REPUBLIC OF MOLDOVA Access of persons with disabilities to the electoral process Achievements and perspectives CENTRAL ELECTORAL COMMISSION

General information  Located in South-Eastern Europe  Area: 33,8 thousand km²  Population: 3,58 million*  Urban/Rural: 42,25% / 57,75%  According to the SRV**: 3,22 million of citizens with the right to vote *( ) ** SRV – State Register of Voters

Current situation  Persons with disabilities: (5.2% of the population)  About 15 % of the polling stations’ premises comply with accessibility conditions  Restriction to vote – persons whose incapability has been recognized by a final court decision

UN Convention on the Rights of persons with Disabilities  Signed by the Republic of Moldova on March 30, 2007  Ratified by the Parliament on July 9, 2010  The Law on Social Inclusion of Persons with Disabilities (no. 60 dated )

Three voting procedures:  Ordinary voting  Assisted voting  Voting at the place of stay – with the mobile voting box

Achievements in the area of accessibility to the electoral process Area of mobile disabilities Adjustment of the secret voting booths to special needs (size 50 cm*30cm*150cm)

Area of mobile disabilities Equipping the polling stations with special ramps

Visual disabilities  Extending the project for testing the voting procedure using the template- envelope for the voters with visual disabilities (57 polling stations, of which one is located abroad)  Shooting the didactic-methodological movie “Direct and secret voting of persons with visual disabilities using the template-envelope”  Development of a poster explaining the voting procedures

Visual disabilities  Printing the Voter’s Guide in Braille language  Developing the audio version of the Voter’s Guide  Developing the audio motivational spots in Romanian and Russian languages  Special rulers for the voter to apply the signature in the voters’ list  Voting booths equipped with additional light sources and magnifiers

Hearing disabilities  Involving 2 persons with hearing disabilities as observers in the parliamentary elections from 2014  Employing on the election day and the day after of 2 translators mimic- gesture for translating the CEC meetings

CEC’s short-term objectives in the area of accessibility  Setting a special column in the SRV for identification of persons with disabilities  Including more persons with disabilities as electoral officials and observers  Examining and approving a regulation on accessibility of electoral process  Obliging the broadcasters to ensure the translation of the shows with electoral topics  Implementing at the national level the project on using the template- envelopes in all polling stations and/or some alternative means for unassisted voting

Long-term objectives in the area of accessibility to voting  Improving continuously the normative acts so as to increase the level of accessibility to electoral procedures  Developing alternative voting means: remote voting, voting with the help of special equipment for blind persons

Access of persons with disabilities to the electoral process

UNDP Moldova Implementation of UN Convention on the rights of Persons with Disabilities (CRPD) Training and awareness for:  representatives of Local Public Administration throughout the country on the elaboration of local plans for CRPD implementation;  justice system professionals (judges, lawyers, prosecutors) to apply national and CRPD standards with regard to people with disabilities; Review of rules and regulations:  Ministry of Labour, Social Protection and Family has been supported in making consistent with the CRPD standards;

UNDP Moldova Combating torture in psychiatric facilities:  Institutionalisation of the position of Patients Advocate in Psychiatry Institutions;  Training courses for prosecutors and defence lawyers organised on combating and investigation of torture in psychiatry institutions;  Guidelines on the investigation of torture in psychiatry institutions has been drafted taking leading international experience and best practices;

UNDP Moldova Supporting civil society through the provision of grants for:  Monitoring and reporting on the situation in psychiatry institutions;  Improvement of accessibility of key social, health and cultural institutions:  Training: people with psycho-social and intellectual disabilities to live an independent life; people with hearing impairments and supporting their employment  Raising awareness through photos – “photo voice” technique  Promotion of inclusion in mainstream schools of children with disabilities;  Strategic litigation on the rights of people with disabilities.

UNDP Moldova accessibility work  Building or improving accessibility of buildings where health and social institutions are located;  UN House accessibility improved and accessible toilet constructed  Working with business partners to make their premises accessible.

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