Accessing the ballot box is as much about building inclusive communities as it is about improving electoral laws, policies and practices. Unless and until these issues are addressed we risk continuing to ignore the voice of people with intellectual disabilities and their families. Accessing the ballot box is as much about building inclusive communities as it is about improving electoral laws, policies and practices.
Unless and until these issues are addressed we risk continuing to ignore the voice of people with intellectual disabilities and their families. KAIH, along with organizations in Zanzibar and Lebanon, is working with Inclusion International on a project to enhance political participation of persons with intellectual disabilities. In Kenya, KAIH is working with families, self-advocates and the Election Commission of Kenya to ensure the voting system is accessible for persons with intellectual disability.
KAIH reaffirms for effective and full participate in political and public life directly or through freely chosen representatives including the right and opportunity for PWIDs to vote and be elected by:
- Ensuring that voting procedures, facilities and materials are appropriate, accessible and easy to understand and use;
- Protecting the right of persons with intellectual disabilities to vote by secret ballot in elections and public referendums without intimidation, and to stand for elections, to effectively hold office and perform all public functions at all levels of government, facilitating the use of assistive and new technologies where appropriate;
- Guaranteeing the free expression of the will of persons with intellectual disabilities as electors and to this end, where necessary, at their request, allowing assistance in voting by a person of their own choice;
- Promote actively an environment in which persons with disabilities can effectively and fully participate in the conduct of public affairs without discrimination.