Finnish Government Provides Funding to Promote Political Empowerment for People with Disabilities
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Copyright ©1999 The Disability News Service, Inc.

WASHINGTON, DC — The International Foundation for Election Systems (IFES) recently signed a contract with the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Finland for the Ministry to fund an IFES program to promote enfranchisement and political participation of people with disabilities throughout the world. The IFES program will establish informational, observational, and technical projects that support increased voter registration, candidacies, party leadership, and public appointments for people with disabilities.

“Until more people with disabilities become political decisionmakers, that is, voting constituencies and office holders, their political rights will remain shortchanged,” stated Richard Soudriette, President of IFES. “Political empowerment comes from voting and seeking public office. From this empowerment, people with disabilities will have a greater voice in achieving equity and access in employment, transportation, housing, and health care.”

The initial funding from the Ministry will go towards an IFES global survey of laws, decisions, and practices of people with disabilities in the political process. From this study, a collection of data on the subject will be established at IFES' F. Clifton White Resource Center, in Washington, D.C. to explore various ways to continue using the data.

IFES also will organize, in partnership with local disability groups, several election observation studies that evaluate access to...

registration;

information;

campaigns and candidacies;

the ballot; and

to appeals mechanisms.

From the results, IFES intends to disseminate universal standards and techniques for political access monitoring.
Finally, a pilot project will evaluate the availability of alternative ballots in audio, large print and Braille, how voter information is disseminated (TTYs, captioning, translators at events) and evaluate the training of poll workers and political parties.

“Despite the population of adults with disabilities — some estimates are 500 million persons worldwide — the enfranchisement and political participation of people with disabilities have not been funding priorities in democratic initiative programming,” Soudriette said. “It is wonderful that the Government of Finland recognizes this vast population and has stepped forward to make a difference.”

IFES, which is an international organization that has worked in over 100 countries, was founded in 1987 by the late F. Clinton White, a political consultant.