election-watch.eu

Brussels, 27 June 2023: Election-Watch.EU was invited to join the panel of the Seminar Session “One year left to the European elections. What are the major challenges? What can be done to reach equality in political participation?” of the “A Union of Equality – Disability Rights and Strategies Seminar” organised by the Swedish EU Presidency and the European Commission in Brussels on 27 June 2023.

Fellow panelists included Alejandro Moledo del Río, Deputy Director of the European Disability Forum, Marie-Hélène Boulanger, Acting Director  Rule of Law, Fundamental Rights and Democracy in the Directorate-General for Justice and Consumers, MEP Domenec Ruiz Devesa, AFCO Rapporteur of the new EU electoral law, and Pirkko Mahlamäki, Finnish Disability Forum, besides Armin Rabitsch from Election-Watch.EU. The session was moderated by Krzysztof Pater, Vice president of the European Economic and Social Committee. 

Mr. Yannis Vardakastanis, President of the European Disability Forum, in his opening speech pointed out what still needs to be achieved in terms of inclusion and accessibility for persons with disabilities.

Ms. Ana Peláez Narváez, Chair of the UN Committee on the Elimination of Discrimination against Women, made a strong statement for raising awareness about intersectionality and stimulating professional and human rights based public policy measures.

Armin Rabitsch made reference to the good practices collected during Election-Watch.EU’s comparative research across all 27 EU Member States about inclusion and accessibility of European elections of persons with disabilities, which fed into EDF’s Annual Human Rights Report.

accessibility, equality, persons with disabilities in elections