A workshop on promoting the participation of Persons with Disabilities in the political sphere and the electoral process was held at the NIEC main office on the 27th August.
Persons with Disabilities (PWDs) form a larger section of the Somali population and their rights are enshrined in the constitution.
The workshop was conducted by the UN office for human rights. The participants were NIEC top brass officials and staff members.
The workshop facilitators were Ms. Kirsten Young, Ms. Vehlin Long, Mr. Mohammed Harun and Mr. Mohammed Elmi, all from the UN Human rights office.
In her opening remarks, NIEC chairperson Ms. Halima Ismail emphasised on the need for the electoral commission staff to understand the rights of PWDs with emphasis in the electoral process.
The workshop largely focused on the Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities (CRPD), with the facilitators urging on a change of attitudes and approaches towards PWDs. They underscored the need to make a shift from the old narrative of viewing PWDs as “objects” of charity, medical treatment and social protection but rather be viewed as people with rights who are capable of being active members of the society.
Mr. Mohammed Harun, a disabled and an advisor with Somalia’s ministry of women and human rights outlined the laws currently in place to protect Persons with Disabilities. He also stated that a billion of the world’s population are people living with disabilities. Mr. Harun also indicated that the many Somali people with disabilities are attributed to the civil war and the ongoing violence in the country.
“The Somalis people with disability need to be recognized, their rights respected and their participation in the country’s politics promoted. Persons with Disabilities are not mentally impaired or physically handicapped, but are a people whom given an opportunity will perform”. Said Mr. Harun.
He underscored the importance of electing them to political offices, register them as voters or even giving them an opportunity to work with the electoral commission.
The discussions helped identify specific challenges in promoting the political participation of PWDs and provided ideas for concrete action that could bring positive results.
In her closing remarks, NIEC chair Ms. Halima Ismail stated that the electoral commission is committed to ensure the promotion of PWDs participation in the electoral process.