International Laws & Regulations

Excerpts from international and regional legislation, declarations, and commitments in which the rights of persons with disabilities to the political process are guaranteed.
African Charter on Democracy, Elections and Governance
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Africa

African Charter on Democracy, Elections and Governance

Updated: June 2015
Article 8 of the African Charter on Democracy, Elections and Governance states: ... (2) State Parties shall adopt legislative and administrative measures to guarantee the rights of women, ethnic minorities, migrants, people with disabilities, refugees and displaced persons and other marginalized and vulnerable social groups.   Article 31 of the ...
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African Charter on Human and Peoples' Rights
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Africa

African Charter on Human and Peoples' Rights

Updated: August 2021
Article 13 of the African Charter on Human and Peoples' Rights (also known as the Banjul Charter) states:   (1) Every citizen shall have the right to participate freely in the government of his country, either directly or through freely chosen representatives in accordance with the provisions of the law.   ...
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Arab Charter on Human Rights (2008)
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Middle East and North Africa

Arab Charter on Human Rights (2008)

Updated: May 2016
The Arab Charter on Human Rights (entered into force 2008) states:   Article 3   1. Each State party to the present Charter undertakes to ensure to all individuals subject to its jurisdiction the right to enjoy the rights and freedoms set forth herein, without distinction on grounds of race, colour, ...
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Bali Commitments on Equal Access to Elections, AGENDA Regional Dialogue
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Asia and the Pacific

Bali Commitments on Equal Access to Elections, AGENDA Regional Dialogue

Updated: August 2021
The Bali Commitments on Equal Access to Elections are not laws, but regional guidelines and commitments adapted by participants in the General Election Network for Disability Access’ (AGENDA) at the 2nd Regional Dialogue, held in Bali, Indonesia in November 2012. The Commitment states:   We, members of election management bodies, ...
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Bali Declaration on the Enhancement of the Role and Participation of Persons with Disabilities in the ASEAN Community
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Asia and the Pacific

Bali Declaration on the Enhancement of the Role and Participation of Persons with Disabilities in ...

Updated: August 2021
The Bali Declaration on the Enhancement of the Role and Participation of Persons with Disabilities in the ASEAN Community states:   We, the Peoples, of the Member States of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN), represented by the Heads of State or Government of Brunei Darussalam, the Kingdom of ...
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Cairo Declaration on Human Rights in Islam
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Middle East and North Africa

Cairo Declaration on Human Rights in Islam

Updated: May 2016
Article 23 of the Cairo Declaration on Human Rights in Islam (1990) states:   (b) Everyone shall have the right to participate, directly or indirectly in the administration of his country's public affairs. He shall also have the right to assume public office in accordance with the provisions of Shari'ah. ...
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Continental Plan of Action for the African Decade of Persons with Disabilities 2010-2019
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Africa

Continental Plan of Action for the African Decade of Persons with Disabilities 2010-2019

Updated: September 2017
The Continental Plan of Action for the African Decade of Persons with Disabilities 2010-2019 was developed by the African Union Commission Department of Social Affairs. It includes several key references to political participation of persons with disabilities.   Goal 2.4.2 Equal recognition before the law and access to justice priority ...
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Convention for the Protection of Human Rights and Fundamental Freedoms
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Europe and Eurasia

Convention for the Protection of Human Rights and Fundamental Freedoms

Updated: May 2015
Article 10 of the Convention for the Protection of Human Rights and Fundamental Freedoms from the European Court of Human Rights states:   (1) Everyone has the right to freedom of expression. This right shall include freedom to hold opinions and to receive and impart information and ideas without interference ...
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European Court of Human Rights: Kiss v. Hungary (2010)
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Europe and Eurasia

European Court of Human Rights: Kiss v. Hungary (2010)

Updated: June 2015
The case of Kiss v. Hungary resulted in a court decision from the European Court of Human Rights stating that voting rights cannot be restricted solely on the basis of guardianship due to a psychosocial disability.   Excerpt:   (ii) Proportionality   39. The Court notes that the restriction in ...
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Inter-American Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination Against Persons with Disabilities
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Americas and the Caribbean

Inter-American Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination Against Persons with Disabilities

Updated: May 2015
Article 3 of the Organization of American States' Inter-American Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination Against Persons with Disabilities states:   To achieve the objectives of this Convention, the states parties undertake:   (1) To adopt the legislative, social, educational, labor-related, or any other measures needed to ...
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International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights

Global

International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights

Updated: November 2014
Article 25 of the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights states:   Every citizen shall have the right and the opportunity, without any of the distinctions mentioned in Article 2 and without unreasonable restrictions:   (a) To take part in the conduct of public affairs, directly or through freely ...
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Jakarta Addendum to Address Overlapping Forms of Marginalization, AGENDA Regional Dialogue
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Asia and the Pacific

Jakarta Addendum to Address Overlapping Forms of Marginalization, AGENDA Regional Dialogue

Updated: May 2015
The Jakarta Addendum to Address Overlapping Forms of Marginalization is not a law, but a series of commitments that was introduced at the 3rd Regional Dialogue held in Jakarta, Indonesia in January 2015 and hosted by the General Election Network for Disability Access (AGENDA), the Association of World Election Bodies ...
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Pacific Framework for the Rights of Persons with Disabilities
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Asia and the Pacific

Pacific Framework for the Rights of Persons with Disabilities

Updated: July 2021
Goal 3 of the Pacific Framework for the Rights of Persons with Disabilities seeks to:    Develop leadership and an enabling environment for rights-based disability-inclusive development.      Strategies (a.) Support CRPD training for political and community leaders as well as government ministries;   (b.) Support leadership capacity building through DPOs, ...
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Protocol on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities
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Africa

Protocol on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities

Updated: September 2018
The Protocol on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities to the African Union Charter on Human and People's Rights of the African Union (AU) went into effect in 2018.   Article 21: Right to Participate in Political and Public Life   1. Every person with a disability has the right ...
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Recommendation on the Participation of Persons with Disabilities in Pollitical and Public Life
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Europe and Eurasia

Recommendation on the Participation of Persons with Disabilities in Pollitical and Public Life

Updated: May 2015
Section 2.4 ("Voting procedures, ballots and facilities") of the Recommendation CM/Rec (2011) 14 of the Committee of Ministers to member states on the participation of persons with disabilities in political and public life from the Council of Europe states:   Member states should pay due attention to the importance of ...
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Regional Stakeholder Consultation of the Review of the Implementation of the Asian and Pacific Decade of Disabled Persons, 2003-2012
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Asia and the Pacific

Regional Stakeholder Consultation of the Review of the Implementation of the Asian and Pacific Decade ...

Updated: August 2021
Goal 2 of the Regional Stakeholder Consultation for the High-level Intergovernmental Meeting on the Final Review of the Implementation of the Asian and Pacific Decade of Disabled Persons, 2003-2012, Second Session states:   The following suggestions were made for consideration:   (a) A new target on “Increase participation of self-help ...
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Revised Venice Commission Declaration to the Code of Good Practice in Electoral Matters on the Participation of People with Disabilities
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Europe and Eurasia

Revised Venice Commission Declaration to the Code of Good Practice in Electoral Matters on the ...

Updated: August 2021
Article I of the Revised Venice Commission Interpretive Declaration to the Code of Good Practice in Electoral Matters on the Participation of People with Disabilities states:   The Code of Good Practice in Electoral Matters, as adopted by the European Commission for Democracy through Law (Venice Commission) in October 2002, ...
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The Arab Plan to Foster the Culture of Human Rights
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Middle East and North Africa

The Arab Plan to Foster the Culture of Human Rights

Updated: July 2016
The Arab Plan to Foster the Culture of Human Rights (2010) states:   2. Vision and Goals   3. General principles   The system of fundamental values and principles of human rights (liberty, justice, equality and non-discrimination);   The fundamentals of democracy, consultation and national participation;   4. Scope   3. To ...
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More Resources

Country List

Each country page offers excerpts from national constitutions, election laws, and relevant legislation affecting the rights of persons with disabilities to participate in political processes.

Voter Education & Assistive Devices

Best practice examples of assistive devices such as tactile ballot guides and of materials from voter education campaigns, including television advertisements and radio spots.

Publications

A collection of publications that share ideas, expertise, best practices and general information related to the inclusion of persons with disabilities in political processes.

Definitions

A dictionary that focuses on defining critical terminology related to political processes, elections, disability, assistive devices, and inclusive practices.

Lexicons

Lexicons are related phrases and concepts defined in sign language