Calling upon candidates campaigning ahead of parliamentary elections in July, Croatia’s Ombudswoman has urged parties to desist from using people with disabilities and children as a mere election gimmick and to ensure that they present the manifestos and political programmes in accessible formats.
Ombudswoman Anka Slonjsak urged all candidates to respect the rights of people with disabilities in a press release. She underscored in the press release that numerous actions in previous political campaigns harm people and children with disabilities.
The problematic position of people and children with disabilities is often used to increase a political party’s rating and show their social awareness.
More importantly, the announcements and statements made during a campaign related to the rights and welfare of people with disabilities are rarely translated into actions and show a lack of respect for their voting and political participation rights.
When it comes to the choice of polling stations, we have often noticed that people with disabilities cannot access them, so it necessary to provide locations accessible to people with disabilities and other people with reduced mobility, Slonjsak said.
There should also be polls in healthcare facilities and social welfare institutions where people with disabilities reside because they have difficulties exercising their voting rights, unlike, for example, people in the prison system, for whom special polling stations are organised.
Moreover, the marked under-representation of people with disabilities in political life points to many obstacles that are put in their way when it comes to how political parties function.
