1. Participation of people with intellectual disabilities in European elections.
Katrina Ward,
Inclusion Europe.

2. Inclusion Europe Inclusion Europe is a non-profit organisation.
We campaign for the rights and interests
of people with intellectual disabilities
and their families throughout Europe.
We have 66 member organisations
in 33 European countries.
Family-based and self-advocacy – oriented organisation

3. UNCRPD Article 29 of the UN Convention .
on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities
guarantees the full participation
of people with disabilities in elections
and their right to vote.
It ensures that “voting procedures, facilities
and materials are appropriate, accessible and easy
to understand and use”
It also ensures the right to assistance when voting. .

4. Introduction In this presentation I will speak about:
Our project on elections.
Some difficulties which people with intellectual disabilities can have when voting
Examples of good practices in Europe, that make it easier for people with intellectual disabilities to vote.
Some recommendations about how to make elections more accessible for people with intellectual disabilities.

5. The ADAP project Aim: To improve the accessibility of elections
for people with intellectual disabilities.
Partners: Inclusion Europe is working with
three self-advocates and their support persons from:
Nous Aussi, France
ENABLE Scotland
SPMP, Czech Republic.
Funding:
The project is funded by the European Commission
Project length: December 2009 – May 2011
Fundamental Rights & Citizenship Programme

6. Project outputs Best practices brochure.
Recommendations to politicians and electoral commissions or government departments who organise the elections in the different countries of the European Union.
Meetings between self-advocates and politicians on accessibility.
Guide for national associations about how to organise a campaign for accessible elections in easy-to-read language.
Final Conference in Brussels May
3. – Meetings with MEPs in Brussels and at national level

7. Barriers to voting
We asked our member organisations:
“What is the most important barrier which stops people with intellectual disabilities from voting in your country?”

8. Barriers to voting “THE INACCESSIBILITY of the election
campaign and polling booths”
(Pentru Voi, Romania)

9. Barriers to voting
“Most political parties don’t even try to communicate with people with intellectual disabilities”
(Senada Halilčević , self-advocate and member of the Association for Self-advocacy, Croatia)

10. Barriers to voting “Prejudice that they are not capable of
making decisions”
(Pancyprian Parents Association
for People with Mental Handicap,
Cyprus)
By politicians, polling station workers, the general public, but also by parents and carers in some cases

11. Barriers to voting “The three important barriers which stop people
with intellectual disabilities from participating in
elections in Greece are that the most of them:
- are under guardianship
- are living in institutions
- have no facilities to information and the electoral process”
(Posgamea, Greece)

12. Barriers to voting (ÉFOÉSZ, Hungary)
“The ballot forms are not accessible
in easy-to-read formats and the presence of
a personal assistant is not available.”
“The polling station officials are not trained to communicate with people with intellectual disabilities.”
(ÉFOÉSZ, Hungary)

13. Barriers to voting
“The lack of information in an appropriate form that would allow them to make an informed decision about who to vote for.”
(Mencap, UK)

14. Figures on participation
Figures showing the participation of people with intellectual disabilities in elections were available in only 2 out of 25 countries
Member organisations in EU and non-EU countries

15. Figures on participation
UK: In the 2010 May general election, only 31% of people with intellectual disabilities voted, compared to 65.1% of the general population.
Source: Mencap poll of over people with intellectual disabilities
UK – From Mencap poll of over 1100 PWID

16. Figures on participation
Sweden:
In 1998, 20% of
people with intellectual disabilities voted,
compared to 81.4% of the general population.
In 1994, 31% of people with intellectual disabilities voted in the national election,
compared with 86% of the general population.
Source: Anette Kjellberg, ‘Participation, Ideology and Everyday Life. How to understand the experiences of persons with learning disabilities’. 2002, University of Linköping, Sweden

17. Some examples of good practices in Europe

18. 1. Information We found that in 15 out of 25 European countries,
there is information in easy-to-read
about voting and the elections.
Easy-to-read – explain briefly – European standards – simpler words, cut the phrase so there is one idea per phrase, use of symbols to accompany the text, recommended text size – not too small etc. – like the information in this presentation but with symbols
Including information about local, national and European elections, the national political system, when the elections are held, where to go to vote, filling in the ballot form and the election results.

