The European Disability Forum (EDF) has published the sixth edition of its Human Rights Report, which this year focuses on the rights of persons with disabilities to participate in the political process across Europe. The report explores legal and practical barriers preventing persons with disabilities from exercising the same political rights as other EU citizens, as well as highlighting their effects, such as the underrepresentation in politics of persons with disabilities. The report concludes by providing recommendations for both EU policy makers and national governments, as well as EU-level and national political parties. Additionally, it provides data and tools to reduce inequalities and ensure accessible elections at the national and EU level.
Recommendations in the report include:
• Guaranteeing the right to vote and stand for election, regardless of legal capacity status
• Maximising accessibility to the proceedings, facilities and materials of elections
• Providing reasonable accommodation so that persons with disabilities can vote independently and secretly
• Ensuring the free choice of assistance
• Cooperating with disability organisations to assess and define how to solve the legal and practical barriers that prevent persons with disabilities from participating in elections, both as voters and candidates.
The full report is available at:
https://www.edf-feph.org/content/uploads/2022/05/edf_hr_report_issue_6_2022_compressed.pdf