Today, Inclusion International spoke at the UN about the right to vote.

Dr. Oliver Lewis gave a speech in Geneva on behalf of our network. Oliver is a human rights lawyer focusing on healthcare law and disability rights, who is also a member of Inclusion International and a Catalyst expert.

Dr. Lewis worked with Inclusion International develop inclusive guidelines with the United Nations Development Program (UNDP).

He spoke on the Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities (CRPD) Day of General Discussion on Article 29.

Oliver Lewis speaks on behalf of Inclusion International at the UN’s Day of General Discussion on Article 29, calling for full political participation for people with intellectual disabilities.

Article 29 is about the right of people with disabilities to take part in politics. It says that everyone has the right to vote, run for office, and take part in public life.

Oliver talked about the barriers people with intellectual disabilities face when voting.

Many countries still do not allow people with intellectual disabilities to vote. Some laws say they cannot make decisions. This is wrong.

If a person cannot vote, they are not seen as equal citizens. Politicians may ignore them when making laws and policies.

Even in places where people can vote, elections are often not accessible. There is little easy-to-read information. Some people face stigma when they try to take part.

A self-advocate from Spain told us: “I suffered prejudice when voting because they believed that I was not capable.”

Inclusion International worked with the UN to look at this issue. We found 45 ways to check if elections are inclusive.

We asked the UN to include these in their guidance to governments.

The right to vote is about being included in society. Governments must change laws, make elections accessible, and challenge discrimination.

Watch Oliver’s speech here: UN Web TV. The speech starts at 18:20.