19. 1. Information Examples: Easy-to-read voting guides
European election guide
Inclusion Europe wrote a guide an easy-to-read guide for the 2009 European elections.
This was translated into 13 European languages.
National election guides
Easy-to-read voting guides exist in Germany, Scotland, England, Ireland, Finland, Sweden and Belgium.
They explain for example:the importance of voting, different types of elections, how to vote, how to find out the election results.
IE – European elections leaflet – Austria, Czech Republic, Germany, UK, Spain, Estonia, France, Greece, Italy, Lithuania, Romania, Slovenia, Slovakia. Also in 2004
Show examples? Germany, Scotland..

20. 1. Information Example: Political party manifestos in easy-to-read
In the UK, for the general election in May 2010,
the three main political parties
did their manifestos in easy-to-read.

21. 1. Information www.promotethevote.co.uk
Example: Accessible websites about voting
In the UK, a group of self-advocates
made a website about voting
in easy-to-understand language.
It explains in easy-to-read language
and short videos
the different aspects of voting.
Also videos about voting – e.g Sweden

22. 2. Training We found that there was training
for self-advocates about how to vote
in 8 out of 25 European countries.
Belgium, Finland, Germany, Ireland, Slovakia, Sweden, UK, Norway

23. 2. Training Example: Peer training manual on voting
Several Scottish disability organisations
developed together a peer training manual so that people with intellectual disabilities can teach other people with intellectual disabilities about voting.
It was made with the support of
the Scottish electoral commission.

24. 2. Training Example: Voting workshops and debates
Ireland: Voting workshops for self-advocates are organised by Inclusion Ireland.
Finland: Voting debates are organised by our Finnish member FDUV

25. 3. Campaigns and lobbying
We found that campaigns and lobbying activities for more accessible elections are taking place in several European countries.

26. 3. Campaigns and lobbying
Example: UK – ‘Get my vote!’ campaign
Organised by Mencap UK before the general election in May 2010.
Called for the main parties to produce their information in easy-to-read.
Called for more accessible election materials for people with intellectual disabilities.

27. 3. Campaigns and lobbying
Example:
Romania - Lobbying for assisted voting
Help the Life Association was part of
a working group that worked for 6 months
to change the electoral code
before the 2009 national election
and made important changes.
One of these changes was the
introduction of assisted voting for
people with disabilities.
Also – Romania vote SMART campaign

28. 4. Accessibility guides In France and Scotland
there are guides for politicians
about how to make their events and campaigns
more accessible for people with intellectual
and physical disabilities.
They highlight
what language they should use
and how to make their campaign materials
and meeting venues accessible.

29. Some recommendations Information and training:
Provision of information in easy to understand language about all aspects of the electoral process at national and local level.
Effective distribution of these materials.
Training for people with intellectual disabilities on how to vote.
Training for poll workers on how to assist people with intellectual disabilities.
Regular consultation with NGOs and people with intellectual disabilities on the provision of accessible information and training.
Greater awareness-raising about the rights of people with intellectual disabilities to vote.
4. Awareness-raising – among politicians, pollworkers, pwid and their families, the general public

30. Some recommendations Legislation:
Revise laws on legal capacity and the right to vote in accordance with Article 12 of the UN Convention on the rights of persons with disabilities.
Ensure the provision of accessible information in accordance with Article 21 of the UN Convention on the rights of persons with disabilities.
Ensure that people with intellectual disabilities can be assisted by a person they trust when voting.
Consult regularly with NGOs regarding changes to laws on legal capacity or accessibility measures.

31. Thank you! For more information about the project,
please visit the project website:
For more information about the ADAP project
and the final conference, please contact:
Katrina Ward,project officer: