This guide contains information in easy read format for persons with intellectual disabilities about their right to political participation and what self-advocates around the world are doing to protect this important human right. It is an easy read summary of a longer policy brief about this important right.
Special Olympics International recently published an easy read guide about the right of persons with intellectual disabilities to political participation.
- This guide has a lot of information about some of the problems that persons with intellectual disabilities face.
- This guide also has information about what self-advocates are doing to overcome these barriers.
- This guide might give you some good ideas for how to advocate for this important right in your community.
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Political participation means “being involved in politics.”
- Being involved in politics means taking part in how your government works or the choices it makes.
- Being involved in politics gives you a chance to make your voice heard and shape how choices get made.
- Being involved in politics can mean voting, helping others to vote, being in political organizations, talking to candidates about important things, running for office, and much more.
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An important tool to advocate for the right to political participation is called the Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities, or “CRPD,” for short.
- The CRPD says a lot about the right to political participation of persons with intellectual disabilities.
- For example, the CRPD says that voting must be easy for all persons with disabilities do and to understand.
- The CRPD also says that all persons with disabilities who want support to vote must get that support easily.
- The CRPD says that all persons with disabilities should have equal chances to run for and hold elected office.
- The CRPD says that it is not okay for laws to stop persons with intellectual disabilities from voting just because they have a legal guardian.
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Self-advocates around the world are using the CRPD to advocate for their right to political participation.
- Self-advocates from Hungary have written to the CRPD Committee about the legal barriers to voting that they faced.
- A person with intellectual disability in Japan successfully challenged a legal barrier he faced to voting.
- Self-advocates in Peru and Spain convinced their elected officials to change laws that stopped them from voting.
- Persons with intellectual disabilities in the United Kingdom, Peru, and Nepal have run for office.
- Self-advocates in Sweden offer trainings for candidates for office on plain language.
- Self-advocates in the United States survey voters with disabilities every year about their experiences voting.