On the occasion of the International Day of People with Disabilities on 3/12/2021, The CEC highlights the importance of the role of people with disabilities as citizens, voters, candidates and observers.
The CEC indicates that the number of registered voters with disabilities in all districts is 44300. While the number of eligible voters with disabilities for the first phase of the 2021 local elections reached 7885.
The CEC points out, that it continuously seeks to empower people with disabilities to practice their right to participate in all phases of the electoral process with ease and without any assistance, as it adapts its publications, procedures, outreach, awareness and media material for them as well.
It should be indicated that; most polling centers are rehabilitated to accommodate the needs of people with disabilities. Signs are installed on the ground to facilitate the movement and the polling of visually impaired voters without needing an assistant. In order to facilitate the access of physically impaired voters, the CEC has designated polling stations (rooms) located at ground floors to facilitate their movement and encourage their participation, taking in consideration that most polling centers are rehabilitated schools.
As for publications and awareness material, the CEC added sign language translation to all of its awareness videos. It has also designed explanatory publications and brochures in a manner that suits the needs of people with disabilities. The CEC produced hundreds of publications for the 2021 Local elections in Braille. Besides that, it created recorded simulation videos that depict the polling process in a visual manner to accommodate the needs of illiterate people. As well as equipping its website with a screen reader for the visually impaired.
On another note, the CEC is working directly and indirectly to include people with disabilities in its projects with Palestinian Society’s CSOs. Such projects aim at raising awareness about electoral rights, and at motivating this important group’s participation in the electoral process as voters, candidates, and observers. It is estimated that more than 30 thousand people with disabilities will benefit directly or indirectly from the activities of these projects.