Oliver Lewis presents to the UN Committee on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities

Today in Geneva, Oliver Lewis gave a presentation on behalf of Inclusion International at the day of general discussion on the right to political participation organised by the UN Committee on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities. 

Inclusion International is the global network of people with intellectual disabilities and their families working to advance the human rights and full inclusion of people with intellectual disabilities and their families around the world. 

Oliver’s comments drew from recent work of Inclusion International and its members, and in particular a publication jointly written with UNDP on “Political Participation of Persons with Intellectual or Psychosocial Disabilities”, published in November 2021, of which Oliver was the lead author. 

Nearly 20 years after the adoption of the UN Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities, one of the key barriers for persons with intellectual disabilities to participate in political and public life is the recognition of their right to make decisions under the law. Many countries around the world still deprive persons with intellectual disabilities from their right to vote and to be candidates in the elections. The denial of rights is based on outdated guardianship laws perpetuated by attitudes that people with intellectual disabilities are unable to reliably cast a vote. 

In countries where the right to vote is recognised, another barrier is the lack of accessibility of the elections process. This includes inaccessible information about parties and candidates, and the way to vote. For example, a focus group participant in Egypt told us, “They don’t give us any information about the candidates. That’s why I don’t know who they are? So how I could take part in the election?”

The UN CRPD Committee will publish a General Comment on the right to political participation later this year. 

Oliver accepts instructions by NGOs, governments on all aspects of the UN Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities. For more information, contact Doughty Street Chambers’ international team practice manager Naomi Smith.

You can watch the presentation here.