a clear best pracce. This man-ual summarizes some of these issues and opons for addressing them, as well as potenal drawbacksfrom an elecon standards perspecve.

The manual also underscores a number of lessons, the foremost being the value of reaching out to per-

sons with disabilies to understand their needs, interests and expectaons, and to build relaonshipsthat will help contextualize approaches. Fear of saying the wrong thing or causing oense should notprevent communicaon and interacon, as long as mutual respect and a willingness to learn are demon-strated. The manual suggests ways to begin this learning process, recognizing the preferred terminologyand means of communicaon might vary from one situaon to another.

The opening secon of the manual provides background and a widely-accepted perspecve on disability.The remainder of the manual focuses on inclusion in elecons and polical processes and is organizedaround the electoral cycle,7 with secon two addressing the pre-elecon period; secons three and fourfocus on the elecon and post-elecon periods, respecvely. Secon ve provides a case study that il-lustrates some of the issues and opportunies associated with inclusive elecons and polical processprograms.

7 Please refer to Figure 4 on page 37.

This image was used as part of a voter educaon campaign in Senegalin 2012. Describing the vong process using pictures can help peoplewith intellectual disabilies and those with low literacy to understandthe process.


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Section 1: Disability 101

This secon provides an overview of the concept of disability and the terminology used in the disabilityrights community. It is important to note that the idea of disability is evolving; terminology might dierfrom country to country. It is ne if you are unsure how to address persons with disabilies – just askthem their preference.

Secon 1 will also introduce core internaonal standards relang to electoral rights of persons with dis-abilies and how some internaonal development agencies are supporng these rights. The secon will

conclude with a discussion of opportunies elecons can oer persons with disabilies when barriersare removed.

What is Disability?The denion of who has a disability varies from country to country. This manual uses the denionfound in Arcle 1 of the UN Convenon on the Rights of Persons with Disabilies8 (CRPD):

Persons with disabilies include those who have long-term physical, mental, intellectual or sen-sory impairments which in interacon with various barriers may hinder their full and eecveparcipaon in society on an equal basis with others.

There are several dierent approaches to addressing disability, from anquated charity and medical

views to more contemporary social and rights-based models. The models help describe social atudestoward disability and are not mutually exclusive. A concise descripon of each approach:

Charity model – assumes persons with disabilies are unable to be full parcipants in society and needhelp. Persons with disabilies are pied.

Medical model – persons with disabilies are treated as though their disability is the cause of all barriers.In this model, persons with disabilies are encouraged to adjust to their environments, rather than theother way around.

Social model – describes disability as a result of a person’s interacon with their environment. The pre-amble of the CRPD says, “Disability results from the interacon between persons with impairments andatudinal and environmental barriers that hinders their full and eecve parcipaon in society on anequal basis with others.”

Rights model – emphasis is shied from dependence to empowerment. Persons with disabilies havethe same basic human rights as all other cizens and governments should guarantee rights and be heldaccountable for protecon.

8 Internaonal Foundaon for Electoral Systems. “UN Convenon on the Rights of Persons with Disabilies.”

.

http://www.ifes.org/Content/Publications/Books/2012/The-Convention-on-the-Rights-of-Persons-with-Disabilities-and-the-Optional-Protocol.aspxhttp://www.ifes.org/Content/Publications/Books/2012/The-Convention-on-the-Rights-of-Persons-with-Disabilities-and-the-Optional-Protocol.aspx


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Aspects of the social and rights-based

models can help inform inclusive

polical parcipaon strategies.The social and rights-based models

complement each other. The social

model highlights that it is barriers

put in place by society that excludepersons with disabilies, while therights-based model emphasizes equalhuman rights of all cizens and anadvocacy role for persons with dis-

abilies.

Rights-based Language

There are various points of view aboutthe words used to describe disability.

Social model theorists prefer to use

the term “disabled person” because itis consistent with the idea that people with impairments may be “disabled” by external, societal forcesrather than by their impairment. These theorists use “disability” to refer to the exclusion resulng fromthat societal process rather than the impairment.

Another method is to use “people-rst” language. According to this method, a person’s disability is nothis or her dening feature; it is one of many aributes. The phrases “persons with disabilies” and “peo-ple with disabilies” can be used interchangeably. This manual will use people-rst language, as it is thestandard set in the CRPD and USAID best pracce. An excepon to this rule is the use of “disabled per-sons’ organizaon,” or “DPO” to describe organizaons comprised of and run by persons with disabilies.

