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Celebrating International Day of Persons with Disabilities
The annual International Day of Persons with Disabilities, held on December 3, commemorates the human rights of persons with disabilities. The theme for this year’s International Day of Persons with Disabilities is “Empowering persons with disabilities and ensuring inclusiveness and equality.” In 2018, IFES partnered with disabled people’s organizations in every region of the world to develop new tools and approaches to empower people with disabilities to participate in political life.
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Empowering Kenyan Women with Disabilities as Policy Advocates
IFES’ Kenya Electoral System Support project collaborated with Women Challenged to Challenge (WCC), an umbrella disabled people’s organization, to develop a policy platform document that will support women with disabilities’ advocacy efforts. WCC Director Jane Kihungi spoke to IFES about the document's impact on persons with disabilities' engagement with local government.
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IFES Signs Global Disability Summit Charter for Change
On July 24, the United Kingdom Department for International Development, the International Disability Alliance and the Government of Kenya will host the first-ever Global Disability Summit. IFES, represented by IFES President Bill Sweeney, will participate and has signed the Charter for Change, the summit’s principal legacy document outlining actions that must be taken to ensure the rights, freedoms, dignity and inclusion for all persons with disabilities.
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Creating a Policy Platform to Advocate for Rights of Kenyan Women with Disabilities
Women with disabilities often face barriers such as multiple forms of discrimination and lack access to decision-making processes as a result of their intersectional identities. IFES and Women Challenged to Challenge (WCC), a disabled people’s organization (DPO) run by women in Kenya, are implementing the “Power to Persuade: Empowering Women with Disabilities to Influence Public Policy” initiative, with support from Global Affairs Canada, to amplify the voices of Kenyan women with disabilities to participate in political life.
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Advancing Disability Rights in Southeast Asia through Regional Network of Advocates
In 2011, IFES established the General Election Network for Disability Access (AGENDA) across Southeast Asia. A creative partnership between disabled persons’ organizations (DPOs) and election-focused civil society organizations, AGENDA serves as a forum to improve access to political and electoral opportunities for persons with disabilities by increasing public awareness and elevating advocacy efforts that call for change.
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Training Myanmar DPOs on Disability Rights, Media, and Elections
On October 12-13, the International Foundation for Electoral Systems (IFES) held a Building Resources in Democracy, Governance and Elections (BRIDGE) training on “Disability Rights, Media, and Elections” for 25 people representing five disabled people’s organizations (DPOs) in Yangon, Myanmar including IFES’ local partner the Myanmar Independent Living Initiative (MILI).
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Robust Multimedia Campaign Supports Liberia's Pivotal 2017 Elections
Conducting elections in Liberia is a challenging endeavor. Along with a lack of basic transportation and communications infrastructure, over half the population (53%) is illiterate. As such, civic and voter awareness campaigns cannot be conducted through many traditional mediums like print media. In partnership with the National Elections Commission and 27 grassroots civil society organizations (CSOs) in all 15 counties of the country, the IFES Liberia team developed a creative and compelling voter education and awareness campaign.
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New Guide for Including Women with Disabilities in Liberia’s Elections
In July, IFES and the National Elections Commission of Liberia (NEC) Gender Section produced a new guide to support the integration of women with disabilities at the NEC and in its programming. “How to Include Women with Disabilities: A Guide for the Electoral Process in Liberia” includes good practice examples from the NEC Gender Section’s work to empower women and persons with disabilities to participate fully.
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New Tools for Disability-Inclusive Elections in Liberia
In July 2017, IFES, working closely with the National Elections Commission of Liberia Gender Section, developed new tools to enhance the engagement of persons with disabilities in political life. The practical steps taken by the NEC Gender Section, with IFES’ assistance, to support the meaningful participation of Liberian women and men with disabilities have built on previous IFES interventions in December 2016 and February 2017.
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Disability Rights Advocate and 2016 Charles T. Manatt Democracy Award Recipient
As Myanmar prepared for its historic 2015 general elections, IFES spoke with Nay Lin Soe, the articulate founder and CEO of the Myanmar Independent Living Initiative (MILI), to discuss the barriers encountered by persons with disabilities, the remarkable advances that have been achieved for persons with disabilities in Myanmar in the last five years, and MILI’s work in the lead up to Myanmar’s historic 2015 elections.