Elvira Azimova: People with disabilities should be actively invited to be citizen observers
The Ombudsman announced this at a meeting of the working group on ensuring the electoral rights of persons with disabilities under the CEC, where the issues of accessibility of polling stations for citizens with disabilities were discussed.
Let's remind that on November 20, 2022 extraordinary elections of the President of the Republic of Kazakhstan will be held. Besides the accessibility of polling stations, the working group raised the question of the relevance of the data on the objects where the polling stations are located on the portal "Interactive map of accessibility. The working group was provided with information on the measures taken to implement the earlier recommendations.
Commissioner for Human Rights in the Republic of Kazakhstan Elvira Azimova noted that one of the areas of state social policy is to help people who find themselves in difficult situations. In this regard, to ensure the participation of Kazakh citizens with disabilities and other citizens temporarily staying in these institutions, it is advisable to take control of the conditions in the relevant social institutions.
"I consider it necessary to actively invite representatives of non-governmental organizations from among citizens with disabilities to the number of public observers. We must follow the principle of ensuring full and equal opportunities for citizens with disabilities or in difficult life situations to exercise their electoral rights. In case the polling stations are not adapted, it is necessary to resolve these issues in advance. According to the information announced today by the CEC, such premises are few; nevertheless, on the day of elections the public observers themselves should be convinced of it. On this day we should clearly organize assistance to people who decided to come and vote. We are ready to get involved in the monitoring process, with the involvement of regional representatives of the Commissioner. As of today, regional representatives have been appointed in 11 regions," Azimova said.
In addition, the Ombudsman positively noted the information presented to the working group on the results of the implementation of the recommendation to bring the stencil for filling in the ballot paper with Braille. It is important that this work is carried out with the involvement of the public association "Kazakh Society of the Blind".
The Working Group was also provided with the information of local executive bodies about equipping with ramps 92% of polling stations, tactile signs at the entrance to the premises - 82.3%, in the voting premises - 73% of polling stations.
At the same time, the Commissioner and other members of the working group noted the need to check the information received.
Thus, in Astana city at the polling station at school-gymnasium No. 32, the information sign for the availability of elevator for citizens moving in a wheelchair was placed at the entrance door, after the stairway. In other words, a citizen must get up from the wheelchair and walk up the stairs to see the necessary information. Along with this, it is important to ensure that campaign and informational materials and posters are placed at a height that is accessible to the view of citizens of small stature or who move in a wheelchair.
"In general, it is very important that information on all these issues is regularly covered in the media at both the national and local levels," said Azimova after the meeting of the working group.
For information: 17 out of the 19 members of the working group on ensuring the electoral rights of people with disabilities in the Central Election Commission (CEC) represent public associations of people with disabilities from 11 oblasts, cities of national status and the capital.
Since 2021 the online broadcasting of CEC sessions is provided with sign language translation, including all video materials.
The measures taken to ensure the electoral rights of citizens with disabilities and to ensure the accessibility of information and reference materials for them were noted in the report of the OSCE ODIHR mission on the evaluation of the Republican referendum held on June 5, 2022.
The purpose of the establishment and activities of the permanent working group under the CEC is to reduce the legal and administrative barriers to the exercise of suffrage rights of citizens with disabilities.
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