Aspects of the social and rights-based models can help inform inclusive political participation strategies. The social and rights-based models complement each other. The social model highlights that it is barriers put in place by society that exclude persons with disabilities, while the rights-based model emphasizes equal human rights of all citizens and an advocacy role for persons with disabilities. Rights-based Language A signed pledge by a political party in Macedonia, promising ratifica- There are various points of view about tion of the CRPD within the first 100 days of the new parliament folthe words used to describe disability. lowing the 2011 elections. Social model theorists prefer to use the term “disabled person” because it is consistent with the idea that people with impairments may be “disabled” by external, societal forces rather than by their impairment. These theorists use “disability” to refer to the exclusion resulting from that societal process rather than the impairment. Another method is to use “people-first” language. According to this method, a person’s disability is not his or her defining feature; it is one of many attributes. The phrases “persons with disabilities” and “people with disabilities” can be used interchangeably. This manual will use people-first language, as it is the standard set in the CRPD and USAID best practice. An exception to this rule is the use of “disabled persons’ organization,” or “DPO” to describe organizations comprised of and run by persons with disabilities. The term is not in keeping with people-first language, but has become the commonly preferred term to refer to this type of civil society organization. Do not be surprised if some persons with disabilities refer to themselves with words considered negative by other persons with disabilities. Disability is a constantly evolving concept. The chart below gives some examples of people-first language. Figure 2: People-first Language Say: 26 Instead of: Persons/people with disabilities Special needs, PWDs, handicapped He uses a wheelchair He is confined to a wheelchair/wheelchair-bound Voters without disabilities Normal/healthy people/able-bodied She has a physical disability She is crippled She is deaf/She is hard-of-hearing She is hearing impaired He has autism He is autistic She has an intellectual/psychosocial disability She is mentally retarded A child with Down syndrome Down’s child An individual with AIDS He suffers from AIDS/is afflicted with AIDS/is a victim of AIDS International Foundation for Electoral Systems and National Democratic Institute