The term is not in keeping with people-rst language, but has become the commonly preferred term torefer to this type of civil society organizaon. Do not be surprised if some persons with disabilies referto themselves with words considered negave by other persons with disabilies. Disability is a constantlyevolving concept. The chart below gives some examples of people-rst language.

Figure 2: People-rst Language

Say: Instead of:

Persons/people with disabilies Special needs, PWDs, handicapped

He uses a wheelchair He is conned to a wheelchair/wheelchair-bound

Voters without disabilies Normal/healthy people/able-bodied

She has a physical disability She is crippled

She is deaf/She is hard-of-hearing She is hearing impaired

He has ausm He is ausc

She has an intellectual/psychosocial disability She is mentally retarded

A child with Down syndrome Down’s child

An individual with AIDS He suers from AIDS/is aicted with AIDS/is a vicm of AIDS

A signed pledge by a polical party in Macedonia, promising raca-

on of the CRPD within the rst 100 days of the new parliament fol -lowing the 2011 elecons.


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Diversity of the Disability CommunityWhen supporng polical inclusion, the dierences and disparies among persons with disabilies should

be taken into account. Persons with disabilies are not uniform; they are members of all ethnic and religiousgroups. Oen, the combinaon of mulple idenes can lead to double or triple marginalizaon.

Persons with dierent types of disabilies face unique challenges. Persons with certain physical and visualdisabilies might have an easier me interacng with persons without disabilies because there is not a com-municaon barrier. However, people who are deaf oen face a greater diculty in trying to communicate withpeople who do not know sign language. This communicaon gap can lead to greater marginalizaon. In thecontext of elecons and polical processes, this means polical actors such as EMBs and polical pares mustbe aware of dierent communicaon styles. Featuring sign language or capons in an outreach video is aninclusive step, but actors should be cognizant that each country has its own, unique sign language and that insome countries there are regional sign dierences, especially among indigenous deaf communies. Even withinthe disability community, persons with intellectual and psychosocial disabilies are oen disregarded and ex-cluded due to discriminaon. There are also some disabilies that are not immediately obvious, such as bipolar

disorder or chronic pain. These types of disabilies are referred to as non-apparent disabilies. It is because ofthese dierences that persons with disabilies should not be treated as a uniform group.

Disability is also unique, as it can happen to anyone at any me and could be temporary. The ways in whichgovernments respond to persons with disabilies also varies. A government’s desire to assist the war-woundedcan somemes lead to beer provision of services and acknowledgement of rights for the enre disability com-munity. For example, in Armenia, the war-wounded are treated with reverence, leading to the State’s willing-ness to improve accessibility. Natural disasters can also lead governments to focus on disability inclusion. It was

not unl aer the 2008 cyclone that Burma’s government began developing policies targeted at persons withdisabilies. However, in most circumstances, greater inclusionrequires advocacy from the local disability community, as well

as progressive-minded champions in the government.

Women with DisabiliesWomen with disabilies oen face double discriminaon onaccount of their disability and gender status. Women with

disabilies are less likely to have access to comparable educa-on or training; health care and rehabilitaon; or employ-ment opportunies than women without disabilies. As aresult, they are more likely to live in poverty and isolaon, re-moved from the polical and social life of their communies.

According to USAID,9 women with disabilies comprise nearlythree-quarters of all persons with disabilies in low andmiddle-income countries. With such a large percentage of

persons with disabilies facing addional barriers as women,it is important to understand the gender-based challenges to

full polical parcipaon. Women’s polical parcipaon ishindered by a variety of instuonal and social/cultural ob-stacles that are oen compounded by disability.

