European Parliament debate: what prevents people with disabilities taking part in elections

Our work brings the voice of people with intellectual disabilities and their families where decisions about their future are made. This has always been incredibly important. It is even more so with the Covid pandemic drastic impact on their rights and lives. Being visible and vocal on issues directly affecting millions of people requires your...

European Parliament debate: what prevents people with disabilities taking part in elections

Harry Roche, self-advocate and Inclusion Europe board member, leads a workshop on voting for people with intellectual disabilities as part of
“Hear our voices”, Brussels, 2017.

Click here for the easy-to-read version

Ahead of the European elections, a debate at the European Parliament on Thursday 5 July highlighted issues surrounding the political participation of people with disabilities. Speakers from the European Parliament and the European Commission raised key matters of accessibility.

The debate followed a request in March this year, by Cecilia Wikström, who is a member of the European Parliament (MEP) and the Chair of the European Parliament’s Committee on Petitions. In her oral question, MEP Wikström asked the Commission if it could give an overview of its plans to make the elections accessible for all.

“The right to vote must be enjoyed by everyone,” affirmed Věra Jourová, European Commissioner for Justice, Consumers and Gender Equality, during the debate. “This is inscribed in the European Disability Strategy.” Yet people with disabilities are still being denied the right to vote and stand in elections, she stated.

Furthermore, political participation is an essential part of the United Nations Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities (UN CRPD), reminded Soledad CabezĂłn Ruiz, MEP (Group of the Progressive Alliance of Socialists and Democrats). While the EU is currently the only region in the world to have ratified the Convention, Ángela Vallina, MEP (Confederal Group of the European United Left – Nordic Green Left) noted that there are “shortcomings” in applying the UN CRPD on matters of political participation, especially when it comes to persons with intellectual disabilities.

Accessibility concerns

Part of the workshop on voting for people with intellectual disabilities, “Hear our voices”, Brussels, 2017.

Accessibility came up as a primary concern in ensuring the political participation of people with disabilities. Currently, people with disabilities encounter many kinds of obstacles to participating in politics. There are physical barriers, such as getting to and using polling booths. In addition to the requirement for practical support for people to get to the polls, there is potential for more people to get involved in elections using technology.

There are particular barriers to overcome for people with intellectual disabilities to participate in politics. For example, information how to sign up to the electoral register and how to vote is often difficult to understand.

There needs to be accessible information about elections. Easy-to-read information could be key to letting people know about political developments, so they can decide what they think and make their voices heard.

Denial of the right to vote

Furthermore, legal barriers mean that many people are not allowed to have a say in politics. “Being able to participate in politics is at the core of a democratic Europe, yet guardianships prevent people from doing so,” pointed out Tilly Metz, MEP (Group of the Greens/European Free Alliance). People with disabilities, including intellectual disabilities, should legally be allowed to vote.

The debate concluded with a reiteration of the need for the upcoming European elections to be accessible for people with disabilities. Members of Inclusion Europe are working to address the current physical, informational, and legal barriers. It is critical that people with disabilities can exercise their right to vote.

 

Learn more about our recommendations for accommodating diversity in European elections here.

Watch the Plenary session on the political participation of persons with disabilities in the European elections here.


Easy-to-read version

Click on a word which is in bold to read what it means.

 

Making sure people with disabilities can vote
in the European elections in 2019

It is important that people with disabilities
have the chance to vote if they want to.

Next year there will be the elections for the European Parliament.
People in Europe will vote for who they want
to be members of the European Parliament.

Cecilia Wikström is a member of the European Parliament.

Cecilia Wikström asked the European Commission
what it plans to do to make elections accessible for all.

There was an event at the European Parliament
to answer Cecilia Wikström’s question.

At the event, people who work
at the European Parliament and European Commission
talked about making next year’s elections accessible.

Věra Jourová is a European Commissioner.
She said that every person with a disability
must have the right to vote.
She pointed out that this is written
in the European Disability Strategy.

At the event, the speakers also talked about many other things.

Two speakers talked about the UN CRPD.
The UN CRPD says that it is very important
that people with disabilities take part in elections.

But in Europe there are still many problems
that stop everyone taking part in elections.

It can be hard for people with intellectual disabilities
to understand how to register for elections and how to vote.

Information about elections must be accessible.

There also needs to be be easy-to-read information about
what is happening in politics.

There is also another problem.
Many people still do not have the chance to have a say in politics,
because they are under guardianship.
This must change.

Everyone should be able to have a say in politics.

Inclusion Europe is working to help make elections accessible.
We want everybody to be able to get easy-to-read information
about politics and elections.
We want everybody to be able to vote.

It is very important that people with intellectual disabilities
can vote if they want to.

Our work brings the voice of people with intellectual disabilities and their families where decisions about their future are made.

This has always been incredibly important. It is even more so with the Covid pandemic drastic impact on their rights and lives.

Being visible and vocal on issues directly affecting millions of people requires your support. 

Become Inclusion Europe supporter and help us keep doing our work.

 

 

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