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Insights

women in representative bodies is substantially to improve the implementation of electoral rights
higher than in previous years. of citizens with disabilities (hereinafter referred
In order to increase women’s political to as the Working Group). The Working Group
participation in society, the CEC, together with its included representatives of state bodies, civil society
partners, is conducting training and awareness- representing the interests of voters with disabilities,
raising activities. civic activists from among voters with disabilities
and international organizations.
Electoral Rights of PwDs In 2019-2020, the aforementioned ‘Working
In matters of ensuring the electoral rights of Group’ audited all polling stations. In February
persons with disabilities, the CEC of the Kyrgyz 2020, the number of polling places equipped
Republic administers on a regular basis, measures to with ramps reached 43%, in August – 65.7%, in
implement electoral rights and increase participation September - 79% and in December – 83.4%. In
of persons with disabilities in politics. September 2021, the number of polling stations
In order to implement Article 29 of the increased to - 85%. At the same time, at 185
“Convention on the Rights of Persons with polling stations there was no need for a ramp. The
Disabilities” and the “Strategy for ensuring the work on the provision of access to voting premises
electoral rights of persons with disabilities of August continues, including bringing them in line with the
8, 2019”, amendments were made to the election standards of accessibility. The CEC of the Kyrgyz
laws. Procedures were established for registering Republic equipped each polling station with signs
voters with disabilities. The concept of voter with for call buttons in Braille. Help call buttons are
disabilities was introduced, mechanisms for the placed to signal help to members of the precinct of
formation and implementation of their needs, election commission. At the moment the work from
map of persons quantity to quality is
with disabilities underway and there
were implemented The Working Group included representatives of state will be an audit of
and standards for bodies, civil society representing the interests of voters compliance with the
accessibility of with disabilities, civic activists from among voters with standards of ramp
polling stations were disabilities and international organizations. devices.
established. Besides Twice a year the
requirements for authorized state
information and campaigning in special formats and bodies send accounting information to the CEC
provision for voting assistance and registration were of the Kyrgyz Republic about the actual number
defined. of voters at in-patient medical and preventive
The CEC of the Kyrgyz Republic to improve treatment institutions, in places of detention
the inclusiveness of electoral processes adopted as suspects and defendants and persons with
the Regulation “On ensuring the electoral rights of disabilities.
citizens of certain categories during elections and
referenda in the Kyrgyz Republic”, approved by Ensuring Accessibility
CEC Decision No. 216 of November 17, 2016, the In order to ensure accessibility in voting, the
Regulation “On ensuring the implementation of corresponding election commission together with
electoral rights of citizens with disabilities during the territorial subdivisions of the authorized state
elections and referenda in the Kyrgyz Republic”, body in the sphere of social development compiles
approved by CEC Decision No. 506 of October 7, a map of the needs of voters with disabilities
2017. (hereinafter referred to as the map of needs). The
Decision No. 2 of June 20, 2019 of the CEC of map of needs is used to collect quantitative and
the Kyrgyz Republic established a working group qualitative data on voters with disabilities who need

October 2022 | VoICE International | 27