9 Women With Disabilies. United States Agency for Internaonal Development. .

This brochure targeng Burmese women aheadof the 2012 by-elecon, also includes womenwith disabilies.

http://www.usaid.gov/what-we-do/gender-equality-and-womens-empowerment/women-disabilitieshttp://www.usaid.gov/what-we-do/gender-equality-and-womens-empowerment/women-disabilitieshttp://www.usaid.gov/what-we-do/gender-equality-and-womens-empowerment/women-disabilitieshttp://www.usaid.gov/what-we-do/gender-equality-and-womens-empowerment/women-disabilities


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At the instuonal level, cizenship or documentaon require-ments for voter registraon are oen more dicult to obtain for

women than men because of discriminatory cizenship laws inmany countries. Registering to vote and vong are usually accom-panied by long waing mes or signicant travel distances that con-ict with women’s domesc responsibilies, work schedules, childcare or lack of funds and freedom of movement. In low and middle-

income countries, 65-70 percent of women with disabilies live inrural areas, making access to polling staons even more dicult.10

Safety concerns about gender-based electoral violence are another

hindrance to women’s polical parcipaon. Women with disabilies are three mes more likely to experi -ence physical or sexual violence than women without disabilies.11

Social and cultural barriers to women’s parcipaon include a lack of civic and polical awareness, oen

caused by low levels of literacy and educaon among women. Lower levels of educaon faced by personswith disabilies are even higher for women, and the United Naons Development Programme (UNDP) es-mates that while the global literacy rate for persons with disabilies is 3 percent, for women with disabiliesit is as low as 1 percent.12

Cultural tradions that restrict women’s independence or inmidate women from exercising their individualchoices can result in proxy vong.13 In the case of women with disabilies who are oen more dependent onfamily support, this risk is even higher.

Although women’s rights are almost universally recognized in law, advances in women’s polical parcipaonand representaon usually lag behind other development indicators. The number of women legislators, elec-on administrators and polical party leaders around the world remains startlingly low, with representaonby women with disabilies even lower. Women’s presence in leadership posions alongside gender-sensive

male counterparts can play a crical role in reversing this trend. While not a perfect system, some countriessuch as Iraq and Rwanda have made signicant gains through gender quotas in legislatures. The full parcipa -on of women in polical, social and economic life benets not only themselves, but also families, communi-es and naons.

Disabled Persons’ OrganizaonsThe global disability rights movement is driven largely by persons with disabilies through advocacy andorganizing. DPOs refer to organizaons run by and for persons with disabilies. People without disabiliesare somemes members of DPOs, but the majority of the membership and leadership must have a disabilityin order for the organizaon to be considered a DPO. DPOs exist in virtually every country and tend to rallyaround the unied slogan, “nothing about us, without us.”

10 “Factsheet: Violence against Women and Girls with Disabilies.” Women Watch. United Naons. .

11 The World Bank/Yale University. “HIV/AIDS & Disability: Capturing Hidden Voices.” April 2004: 10. .

12 UN Enable. “UN Enable Factsheet on Persons with Disabilies.” United Naons. .

13 Proxy vong is when a person nominates someone else to vote on their behalf.

Good Practice

In Burma, IFES strengthened the

skills of women with and without

disabilies who are grassroots lead-ers to help them feel condent andempowered to take part in transi-

onal processes and advocate fortheir specic priories.

http://siteresources.worldbank.org/DISABILITY/Resources/Health-and-Wellness/HIVAIDS.pdfhttp://siteresources.worldbank.org/DISABILITY/Resources/Health-and-Wellness/HIVAIDS.pdfhttp://www.un.org/disabilities/default.asp?http://www.un.org/disabilities/default.asp?http://www.un.org/disabilities/default.asp?http://www.un.org/disabilities/default.asp?http://siteresources.worldbank.org/DISABILITY/Resources/Health-and-Wellness/HIVAIDS.pdfhttp://siteresources.worldbank.org/DISABILITY/Resources/Health-and-Wellness/HIVAIDS.pdf


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Engaging DPOs is an essenal rststep for inclusive programming. They

bring the experience of disability tothe design, implementaon, moni-toring and evaluaon of inclusiveprograms and can leverage the par-

cipaon of persons with disabiliesthrough their networks. There are

naonal-level disability-specic DPOsand umbrella groups that include

members from across the country

with all types of disabilies. There arealso several regional and internaonalgroupings such as the African Youth

with Disabilies Network,14 EuropeanDisability Forum15 and InternaonalDisability Alliance.16 Organizaonsthat work for persons with disabili-

es, but do not necessarily includethem at all levels of membership, can

be useful civil society partners as well.

However, it is preferable to work with

DPOs to ensure the perspecves ofpersons with disabilies are includedin the design and implementaon of programming.

