Publications

A collection of publications that share ideas, expertise, best practices and general information related to the inclusion of persons with disabilities in political processes.
Enabling Elections: Making the 2014 General Elections in India Particicpatory and Accessible for Voters with Disabilities
India

Enabling Elections: Making the 2014 General Elections in India Particicpatory and Accessible for Voters with ...

Updated: January 2016
In 2014, the Centre for Law and Research, Bangalore, and the Centre for Internet and Society published a report that examines the following three areas: the barriers that people with disabilities face at the time of elections; the legal framework in India regading political participation of people with disabilities, and solutions ...
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Forum 29 Conference Poster
Canada

Forum 29 Conference Poster

Updated: December 2015
Forum 29, an organization based in Nova Scotia, Canada, that works to engage persons with disabilities on Article 29 of the Convention for the Rights of Persons with Disabilities (CRPD), produced this visioning poster after a conference.    
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Inclusive Civic Engagement Toolkit

Global

Inclusive Civic Engagement Toolkit

Updated: December 2015
In 2015, as part of the Accessing the Ballot Box project, Inclusion International created two versions of a toolkit on inclusive civic engagement, one for families and people with intellectual disabilities, and the other for government officials. Both publications emphasize the importance of ensuring that persons with intellectual disabilities have equal opportunities to civic engagement ...
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My Voice Matters! toolkit

Global

My Voice Matters! toolkit

Updated: December 2015
In 2015, as part of the Accessing the Ballot Box project, Inclusion International created an easy-to-read guide that explains the focus of the project, the barriers that people with intellectual disabilities face when participating in politics, and the advantages of active political participation. The guide is available in English, French, Khmer and Spanish, and ...
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Promoting Disability Access in Myanmar Elections
Myanmar

Promoting Disability Access in Myanmar Elections

Updated: November 2015
In support of the 2015 elections in Myanmar, the Myanmar Independent Living Initiative (MILI) developed a brochure about a project to promote disability access in Myanmar elections. With support from the United Kingdom's Department for International Development, the Australian government's Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade, the Swiss Agency for Development ...
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"Right to Choose" Manual for Best Practices and Lessons Learned
Dominican Republic

"Right to Choose" Manual for Best Practices and Lessons Learned

Updated: September 2015
The “Right to Choose: Inclusion of People with Disabilities in the Electoral and Political Processes of the Dominican Republic project sought to motivate key public officials to create and strengthen conditions for political participation of Dominicans with disabilities.     The project emerged from the context of the May 2012 ...
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Case of Doe v. Rowe
United States

Case of Doe v. Rowe

Updated: September 2015
In the state of Maine, a 2001 court case raised the argument that persons with psychosocial disabilities and under guardianship should still keep their right to vote, even though the state constitution of Maine prohibited them from doing so. The state court subsequently found that automatically removing the right to ...
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Disability Inclusion in the Voter Registration Process
Cambodia

Disability Inclusion in the Voter Registration Process

Updated: August 2015
In 2015, the Cambodian Disabled People's Organization (CDPO) conducted a research study on disability inclusion in the voter registration process in Cambodia. The final report identifies the challenges that currently exist in the registration process, as well as good practices, lessons learned, and recommendations for government institutions, election administrators and ...
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Toward Improved Accessibility for Saskatchewan Voters
Canada

Toward Improved Accessibility for Saskatchewan Voters

Updated: August 2015
In 2013, Elections Saskatchewan (an election management body) partnered with disability rights organizations, organizations of older people, the International Foundation for Electoral Systems, and the Johnson-Shoyama Graduate School of Public Policy to create the Electoral Accessibility Initiative. The Initiative is focused on identifying a range of accessibility issues that are ...
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Using Media to Support Advocacy Efforts

Global

Using Media to Support Advocacy Efforts

Updated: August 2015
The USAID-funded Election Access Working Group in Kosovo is a multi-stakeholder working group supported by the International Foundation for Electoral Systems (IFES) and the Kosovo Democratic Institute that aims to ensure full participation of persons with disabilities in the electoral processes and public life. Key participants include representatives from organizations representing four ...
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Democracy and Citizenship
Georgia

Democracy and Citizenship

Updated: May 2015
As part of a concerted effort to promote civic education and engagement in Georgia, IFES partnered with international and Georgian professors and experts to develop and publish a course book to accompany its ongoing civic education course. Both the book and course are titled demokratia da mokalakeoba (democracy and citizenship). ...
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Enabling persons with disabilities to participate in public and political life
Canada

Enabling persons with disabilities to participate in public and political life

Updated: May 2015
Forum 29 was a one-day event held by the Nova Scotia Disabled Persons Commission, the Halifax Regional Municipality Mayor's office, and the Nova Scotia House of Assembly in May 2014. Named for Article 29 of the Convention of the Rights of Persons with Disabilities, it brought together people with disabilities ...
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Political Participation of Women with Disabilities in Cambodia
Cambodia

Political Participation of Women with Disabilities in Cambodia

Updated: May 2015
This 2010 report from Cambodia Disabled People's Organization (CDPO), the Committee for Free and Fair Elections in Cambodia (COMFREL), and Handicap International discusses the status of political rights for women with disabilities in Cambodia.  
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Voter turnout of persons with disabilities
Sweden

Voter turnout of persons with disabilities

Updated: May 2015
In April 2015, Statistics Sweden (Statistiska centralbyrån, or SCB) released the findings of a study on the voter turnout of persons with disabilities in the 2014 elections for the European Parliament and the Riksdag. It was reported that the election participation of persons with disabilities was somewhat lower than the ...
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Recommendations and Good Practices for Accessible Elections in Europe
Euroasia symbolic flag

Europe and Eurasia

Recommendations and Good Practices for Accessible Elections in Europe

Updated: May 2015
Inclusion Europe, with contributions from ENABLE Scotland, Nous Aussi, and SPMP, produced two reports as part of the "Accommodating Diversity for Active Participation in European Elections" project in May 2011. One report includes recommendations to improve accessibility for future European elections, while another focuses on outlining good practices in supporting ...
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Access to and Accessibility of Citizenship and Political Participation of People with Disabilities in Europe
Euroasia symbolic flag

Europe and Eurasia

Access to and Accessibility of Citizenship and Political Participation of People with Disabilities in Europe

Updated: May 2015
This publication from the University of Leeds synthesizes two reports from the Academic Network of European Disability (ANED) experts regarding citizenship and political participation for persons with disabilities in Europe.
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U.N. Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities

Global

U.N. Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities

Updated: May 2015
The U.N. Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities is available as a formatted PDF from the International Foundation for Electoral Systems (IFES).
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Bali Commitments on Equal Access to Elections
Asia symbolic flag

Asia and the Pacific

Bali Commitments on Equal Access to Elections

Updated: May 2015
The Bali Commitments on Equal Access to Elections were adopted by participants in the General Election Network for Disability Access’ (AGENDA) at the 2nd Regional Dialogue, held in Bali, Indonesia in November 2012.
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More Resources

Country List

Each country page offers excerpts from national constitutions, election laws, and relevant legislation affecting the rights of persons with disabilities to participate in political processes.

Voter Education & Assistive Devices

Best practice examples of assistive devices such as tactile ballot guides and of materials from voter education campaigns, including television advertisements and radio spots.

International Laws & Regulations

Excerpts from international and regional legislation, declarations, and commitments in which the rights of persons with disabilities to the political process are guaranteed.

Definitions

A dictionary that focuses on defining critical terminology related to political processes, elections, disability, assistive devices, and inclusive practices.

Lexicons

Lexicons are related phrases and concepts defined in sign language