Myanmar: Union Election Commission to Promote Participatory Role of Persons with Disabilities

January 29, 2019

Union Election Commission (UEC) plans to step up its efforts to hold public educative programs for the inclusiveness of the people with disabilities in the 2020 General Election, said Hla Thein, Chair of the UEC, at the 4th Regional Disability Rights Dialogue held at Park Royal Hotel in Yangon on January 28.

The disabled plays an important role in the country’s development. Under the democracy system, the UEC will organize more educative programs for all-inclusiveness in the country’s electoral processes. With regard to the rights of the disabled in the 2020 General Election and beyond, the UEC plans to carry out the educative programs so as to promote the participatory role of the disabled, he added.

In implementing the Law for the Disabled, bylaws and strategy in accordance with the UN Convention on the Rights of Persons with disabilities, the UEC carried out the inclusion of the disabled in the electoral processes, enabled them to have the electoral rights and easy access to cast their ballots, in cooperation with Myanmar Independent Living Initiative, he continued.

The 4th Regional Disability Rights Dialogue is taking place at Park Royal Hotel in Yangon until January 29. At the two-day event, those who support the rights of the disabled and electoral experts are sharing good practices about the inclusion of the disabled in the politics.

On January 28, Vice-President-2 Henry Van Thio, UEC chair Hla Thein, Director Nay Lin Soe of Myanmar Independent Living Initiative and Charge d' Affaires Jeremy Kruse from Australian Embassy gave the speeches at the opening ceremony.

Source: Eleven Myanmar