ZAGREB, June 2, 2020 - Ombudswoman for people with disabilities Anka Slonjsak on Tuesday called on all candidates campaigning ahead of the election to refrain from using people and children with disabilities for election purposes.

Slonjsak underscored in a press release that she had noticed in previous political campaign numerous actions detrimental to people and children with disabilities.

The difficult position of people and children with disabilities is often used to increase a political party's rating and show their social awareness.

At the same time, such a declarative commitment to the rights of people with disabilities is not translated into actions that really show respect for their voting and political participation rights.

When it comes to the choice of polling stations, we have often noticed that people with disabilities cannot access them, so it necessary to provide locations accessible to people with disabilities and other people with reduced mobility, Slonjsak said.

There should also be polls in healthcare facilities and social welfare institutions where people with disabilities reside because they have difficulties exercising their voting rights unlike, for example, people in the prison system, for whom special polling stations are organised.

Moreover, the marked under-representation of people with disabilities in political life points to a number of obstacles that are put in their way when it comes to how political parties function.

The ombudswoman thus calles on political parties to present their political programs in a way that is accessible to people with disabilities, especially the deaf, the blind, and voters with intellectual disabilities, and to ensure polling stations are accessible to disabled people.