Mapping the DPO Community Before engaging with any local partner, it is always helpful to meet with a range of groups. This includes

organizaons that represent certain types of disabilies, as well as cross-disability organizaons that repre-sent people with all types of disabilies. Groups based in rural areas oen have dierent priories and con -cerns, so they should be involved in programming along with groups located in urban centers. If partnering

with a DPO, there are several factors that require addional consideraon and might lead to the need toallocate addional me for mapping the DPO community.

There might be divisions within the disability community based on where groups stand on issues and their

interest in polical acvism. The landscape of DPOs is oen dicult to maneuver. Certain groups may feelan incenve to avoid overt polical acon, as they rely on government resources to carry out their primaryservice delivery funcon. Some DPOs might have favored status resulng from es to a parcular poli-cal party or their history as the primary recipient of government resources. There also may be resentment

among various groups that compete for a limited pool of resources. Some DPOs are reliant on funding fromdonors or assistance providers whose sta may exert considerable inuence over the acons and partner -ships of the DPO.

14 African Youth with Disabilies Network. .

15 European Disability Forum. .

16 Internaonal Disability Alliance. .

Women take Braille notes during a civic and electoral rights training inBurma.

http://aywdn.wordpress.com/http://www.edf-feph.org/http://www.internationaldisabilityalliance.org/enhttp://www.internationaldisabilityalliance.org/enhttp://www.edf-feph.org/http://aywdn.wordpress.com/


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In some cases, cross-disability organizaons can be more open toengaging in polical acvism than DPOs represenng a singular

constuency. Groups represenng a single disability are oenmore ed to the status quo and may not see a benet in rais-ing their voice or partnering with other DPOs they perceive astaking the focus and resources from their community. This does

not mean, however, that only cross-disability groups are suitable

partners in democracy assistance programs. It only means that

DPOs may not have overlapping incenves and issues in everyinstance. In many situaons, it may be benecial to provide as-sistance to a variety of groups inially and then look for oppor-tunies where needs and interests intersect, and the benets of

collecve acon are more evident.

There can be a dierence between older and younger genera-

ons in their level of willingness to engage polically. This hasbeen relevant for the disability community in certain country

contexts, as older generaons might be more wary of risking ex-isng polical es and governmental support and less inclined tobe involved in cross-disability organizaons and eorts.

Legal Basis for Polical Rights of Persons with Disabilies17 The concept of “one person, one vote” is fundamental to democracy. The right to vote provides an op-portunity for all people to inuence decisions that aect their lives. However, persons with disabilieshave oen been discriminated against in this regard.

The CRPD is the guiding internaonal standard in disability inclusion. It has been signed by 82 percent of

UN member States and raed by 72 percent of these States.18 Arcle 29 of the treaty focuses on parci-paon in polical and public life. It calls on States to “ensure that persons with disabilies can eecvelyand fully parcipate in polical and public life on an equal basis with others, directly or through freelychosen representaves, including the right and opportunity for persons with disabilies to vote and beelected.”

Arcle 12 focuses on legal capacity, an issue that oen aects the right to vote of persons with intellectu-al or psychosocial disabilies. This arcle requires governments to ensure “persons with disabilies havethe right to recognion everywhere as persons before the law,” they “enjoy legal capacity on an equalbasis with others” and they are allowed support in exercising these rights. In the context of elecons andpolical processes, this means elecon laws should be void of provisions that restrict the right to vote ofpersons under guardianship, and if a voter requires support, he or she should be allowed assistance.

The CRPD has led to increased focus on disability worldwide. It has provided an opportunity to raise pub-lic awareness of disability rights and, in countries that have signed on to the treaty, to push EMBs and

other government enes to fulll their internaonal commitments. The CRPD provides new policalspace where persons with disabilies can hold governments more accountable on issues important to

17 Excerpts of standards can be found in Appendix.

18 UN Enable. “Convenon and Oponal Protocol Signatures and Racaons.” United Naons. . Number of States signed and raed as of November 27,

2013.

