Executive Summary Equal Access: How to Include Persons with Disabilities in Elections and Political Processes is a manual that provides strategies and tools for strengthening the participation of persons with disabilities in elections and political processes. Drawing on experiences from the International Foundation for Electoral Systems (IFES) and the National Democratic Institute (NDI), this manual recognizes the fundamental role political participation plays in helping persons with disabilities influence policies that affect their lives and establish a foundation for inclusion in all aspects of society. Elections provide a unique opportunity to increase participation and change public perceptions about the abilities of persons with disabilities. As a result, persons with disabilities can have a stronger political voice and be increasingly recognized as equal citizens. This sets the stage for ongoing participation in their communities and social and economic integration. Equal Access identifies the challenges persons with disabilities face in political participation and provides ways to mitigate them. This manual also recognizes that – alongside these unique barriers – persons with disabilities confront the same challenges affecting citizens in new and emerging democracies. Equal Access includes guidance on how to empower persons with disabilities to play active roles in the electoral process as election administrators, poll workers, voters, candidates, policy advocates, monitors, educators and/or campaigners. Involvement empowers persons with disabilities and positively shapes the political process and democratization outcomes. Many of the approaches outlined in Equal Access emphasize partnerships with a range of stakeholders, such as electoral officials, media, political parties, disabled persons’ organizations (DPOs) and other civil society organizations. However, regardless of the approach used to increase political inclusion, it is important to engage persons with disabilities from the outset of program design. This ensures that persons with disabilities are also equal partners who have a voice in decisions that affect their lives. The United Nations Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities (CRPD) serves as the guiding framework for the manual and provides the legal basis and a set of standards for the full and equal participation of persons with disabilities in public life. Articles 29 and 12 are particularly relevant for election-related activities. In support of the CRPD’s objectives, the manual presents four mutually supportive strategies to increase the political participation of persons with disabilities: • Build the capacity of DPOs and empower their members through trainings on the electoral system, government structure, and basic organizational and advocacy skills. This helps build the political profile of DPOs and enables organizations to get their issues onto the political agenda. • Support government institutions such as legislatures and election management bodies (EMBs) to create legal and regulatory frameworks that provide an opportunity for increasing political participation of persons with disabilities and encourage partnerships with DPOs. Equal Access: How to Include Persons with Disabilities in Elections and Political Processes 15