Special meeting “Degree of policy response of Central Elections Commission to the needs of persons with disabilities”
July 28, 2016 \Gaza
Social Development Forum-SDF within the Project “Partnership for Future” has held a special session to follow up the policies of the Central Elections Commission regarding persons with disabilities in Palestine. Representatives of organizations working with people with disabilities in Gaza participated in the session on Thursday, July 28 , 2016 \Gaza City.
Central Elections Commission was represented by both Mr.Jameel Al-Khaldi , The Regional Director of the Commission, and Mr.Ra’ed Al-sammoni , Head of Elections Procedures’ Commission , with the participation of 23 participants who advocate the disability issue and representatives of civic organizations operating in Gaza.
What are the commission’s procedures to facilitate persons with disabilities access to the election process?
At the policy level:
The Central Election Commission has started studying the inclusion of people with disabilities in its work during the local elections in 2012. At the beginning of 2014, it has also set the concept draft of the project “Empowering Persons with Disabilities”, which was funded by the UNDP in cooperation with the General Union of Persons with Disabilities. A strategic decision has been made to work on improving public policies and procedures to ensure rights of persons with disabilities and include them in line with the Palestinian Laws and the International conventions of Human Rights.
Practical Steps to facilitate the accessibility and participation in the election process:
The election commission has signed a memorandum of understanding with the General Union of Persons with Disabilities, and has contacted the Ministry of Social Affairs and the organizations operating in this field to collect data and statics related to persons with disabilities.
A survey of the polling centers in the West Bank to check its adaptation for persons with mobility disability , and to count the polling centers with architectural barriers need to be made accessible to people with disabilities as it turned out there are 27 polling centers where engineering structures must be provided.
According to the data of the ministries and competent authorities, there are 71,006 persons with disabilities who are officially registered with competent authorities, 70% of them (50,196 persons) are included in the electoral register; 30,811 from the West Bank and 19,985 from the Gaza strip.
The committee has held a number of workshops in association with representatives of the General Union of Persons with Disabilities and the committee staff from all provinces to develop the proposals needed for including people with disabilities and facilitating their access. A matrix has been developed to function as a guide on how to include persons with disabilities in their work, and as a basis for building and designing new measures and inputs.
Adopting capacity building program to increase the capacities of the commission’s staff in the field of procedures’ accessibility in order for people with disabilities to easily participate in the election process.
Producing audio-visual outreach materials and flyers written in languages and systems that confirm with different types of disabilities. Also, making the commission’s website accessible to people with disabilities.
Providing persons with visual disabilities with special ballot papers written in Braille, in addition to bringing sign-language interpreters to the polling centers, or transferring them form non-accessible centers to accessible ones.
Implementing outreach workshops that target persons with disabilities.
Stimulating the electoral process in the schools dedicated for persons with disabilities while taking into consideration their diversity. This has been done in the West Bank and Gaza Strip.
Building a cadre of persons with disabilities to be part of the electoral staffs during the election process
Conducting an engineering study to make the headquarters and facilities of the commission accessible to persons with disabilities.
Launching a comprehensive media and outreach campaign on the participation of persons with disabilities in the elections and political life in general.
The recommendations and inputs of the participants
The need for making the website accessible especially with the start of the electronic registration process.
The registration timing is short and a demand to reconsider it.
Praising the commission’s efforts compared to the general elections’ experience in 2006.
Working on facilitating the inclusion of persons with disabilities as observers in polling centers
The need for DPOs and SHG to work on reinforcing the participation of persons with disabilities in the election process as a part of their political rights whether by running or voting. A lobby committee will be formed to watch the representation in the lists.
Applying a com