Good Practice

While idenfying partners for anassistance program targeng thedisability community in Serbia, NDI

contacted other internaonal NGOsworking on disability issues in the

country, including Handicap Inter-

naonal. Aer idenfying a numberof prominent DPOs, NDI assessedwhich ones were best placed for

assistance in polical skill-building,ulmately partnering with cross-disability organizaons that demon-strated the greatest willingness and

interest in engaging polically. This

inial mapping prior to beginningthe assistance program helped avoid

a situaon where NDI was seen ased to a certain DPO that may havea reputaon as polically-biased oruninterested in reforms.

http://www.un.org/disabilities/countries.asp?navid=12&pid=166http://www.un.org/disabilities/countries.asp?navid=12&pid=166http://www.un.org/disabilities/countries.asp?navid=12&pid=166http://www.un.org/disabilities/countries.asp?navid=12&pid=166


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them. The existence of this internaonally-recognized documentprovides an opportunity for DPOs to advocate for States to sign,

rafy and fully implement provisions laid out in the convenon.Monitoring CRPD implementaon can also lead to a broaderconversaon between decision-makers on the barriers to parci-paon faced by persons with disabilies in each country and thedevelopment of more inclusive public policies.

The CRPD can also open space for the polical inclusion of per-sons with disabilies during elecons. In addion to provisionsensuring the right to parcipate, cizens can use standards laid out in the treaty as an entry point forsubstanve engagement and a basis for advocacy around specic issues of concern. In this way, the CRPDcreates an environment conducive to polical discussions about disability issues that might not have tak-en place otherwise. It allows cizens to frame discussions in terms of accepted internaonal standardsand requirements under treaty obligaons and brings an addional level of specicity to discussions. The

treaty provides a starng point for substanve rather than supercial interacon.

Other internaonal treaes – such as Arcle 25 of the Internaonal Covenant on Civil and PolicalRights19 (ICCPR) and Arcle 21 of the Universal Declaraon of Human Rights20 – also protect the right ofpersons with disabilies to vote and be elected.

However, General Comment 25(4)to the ICCPR allows States to deny

the right to vote or hold ocebased on “mental incapacity.”21 TheICCPR opened for signature in 1966.

Modern trends in internaonal lawsuch as the CRPD and relevant ju-

risprudence, such as the EuropeanCourt of Human Rights (ECHR) case – Kiss v. Hungary , are evidence thatrights have evolved, and modern

norms are trending counter to the

General Comment. In its Kiss v.

Hungary ruling, the ECHR referredto case law that said “The right tovote is not a privilege. In the twen-

ty-rst century, the presumpon ina democrac State must be in favorof inclusion…Universal surage has

become the basic principle.”

22

19 “Internaonal Covenant on Civil and Polical Rights.” United Naons. .

20 “The Universal Declaraon of Human Rights.” United Naons. .

21 United Naons. Oce of the High Commissioner for Human Rights. General Comment No. 25: The right to

parcipate in public aairs, vong rights and the right of equal access to public service (Art. 25). 1996. .

22 Alajos Kiss v. Hungary. European Court of Human Rights. May 20, 2010. Case of Alajos Kiss v. Hungary . European

Good Practice

The umbrella DPO in Zimbabwedistributed copies of the CRPD to all

local-level EMB ocials as part ofan iniave to educate employeeson the rights of persons with dis-

abilies.

A Mexican DPO presents to the Naonal Council for Inclusion and

Development of Person’s with Disability in advance of the 2012 elecons.

http://www.ohchr.org/en/professionalinterest/pages/ccpr.aspxhttp://www.ohchr.org/en/professionalinterest/pages/ccpr.aspxhttp://www.un.org/en/documents/udhr/http://www.unhchr.ch/tbs/doc.nsf/http://www.unhchr.ch/tbs/doc.nsf/http://www.unhchr.ch/tbs/doc.nsf/http://www.unhchr.ch/tbs/doc.nsf/http://www.un.org/en/documents/udhr/http://www.ohchr.org/en/professionalinterest/pages/ccpr.aspxhttp://www.ohchr.org/en/professionalinterest/pages/ccpr.aspx


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There are also regional standards, such as the Bali Declaraon on the Enhancement of the Role and Par-cipaon of Persons with Disabilies in the ASEAN Community23 and the Venice Commission’s Revised In-terpretave Declaraon to the Code of Good Pracce in Electoral Maers on the Parcipaon of Peoplewith Disabilies.24

Disability Policies among Development Aid AgenciesMany aid agencies have adopted cross-cu ng disability inclusion policies to ensure persons with disabili-es are included in and posively impacted by development programs.25 Such policies help priorize dis-ability inclusion and provide frameworks to guide the acons of development praconers.

