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Greater electoral accessibility promised for people with disabilities; EC marks global day
View(s):Following recent discussions on improving electoral accessibility, key recommendations have emerged to enhance the voting experience for persons with disabilities (PWDs).
Under the theme “Amplifying the Leadership of Persons with Disabilities for an Inclusive and Sustainable Future,” the Election Commission hosted on December 3 at its Rajagiriya head office an event to mark the International Day of PWDs.
This year’s celebrations focused on making elections more inclusive for PWDs, especially during the presidential and parliamentary elections. The event highlighted the efforts made by the EC to enhance accessibility, including the introduction of tactile ballot guides, sign language displays in polling stations, sign language training for poll workers, and live streaming of election results with sign language interpretation.
The event was organised in collaboration with the Disability Inclusive Election Support in Sri Lanka (DIESL) Working Group, which emphasises the need for further improvements in physical accessibility at future elections.
Addressing the event, Deputy Election Commissioner K.J.S. Madhawa stressed the importance of disability inclusion in the electoral process. DIESL working group member Manique Gunarathne presented an overview of their initiatives and the campaign launched to highlight the challenges faced by PWDs at polling stations.
The highlight of the programme was the keynote address by Mirko Tomassoni, the first-ever physically impaired head of state from San Marino. He shared valuable insights into how San Marino improved accessibility in its electoral processes by removing infrastructural barriers, investing in mobile polling stations, and implementing advanced voting options.
The programme also served as a platform for strategising future measures, such as mobile polling stations and advanced voting options, as discussed in Mr. Tomassoni’s keynote.
Additionally, the DIESL Working Group wrapped up a six-month Facebook campaign titled “Our Vote Our Right,” which promoted discussions on improving accessibility at polling stations for PWDs, particularly those with visual impairments.
The campaign, alongside monthly online brainstorming sessions, encouraged dialogue between experts, stakeholders, and PWDs, fostering a shared commitment to a more inclusive electoral process.
The open discussion that followed provided participants with the opportunity to share their experiences and challenges, with particular emphasis on the accessibility issues faced by persons with mobility impairments.
Key recommendations for improving accessibility included the introduction of accessibility audits at polling stations, better inclusion of persons with psychosocial disabilities, and the collection of comprehensive data on PWDs to inform future policies.
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