Annex: Election Access Milestones Below are excerpts from international and regional milestones on the road to full inclusion of persons with disabilities in political life. For the full texts, please see the links. December 1948 – Universal Declaration of Human Rights56 – Article 21 1. Everyone has the right to take part in the government of his country, directly or through freely chosen representatives. 2. Everyone has the right to equal access to public service in his country. 3. The will of the people shall be the basis of the authority of government; this will shall be expressed in periodic and genuine elections which shall be by universal and equal suffrage and shall be held by secret vote or by equivalent free voting procedures. March 1976 – International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights57 – Article 25 Every citizen shall have the right and the opportunity, without any of the distinctions mentioned in Article 2 and without unreasonable restrictions: a. To take part in the conduct of public affairs, directly or through freely chosen representatives b. To vote and to be elected at genuine periodic elections which shall be by universal and equal suffrage and shall be held by secret ballot, guaranteeing the free expression of the will of the electors Annex c. To have access, on general terms of equality, to public service in his country 56 “The Universal Declaration of Human Rights.” United Nations. <http://www.un.org/en/documents/udhr/>. 57 United Nations Human Rights, “International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights.” <http://www.ohchr.org/en/ professionalinterest/pages/ccpr.aspx>. Equal Access: How to Include Persons with Disabilities in Elections and Political Processes 75