The Australian Agency for Internaonal Development (AusAID) put forward one of the most compre-hensive disability inclusion policies in 2008 tled “Development for All.”26 Wrien in consultaon withDPOs and responsible government instuons across 20 aid-recipient countries, the strategy’s primaryoutcome is to “support people with disability to improve the quality of their lives through beer accessto the same opportunies for parcipaon, contribuon, decision-making and social and economic well-being as others.” As part of this strategy, AusAID also directs resources to reducing preventable impair-ments with programs focused on areas such as road safety and avoidable blindness. In addion to thistargeted policy, AusAID included “enhancing the lives of persons with disabilies” as one of the 10 overalldevelopment objecves in Australia’s aid policy. An evaluaon of the Development for All strategy con-ducted in 2012 revealed the dedicated funding, explicit guidelines and dedicated sta both in Canberraand various posts across the globe led to signicant improvements in the lives of persons with disabiliesin recipient countries.27

Court of Human Rights. .

23 Associaon of Southeast Asian Naons. “Bali Declaraon on the Enhancement of the Role and Parcipaon of

Persons with Disabilies in the ASEAN Community.” .

24 Council of Europe and Venice Commission. “Revised Interpretave Declaraon to the Code of Good Pracce

in Electoral Maers on the Parcipaon of People with Disabilies in Elecons.” .

25 A compilaon of disability inclusion policies put together by Mobility Internaonal is available at: hp://www.

miusa.org/idd/resources/dispolicies/index_html.

26 Australian Agency for Internaonal Development. “Development for All: Towards a disability-inclusive Australian

aid program 2009-2014.” .

27 Linda Kelly and Lorraine Wapling. Australia. Australian Agency for Internaonal Development. AusAID

Development for All Strategy: Mid-Term Review . 2012. .

think for persons with disabilies to be able to vote and to be

art of that process really links us to society, and to the broadercizenry of the country in which we live, so it’s a very serious

issue. I

” Charloe McClain-NhlapoCoordinator for Disability Inclusive Development, USAID

http://aid.dfat.gov.au/Publications/Pages/8131_1629_9578_8310_297.aspxhttp://www.asean.org/archive/documents/19thhttp://www.asean.org/archive/documents/19thhttp://www.asean.org/archive/documents/19thhttp://www.asean.org/archive/documents/19thhttp://www.venice.coe.int/http://www.venice.coe.int/http://www.venice.coe.int/http://www.miusa.org/idd/resources/dispolicies/index_htmlhttp://www.miusa.org/idd/resources/dispolicies/index_htmlhttp://sidapublications.citat.se/interface/stream/mabstream.asp?filetype=1&orderlistmainid=294&printfileid=294&filex=402323664960http://www.disabilityrightsfund.org/files/beyond_charity._a_donors_guide_to_inclusion.pdfhttp://www.disabilityrightsfund.org/files/beyond_charity._a_donors_guide_to_inclusion.pdfhttp://www.disabilityrightsfund.org/files/beyond_charity._a_donors_guide_to_inclusion.pdfhttp://www.disabilityrightsfund.org/files/beyond_charity._a_donors_guide_to_inclusion.pdfhttp://sidapublications.citat.se/interface/stream/mabstream.asp?filetype=1&orderlistmainid=294&printfileid=294&filex=402323664960http://www.venice.coe.int/http://www.asean.org/archive/documents/19thhttp://aid.dfat.gov.au/Publications/Pages/8131_1629_9578_8310_297.aspxhttp://www.miusa.org/idd/resources/dispolicies/index_htmlhttp://www.miusa.org/idd/resources/dispolicies/index_htmlhttp://www.venice.coe.int/http://www.asean.org/archive/documents/19th


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USAID has had a disability policy in place since 1997, calling on partners and sta “to avoid discrimina-on against persons with disabilies in programs which USAID funds and to smulate an engagement

of host country counterparts, governments, implemenng organizaons and other donors in promonga climate of nondiscriminaon against and equal opportunity for persons with disabilies.”28 The policyemphasizes that: issues related to disability are integral to internaonal development; consultaon withmembers of the disability community is crical; and invesng in and strengthening DPOs are vital stepsfor promong the human rights of persons with disabilies.

