ADRF representative, Mrs. Bardhylka Kospiri addresses the Parliamentary Commission on Electoral Reform, on the Electoral Rights of People with Disability in Albania.
Today, on October 7th, 2008, the Commission on Electoral Reform at the Albanian Parliament, invited in a hearing session, representatives of civil society organizations, Albanian Helsinki Committee for Human Rights, Albanian Disability Rights Foundation, INSIZ and G 99, to discuss and bring to the attention of MPs, their concerns and issues of interest to the Electoral Code.
The representative of ADRF, the disability advocate, Mrs. Bardhylka Kospiri, in her address to the Commission, articulated the importance of legal provisions to enable people with disability, exercise their right to vote.
Despite hard efforts, aiming at the complete involvement in the electoral processes and therefore the fulfillment of the constitutional right to equal, direct and secret voting for voters with disability, including blind people, people with moving difficulties, people with communication problems, hospitalized people or people not able to move out of their residences (home-bound voters), all this category of voters, are still excluded and can’t exercise this right because the existing Electoral Code, still continues to create barriers to them.
Today on this hearing session, ADRF presented a complete package of recommendations that aim to improve the access of people with disabilities in the political and electoral life of the country as part of the Electoral Reform that is under process in the Albanian Parliament. These recommendations were also supported by Disability and Development Coalition, Albania.
In her speech, Mrs Kospiri, emphasized the necessity to ensure the right to vote for home – bound voters, through mobile ballot box, as well as provision of accessibility and other facilities for those who can go to the voting centers.
Mrs. Kospiri appealed that inclusion of these recommendations in the New Electoral Code, will contribute to ensuring a law that complies with European and international Standards.