"A Seat at the Table"
by Halit Ferizi

In 1983, I created the Association of Paraplegics and Handicapped Children of Kosovo (HANDIKOS), nearly a decade after I became a paraplegic as a result of a traffic accident. I was elected President of the Coordination Board of Disabled People in Kosovo in 1985, and have served on the Central Election Commission (CEC) of Kosovo for two consecutive terms. I oversaw the 2000 Municipal Elections and the 2001 General Elections in Kosovo in my capacity as a representative of the Kosovar NGO sector and HANDIKOS.

Being a disabled person with years of experience in the civil society movement, I have found work at the CEC both challenging and rewarding. It is amazing how many prejudices and misconceptions citizens with special needs still confront when it comes to participating in the election process. However, I can say with some measure of satisfaction, that discussions with my colleagues at the CEC have dispelled some stereotypical beliefs and have led to positive improvements. One is a better understanding of the role NGOs can play in making the electoral process more open, inclusive, and trustworthy. Another is acknowledgement that the disability sector is not homogenous, but is composed of people with different needs, represented by different interest groups.

Such improvements may sound insignificant to some in the West, but for us in Kosovo, it marks enormous progress towards understanding the real picture of the life of people with disabilities, and towards recognizing the potential role such groups can play in society. My colleagues, for example, have changed their negative attitudes towards people with disabilities and other citizens with special needs and now look at them with more understanding. Also-and this is a major breakthrough in Kosovo-NGOs representing people with disabilities will now be a part of the entire election process, from voter registration, voter education, and outreach, to assisting people with special needs and observing and monitoring elections on behalf of the Election Commissions.

The CEC of Kosovo has also:

·Established 16 mobile teams that will help homebound voters
·Installed at least one accessible polling station per municipality
·Created special assistance services for people with disabilities on Election Day
·Produced voter and civic education materials specifically targeted towards groups with special needs

Furthermore, NGOs are intrinsically involved in this process, a huge difference compared to elections in previous years when we had just begun to rebuild our newly democratic society. The new and modern rehabilitation center the CEC is building in Pristina, with support from the OSCE Election Department and the European Union (EU), is testimony to this forward-looking Kosovo. We have worked in partnership with the OSCE and the EU to develop rules and procedures that will allow full participation of people with disabilities in the elections. These procedures are in compliance with international standards on elections. We are working hard to educate voters with special needs on the technical aspects of elections and are making them aware of their importance to us as citizens. Nevertheless, some of the biggest challenges we face come from people with disabilities themselves. It is hard for some to accept this new reality and start hoping again. However, attitudes and situations are changing slowly but steadily with the realization that change begins with us.

Halit Ferizi is President of HANDIKOS and a member of the Central Election Commission (CEC) of Kosovo.