A letter with 140 signatures from Chilean organizations that work for the inclusion of people with disabilities was sent to the president of the Senate, Adriana Muñoz, and to the president of the Constitution, Legislation, Justice and Regulation Commission, Senator Alfonso de Urresti. They ask to expeditiously process the approval of the project that seeks to safeguard and protect the participation of people with disabilities.
“The constituent process is a historic opportunity to think about the Chile we want. That is why we must guarantee the participation of people who have always been excluded, such as people with disabilities”, says Pablo Selles, founder and coordinator of “La Voz Propia”.
This platform seeks to highlight the importance of the participation of people with disabilities in the constituent process and whose first action was this initiative that had the support of more than 100 organizations, among which are Down21, Fundación Chilena Para la Discapacidad, Chile’s Deaf Association and Fundación Lupus Chile.
Through a statement, the organizations maintain that “in Chile 16% of the population has some degree of disability. Despite this, they are a group that has historically been invisible and marginalized from political activity.”
“In order to face this reality, in July the bill was generally approved seeking that 10% of the quotas in the candidacies are reserved for people with disabilities, but less than three months before the plebiscite, a milestone that marks the beginning of the constitutional process, the seats reserved for this group are not yet assured, “they explain.
For Soledad Alamos, director of the Filip Foundation, “a new constitution, to be legitimate it has to be a faithful reflection of the diversity of our country, we all have to feel represented by this new constitution.”
For her part, the president of the Down 21 foundation, Irma Iglesias, pointed out that “our constitution says that we are all born free and equal in rights and dignity. However, we have to ask not to be excluded from the constituent process”.
They report that the project is currently in its second process, waiting for indications to be presented by senators, a deadline that expired today, but has been extended until August 13.
“Once the modifications are entered, it will be voted on in the Senate Constitution Commission and later in the courtroom, to later be dispatched to the Chamber of Deputies,” they add. Finally they point out that “these missing steps demonstrate the need for an agreement between parliamentarians”
Along these lines, the founder and coordinator of “La Voz Propia”, Pablo Selles emphasized that for the groups that participated in this action, “it is urgent that the 10% of quotas reserved for candidates with disability to the constituent convention are approved”.