To further instuonalize its commitment to inclusive development, USAID issued two policy direcves:

• Acquision Assistance Policy Direcve (AAPD) 04-17 Supporng USAID’s Disability Policy in Con-tracts, Grants and Cooperave Agreements: This direcve was created to ensure contractors andgrantees comply, to the greatest extent possible and within the scope of the award, with the US-AID Disability Policy. It contains language that must be included in all solicitaons and resulngawards for contracts, grants and cooperave agreements.

• AAPD 05-07 Supporng USAID’s Standard for Accessibility for the Disabled in Contracts, Grantsand Cooperave Agreements: This direcve requires a provision in all contracts, grants and co-operave agreements that obligates compliance with standards of accessibility for persons withdisabilies in all structures, buildings or facilies resulng from new or renovaon construconor alteraon.

USAID also has the Disability Champions Listserv, which encourages sta in headquarters and at the mis-sion-level to share lessons learned and to ask for guidance on disability inclusive pracces.

Other U.S. government agencies also highlight the importance of including persons with disabilies intheir acvies. The U.S. Department of State’s Bureau of Democracy, Human Rights and Labor (DRL) spe-cically menons disability inclusion in its proposal review criteria. The “Program Monitoring and Evalu-

aon” secon recommends disaggregang data by disability. The “Quality of Program Idea” states thatprograms should advance the rights “of the most at risk and vulnerable populaons, including women,people with disabilies…” DRL is a good example of a donor that highlights the importance of disabilityinclusion in acvies, objecves and corresponding targets, and enforces this policy by awarding addi-onal points for inclusive proposals.

Similarly, the Swedish Internaonal Development Cooperaon Agency (SIDA) instuted an inclusion pol-icy in 2009 tled Human Rights for Persons with Disabilies.29 The stated aim of the policy is to respectthe human rights of women, men, girls and boys with disabilies and to provide beer opportunies andthe scope for improving their living condions in the countries where Sweden carries out developmentcooperaon. The policy calls for consideraon of persons with disabilies in SIDA’s work and decisionprocesses. It also includes language to ensure SIDA’s personnel and implementers have increased under-standing and knowledge of the human rights situaon and living condions of persons with disabilies.

The policy represents an eort to operaonalize the statement in Sweden’s rights-based general policyon global development that “a rights perspecve involves a focus on the discriminated, including mar-ginalized individuals and groups. People, regardless of gender, age, disability, ethnicity or sexual orienta-

28 United States Agency for Internaonal Development. Bureau for Policy and Program Coordinaon. USAID

Disability Policy Paper . Washington, D.C. 1997. .

29 Anee Dahlström, Charloa Bredberg, Lina Lindblom, Chrisne Lundberg, Johan Norqvist and Camilla Oosson.

Sida. Human Rights for Persons with Disabilies. Sida, 2009. .

http://pdf.usaid.gov/pdf_docs/PDABQ631.pdfhttp://sidapublications.citat.se/interface/stream/mabstream.asp?filetype=1&orderlistmainid=294&printfileid=294&filex=402323664960http://sidapublications.citat.se/interface/stream/mabstream.asp?filetype=1&orderlistmainid=294&printfileid=294&filex=402323664960http://sidapublications.citat.se/interface/stream/mabstream.asp?filetype=1&orderlistmainid=294&printfileid=294&filex=402323664960http://sidapublications.citat.se/interface/stream/mabstream.asp?filetype=1&orderlistmainid=294&printfileid=294&filex=402323664960http://pdf.usaid.gov/pdf_docs/PDABQ631.pdf


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Strategies to Support Inclusive Electoral and Polical ProcessesSecons two through four of this manual follow the electoral cycle. Each secon represents a dierentstage of the cycle and discusses specic challenges persons with disabilies might face at that me. Sug-gesons are made for improving accessibility and strengthening polical engagement.

The majority of intervenons are focused on four mutually-supporve strategies.

1. Empowering Persons with DisabiliesPersons with disabilies and DPOs are vital partners in elecons and polical process-focused programs.DPOs provide a pre-exisng plaorm for mobilizing persons with disabilies and represenng the inter-ests of persons with disabilies. They should be included throughout the program cycle, including in thedesign, implementaon and monitoring and evaluaon stages. In order to be eecve, many DPOs canbenet from training on dierent aspects of the electoral system and government structure. Capacitybuilding to develop basic organizaonal skills, such as management and public relaons, as well as advo-cacy skills that help DPOs interact with government o cials, the media, internaonal organizaons andother groups is useful. This training could include how to build alliances and raise nancial support. This

assistance can build the polical prole of DPOs and help them get their issues on the polical agenda.Electoral and polical processes will also be strengthened if internaonal donors and implemenng part-ners hire persons with disabilies as employees, parcularly in leadership posions.

