It is estimated that between 3.3 million and 27 million people live with a disability in Pakistan, meaning up to 12% of the total population. This includes individuals with physical, visual, auditory, and intellectual impairments. People with disabilities often lack resources and established structures that help with daily life as well as with involvement in political, economic, and social participation. Pakistan has made significant progress in recent years toward creating a more inclusive system that allows for better access for political participation. In 2016, the Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) and the International Foundation for Electoral Systems (IFES) along with the Special Talent Exchange Program (STEP) recognized the importance of prioritizing the inclusion of persons with disabilities in the electoral process. Yet, more work needs to be done to ensure that political accessibility truly becomes a reality for all within Pakistan.
In the backdrop of the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals, Pakistan highlighted its commitments of inclusion for persons with disabilities in the electoral process through the Islamabad Declaration (2014) and the Forum of the Election Management Bodies of South Asia’s Colombo Resolution (2015). But these commitments mean little when implementation does not follow. The 2018 election showed that there were many barriers present to electoral participation for persons with disabilities.
The right to vote and to contest elections is the path through which persons with disabilities can make important contributions and decisions. Pakistan has ratified the UN Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities, which guarantees equal voting rights.
Many polling stations still fail to meet accessibility standards including lack of sign language staff, narrow doorways, and uneven floor surfaces causing disabled voters to require assistance from others to cast their ballots. It is necessary to conduct assessments of Election Commission buildings and create implementation plans that make them accessible. This can include locating all polling stations on ground floors, training ECP permanent staff on disability inclusion in the electoral process, and sensitizing polling staff to disability and gender barriers.
This process must require a cross-sectoral approach in order for positive and sustainable results to occur. For example, civil society organizations are critical in moving forward initiatives and implementations by providing expert information. Accessible election means that persons with disabilities are accommodated at polling stations with both comprehensive information regarding the electoral process and accessible location and transportation to polling stations. Using the expertise of activists, advocates, NGO professionals, public servants, and civil society, along with others and the government is the best way to comprehensively and sustainably create a truly accessible electoral process in Pakistan.
The right to vote and to contest elections is the path through which persons with disabilities can make important contributions and decisions. Pakistan has ratified the UN Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities, which guarantees equal voting rights. With smart policies and public-private partnerships, Pakistan can become a leader for the region. Additionally, in order to ensure social protection measures for all, it is necessary to ensure that opportunities and avenues exist for persons with disabilities to hold meaningful participation.
Pakistan has the potential not only to become a regional leader in fostering inclusivity, but also to strengthen its democratic foundations, ensuring that no individual is left behind in the upcoming elections.
In order to transform commitments into tangible improvements, it is essential for Pakistan to embark on a comprehensive and timely implementation of measures aimed at enhancing the electoral inclusion of persons with disabilities. The 2018 elections brought to light the persistent obstacles faced by disabled voters, emphasizing the urgent need for change. Addressing accessibility standards at polling stations, from providing sign language staff to ensuring even floor surfaces, demands meticulous assessments and robust implementation plans for Election Commission buildings.
Ground-level initiatives, such as locating all polling stations on the ground floor and imparting disability inclusion training to ECP permanent staff, are imperative. A cross-sectoral approach, involving the expertise of civil society organizations, activists, advocates, NGO professionals, public servants, and the government, is crucial for the sustained success of such endeavors. By prioritizing these initiatives, Pakistan has the potential not only to become a regional leader in fostering inclusivity, but also to strengthen its democratic foundations, ensuring that no individual is left behind in the upcoming elections.
The participation of disabled voters benefits not just individuals, but strengthens Pakistan’s democracy. Ensuring everyone can fully participate must remain a priority in upcoming elections.