The International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights (ICCPR) establishes clear benchmarks for the world's election laws and practices. Over the past two years, the ICCPR, IFES and the International IDEA - two of ACE's project partners - have launched an effort to develop international standards of electoral access for citizens with disabilities.
Central to this effort is the involvement of representatives of global and national disability organizations, regional and national electoral bodies, and multilateral agencies that promote democracy and human rights. Much of this important work has been funded by the Swedish International Development Cooperation Agency.
In September 2002, IFES and IDEA convened a four-day meeting in Sigtuna, Sweden, at which approximately 45 representatives of disability organizations, election agencies, parliaments, and international democracy agencies met to draft and approve a "bill of electoral rights for persons with disabilities," and accompanying guidelines for election agencies.
The "bill of electoral rights" is available, in multiple languages, including English, French, Spanish, Bosnian, Macedonian, Serbian, Albanian, and Bahasa Indonesian, at: http://www.ifes.org/election-materials/bill-electoral-rights-citizens-disabilities
These guidelines address a number of key issues, including election rights and competency; election standards for assisted voting, and election standards for mobile and off-site voting.
IFES, IDEA, the Inter-Parliamentary Union, and disability and election experts are currently at work on phase two of this effort to develop model election law provisions to ensure full electoral participation by disabled citizens. A draft version of these provisions can be received by contacting IFES' human rights advisor, Jerry Mindes, at jmindes@ifes.org. Comments are most welcome.
