December 2011 – UN Economic and Social Commission for Asia and the Pacific– Regional Stakeholder Consultation for the High-level Intergovernmental Meeting on the Final Review of the Implementation of the Asian and Pacific Decade of Disabled Persons, 2003-2012 (Second Session)69 Goal 2: Promote participation in political processes and in decision making. The following suggestions were made for consideration: (a) A new target on “Increase participation of self-help organizations and family advocacy groups in national, sub-national and local advocacy organizations” (b) Include “youth with disabilities”; “persons with intellectual disabilities”; and “persons with psychosocial disabilities”; “reasonable accommodation and capacity building for persons with diverse disabilities to exercise their right to vote”; and “representative organizations of persons with disabilities and their family members” (c) Reflect “participation of persons with disabilities in local legislative bodies and in the judicial process”; “decision making bodies in other development sectors”; the inclusion of “diverse disability groups not only in the national coordination mechanism, but also in subnational coordination mechanisms (provincial/State; and local)” (d) Include reference to the need for election-related information materials, and procedures to be made accessible for persons with diverse disabilities, including the registration of persons with disabilities as voters Annex (e) Add “Inclusion of persons with disabilities and their organizations in the national election commission or equivalent body” 69 “Regional Stakeholder Consultation for the High-level Intergovernmental Meeting on the Final Review of the Implementation of the Asian and Pacific Decade of Disabled Persons, 2003-2012.” Social Development in Asia and the Pacific. The Social Development Division of the United Nations Economic and Social Commission for Asia and the Pacific. <http://www.unescapsdd.org/disability/event/regional>. Equal Access: How to Include Persons with Disabilities in Elections and Political Processes 81

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