The
Bill of Electoral Rights
for Citizens with Disabilities
Every citizen shall have the right and opportunity, without distinction on the basis of intellectual, physical, psychiatric, sensory or other disability:
• To have access on general terms of equality to the conduct of public affairs directly or indirectly through freely chosen representatives;
• To participate on general terms of equality in the conduct of elections;
• To register for, and to vote in genuine and periodic elections, referenda and plebiscites which shall be by universal and equal suffrage;
• To vote by secret ballot;
• To stand for election, to be elected, and to exercise a mandate once elected.
These rights shall be guaranteed without discrimination on any grounds, including disability, and without restrictions other than those justified in a free and democratic society.
States have the obligation to take affirmative and effective measures to ensure that citizens with disabilities enjoy these rights and have the opportunity to exercise their political and electoral rights on the basis of equality.
All these
rights are guaranteed by the International Covenant on Civil and Political
Rights.
Sigtuna, Sweden
September 16, 2002
By drafting and signing this Bill of electoral
rights for citizens with disabilites, we the undersigned pledge to advance
and disseminate the spirit and intent of this Bill within our organizations
and networks.
Signed in Sigtuna,
on September 17, 2002, by the following:
| Richard Soudriette President, IFES |
Bengt Lindqvist UN Special Rapporteur on Disability |
| Karen Fogg Secretary General, IDEA |
Oziel Molahloa Kalawe Lesotho Independent Election Commission |
| Sophie Beaumont European Disability Forum |
Eva Falkenberg Sida |
| Tomas Lagerwall Rehabilitation International |
Anna Birte Pade Danish Ministry of the Interior and Health |
| Mary O'Hagan World Network of Users and Survivors Of Psychiatry |
Diane Davidson Elections Canada |
| Roberto Madriz International InterAmericana |
Maria Magdelena Mungunda Namibian National Assembly |
| Anura Priyadharshana Yapa Member of Parliament, Sri Lanka |
Jean Pierre Kingsley Chief Electoral Officer of Canada |
| Gaël Martin-Micallef Council of Europe, Venice Commission |
Monica Bartley Combined Disabilities Association, Jamaica |
| Dan Kalale Electoral Commission of Europe |
Felix Simulungu Zambia Federation of the Disabled |
| Rusadi Kantaproawira Electoral Commission of Indonesia |
Wilma Newhoudt-Druchen Member of Parliament, South Africa |
| Leif Jeppsson World Blind Union |
Pauline Welsh Electoral Office of Jamaica |
| Pedro Chavez Aproddis |
Luc Dumont Elections Canada |
| Halit Ferizi Handikos |
Christina Fleetwood Swedish Disability Federation |
| K. Sarfo-Kantanka Electoral Commission, Ghana |
Maria Lourdes Gonzales CAPEL |
| Kate Sullivan International IDEA |
Afredita Berisha Handikos |
| Nicholas Halm Ghana Federation of the Disabled |
Pàl Gadò ACEEEO/MEOSz, Hungary |
| Ariana Abdul Mun'im Electoral Access Committee 2004 for People with Disabilities, Indonesia |
Andre van Deventer World Federation of the Deafblind |
| Heppy Sebayang Electoral Access Committee 2004 for People with Disabilities, Indonesia |
Sarah Gull Electoral Commission of the United Kingdom |
| Martin Long Action on Disability and Development |
Michael Cooke Australia Electoral Commission |
| Jerome Mindes IFES |
Mafole Sematlane Lesotho IEC/SADC ECF |
| Jeff Fischer IFES |