Timor-Leste’s disability groups press for accessible and private voting

Event

20/07/2023

ANFREL’s final report dated 20 July 2023 highlighted the role of disability organisations in monitoring Timor-Leste’s parliamentary election on 21 May 2023. The report listed 151 observers from Ra’es Hadomi Timor Oan and described demands for polling places where disabled citizens could cast their votes independently and in secret. [1]

Disabled voters put practical changes forward

Organisations had submitted recommendations to electoral authorities in January 2023, including accessible premises, lower voting booths for wheelchair users and ballot templates for blind voters. ANFREL reported that assistance and priority-voting rules did not always translate into an accessible experience on election day. [1]

Observers call for checks before the next election

In its interim statement posted on 24 May 2023, ANFREL called for accessibility audits and cooperation with civil society. It recommended ballot templates to protect blind voters’ secrecy and collecting information about disabled voters during registration. The majority of locations its observers visited were inaccessible to wheelchairs. [2]

A survey brings electoral authorities and advocates together

UNDP published its disability-inclusion survey page on 22 June 2023. The survey was conducted with the electoral administration STAE and the Disability Association of Timor-Leste after the 2022 presidential election. Data collection ran from August to October 2022 across all 14 municipalities, including Atauro.

Disabled voters put practical changes forward

Observers call for checks before the next election

A survey brings electoral authorities and advocates together

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