2. Supporng Government InstuonsPrograms providing support to government instuons such as legislatures and EMBs provide an opportu-nity for increasing the polical parcipaon of persons with disabilies. In providing technical assistanceto government bodies that create legal frameworks, democracy development programs can build the skills

of these instuons to conduct assessments on the rights of the disability community or the impacts pro-posed policies will have on that community. Programs can also encourage government bodies to partner

with DPOs as part of their eorts, promong the view of persons with disabilies as empowered cizenswho should be consulted on issues that aect their lives. DPOs should also be supported in directly reach-

ing out to government stakeholders. Building this awareness among decision-makers is a key step in en-abling the full parcipaon of persons with disabilies in polical life by changing exclusionary laws andpolicies.

3. Including DPO Partners in CSO CoalionsDemocracy strengthening programs around elecons oen include technical and nancial support tonetworks and coalions conducng acvies, such as domesc elecon observaon or voter educaon.These eorts are crical in helping cizens have a more informed voice and in promong credible elecon

What’s crically important is that disabled people are seen as a

art of the whole, and the government and civil society recog-nizes the need to be able to have as many people who wish to be

parcipang in elecons, actually be able to vote. [That] is what

you are really striving for.“

” Judith HeumannSpecial Adviser for Internaonal Disability Rights, U.S. State Department


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processes. Including DPOs in these networks and coalions servesmulple funcons. First, it allows DPOs to gain experience and

learn best pracces from fellow civil society organizaons (CSOs).DPO members gain skills in idenfying issues and creang cam-paigns, and oen experience an increase in condence throughwork with peer organizaons. This enhanced sense of dignity isinstrumental in inspiring DPOs to connue polical engagementand move into leadership roles. Second, the interacons encour-age other coalion partners to take a more acve approach tosupporng the disability community and take an introspecve viewof their own internal eorts at inclusion. For example, a youth-focused CSO might nd a deciency in its understanding of youthwith disabilies, or a DPO might recognize its need to expand itsleadership to employ more women in leadership posions. Finally,inclusion of DPOs in these coalions cements the pracce of seek-ing input from the disability community and serves to promote an

image of persons with disabilies as capable, empowered cizens.

4. Assisng Polical Pares in Conducng Outreach to Persons with DisabiliesDevelopment assistance directed at polical pares also provides openings to promote inclusion of personswith disabilies. In programs designed to assist polical pares in acvies such as developing plaorms,training party members/candidates for oce or creang elecon campaign strategies, democracy assis-tance organizaons can link pares with DPOs to promote outreach to persons with disabilies on issuesthat aect them. Supporng pares in these outreach eorts not only raises their awareness of disabilityrights, but also encourages them to include input from cizens during the campaign period more broadly,thereby enhancing space for polical parcipaon for all cizens. Polical pares should also be encour-aged to include persons with disabilies as candidates and in leadership roles within the party.

The Electoral Cycle To beer envision the interrelated components of an elecon process, as well as the development needsand opportunies for inclusion, this manual will be organized around the electoral cycle. The electoral cycleprovides a framework for analysis and developing assistance strategies that support more open, inclusive

and credible elecon processes. It can be roughly divided into three overlapping periods: pre-elecon, elec-on and post-elecon.

As the following diagram illustrates, the beginning and end points of the cycle are not xed and each periodis organized around dierent fundamental aspects that help ensure more sustainable elecon processes.For example, the pre-elecon period is the me for planning, budgeng, training and registraon. The elec-on period is the me for campaigning, vong, counng and complaints. The post-elecon period is theme for review, reforms and strategizing. The diagram provides illustrave examples of specic stakehold-ers and acons that can be supported during each period, while recognizing some elements cut across theenre cycle, such as civic educaon and cizen engagement.

Good Practice

The General Elecon Network forDisability Access in Southeast Asia

(AGENDA) brings together DPOs and

elecon observaon organizaons

from Indonesia, the Philippines,

Malaysia, Vietnam, Laos, Cambodia,

Burma and Thailand to conduct re-

search,

equal access how to include persons with disabilities in elections and political processes 2

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