The Sixth Edition of the European Disability Forum’s Human Rights Report focuses on the rights of persons with disabilities to vote and to stand as candidates in the European Parliament elections, also known as ‘EU elections’.
It explores the legal and practical barriers that prevent millions of persons with disabilities from exercising the same political rights as other EU citizens and highlights consequences, such as the underrepresentation in politics of persons with disabilities.
This report provides recommendations for both EU policy makers and national governments, as well as for EU level and national political parties, in such a way to allow the EU and national governments to discuss with DPOs what are the best solutions, taking into account the national voting culture and context. The aim is to provide data, tools, and recommendations for governments and DPOs to work hand in hand to reduce inequalities and ensure accessible elections at the national and EU level.
By 2024, when the next EU elections will take place, we hope that more persons with disabilities will be active as politicians. By 2024, we hope there will no differences between the political rights of persons with disabilities depending on the EU country they live in and that we all can vote independently and in secret. By 2024, we hope that the greatest democratic project in the world will include us as well.
Download the report:
- Human Rights Report 2022 – political participation of persons with disabilities: the right to vote and stand for election (accessible PDF)
- Human Rights Report 2022 – political participation of persons with disabilities: the right to vote and stand for election (easy-to-read summary, Word document)
- Human Rights Report 2022 – political participation of persons with disabilities: the right to vote and stand for election (easy-to-read summary, PDF document)
- Human Rights Report 2022 – political participation of persons with disabilities: the right to vote and stand for election (accessible EPUB document – coming soon)
Related resources:
- Recording launch event of the report (May 2022)
- Voting and standing as candidate in Europe: what is it like for persons with disabilities? Read voters’ testimonials.
- The EU Parliament proposes a new electoral law ensuring the political rights of persons with disabilities (May 2022)
- EU Parliament lives up to the political rights of persons with disabilities in European elections (March 2022)
- Article 29 of the CRPD on participation in political and public life: overview of the CRPD Committee recommendations to EU Member States (January 2022)
- EDF position paper on the reform of the European Union Electoral Law (October 2021)
- Electoral rights