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Article
29 - Participation in political and public life
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29 Background
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Working Group
Draft Article 18
PARTICIPATION IN POLITICAL AND PUBLIC LIFE
States Parties recognise the political rights of persons with disabilities,
without discrimination, and undertake to:
a. actively promote an environment in which persons with disabilities can effectively
and fully participate in political and public life, directly or through freely
chosen representatives, including the right and opportunity of citizens with
disabilities to vote and be elected, and by ensuring that voting procedures
and facilities:
i. are appropriate, accessible and easy to understand;
ii. protect the right of citizens with disabilities to vote by secret ballot;
and
iii. allow, where necessary, the provision of assistance in voting to citizens
with disabilities;
b. actively promote an environment in which persons with disabilities can effectively
and fully participate in the conduct of public administration, and shall encourage,
as appropriate, their participation in public affairs, including to:64
i. participate on a basis of equality in the activities and administration of
political parties and civil society;
ii. form and join organisations of persons with disabilities to represent persons
with disabilities at national, regional and local levels;
c. ensure that persons with disabilities and their organisations participate,
on an equal basis to others, in all decision-making processes, in particular
those concerning issues relating to persons with disabilities.65
Footnotes:
64: The Ad Hoc Committee may wish to consider
the differing levels of obligations that are appropriate for state and non-state
organs in this paragraph.
65: The Ad Hoc Committee may wish to consider
paragraph (c) alongside the similar provision in draft Article 4(2) of the present
draft, and whether both provisions are necessary. The Ad Hoc Committee may also
wish to compare both paragraphs to Article 6.1(b) of International Labour Organization
Convention No. 169 and Rule 14 of the Standard Rules.