News

Persons with disabilities are among the most excluded and marginalized in Nepal. Thousands of individuals with disabilities have no access to any form of government service and are therefore unable to exercise their civic, social, cultural, economic, electoral, and political rights. The International Foundation for Electoral Systems (IFES) Strengthening Political Party, Electoral ...

On June 15, the Sri Lankan Mission to the United Nations and the International Foundation for Electoral Systems (IFES) will co-host a side event at the Conference of States Parties for the Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities (CRPD). Collaboration of disabled people’s organizations with multiple types of stakeholders, such ...

Komisi Pemilihan Umum (KPU), the election management body (EMB) in Indonesia, continues to expand its disability inclusion in elections. In April, the KPU launched Election Innovation: To Overcome the Challenges and to Use the Opportunity, a publication that compiles innovative practices employed over the past five years. One of the ...

In 2017, the General Election Network for Disability Access (AGENDA), with the support of the Australian Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade (DFAT) recognized inclusive reporting. Winners were selected from submissions across Indonesia in five categories: (1) News reporting for TV and radio; (2) News reporting for print and online ...

In 2017, the General Election Network for Disability Access (AGENDA), with the support of the Australian Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade (DFAT) recognized inclusive reporting. Winners were selected from submissions across Indonesia in five categories: (1) News reporting for TV and radio; (2) News reporting for print and online media; ...

In 2017, the General Election Network for Disability Access (AGENDA), with the support of the Australian Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade (DFAT) recognized inclusive reporting. Winners were selected from submissions across Indonesia in five categories: (1) News reporting for TV and radio; (2) News reporting for print and online media; ...

Politicians have the opportunity to pass legislation and promote new policies that make a difference in the lives of persons with disabilities. Their engagement can provide an avenue for greater inclusion in political life, as well as in areas such as education and healthcare. Senarath Attanayake, the first person with ...

To mark International Day of Persons with Disabilities (IDPD), the Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) and  the International Foundation for Electoral Systems (IFES) held a seminar on the inclusion of persons with disabilities in the electoral process on December 2 in Islamabad. Chief Election Commissioner Justice Sardar Muhammad Raza, Secretary of ...

Two new mobile apps have been developed that expand resources for voters with disabilities in South Asia. These apps break down informational barriers and provide opportunities to participate in the election process.   DIVE   The Special Talent Exchange Program (STEP), a disability rights organization in Pakistan committed to mainstreaming ...

Image of Constitutional Court from Human Rights Watch   The Indonesian Constitutional Court issued a decision on October 13 on a case brought by civil society and the disability community to challenge a provision in the Law on Regional Head Elections that denies the right to vote to citizens who ...

Participants of the South Asia Regional Disability Rights Dialogue on Political Participation (SARDRD), organized by the International Foundation for Electoral Systems (IFES) and supported by the Australian Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade (DFAT), provided insights into barriers and advocacy efforts a year after SARDRD. Responses were collected via email ...

Persons with disabilities living in areas that are rural or remote encounter additional barriers to participating in public life. According to the World Health Organization’s 2011 World Report on Disability, persons with disabilities are affected by poor coordination of service delivery and inadequate resources. Persons with disabilities in remote and ...

Members of the Pacific Disability Forum (PDF), a regional disabled persons’ organization (DPO) provided insights on political participation in the Asia-Pacific region through a virtual roundtable. Participants, who took part in the Pacific Regional Disability Rights Dialogue organized by the International Foundation for Electoral Systems (IFES) and supported by the ...

On August 10, the Central Election Commission of Georgia (CEC) conducted pilot testing for a new tactile ballot guide for the upcoming October elections. The CEC met with approximately 25 voters with visual disabilities to test a potential new guide ahead of the elections. The tactile ballot guide, which is a ...

On July 26, 1990, the United States passed the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA), a landmark law increasing access to basic rights for persons with disabilities in the country. The ADA’s passage was the result of decades of advocacy by citizens with disabilities, following other successful legal reforms such as ...

For Deaf Libyans, language barriers are a profound challenge to full participation in political life. In Libyan elections – as in many elections worldwide – speeches, voting materials and other essential electoral information are not translated into sign language. This creates an alarming gap in access to information for Libyan ...

Fatoumata Camara, a Guinean with a physical disability, is the Deputy Coordinator for the Association of Persons Living with a Disability of Mamou, Guinea. A brief Q&A with her is available below.   What has been your role in the disability rights community and how long have you been involved in this ...

Disability Rights Alliance, India (DRA), a collective of disabled persons’ organizations (DPOs) in India, has taken significant steps to increase access to the political process, recently drafting a 12-point charter on the rights of persons with disabilities to participate politically. The charter highlights availability of personal assistance while voting and ...