UN supports increased participation of persons with disabilities in 2023 national elections

The Government of Eswatini, through the office of the Deputy Prime Minister, is hosting a consultative meeting to increase the participation of persons with disabilities in the up-coming national elections in Eswatini.

The consultative meeting, supported under the United Nations Programme for Persons with Disabilities (UNPRPD) Project, was hosted by the Deputy Prime Minister, Senator Themba Masuku. It was attended by representatives of organisations of persons with disabilities, including the Federation of Persons with Disabilities (FODSWA), national advisory council as well as the Elections and Boundaries Commission.

The UNPRPD programme is led by UNFPA and supported by UNICEF and UNESCO. The programme seeks to support Government, organisations of persons with disabilities and civil society in advancing the implementation of the United Nations Organisations of the Rights of Persons with Disabilities (UNCRPD), which the country ratified in 2012. This is done through strengthening disability-inclusive accountability and governance; advancing of equality and non-discrimination; and ensuring UNRCRPD-compliant budgeting and financial management approaches.

In his remarks, the Deputy Prime Minister urged the Elections and Boundaries Commission to make sure that infrastructure for the election process is accessible for all persons with disabilities. He also urged persons with disabilities to embark on lobbying to get seats in parliament. “The 59 Members of Parliament who are elected from Tinkhundla then elect 10 Senators. This is an opportunity for you to lobby them to include persons with disabilities in this process,” he said. He also advised persons with disabilities to target all levels of the elections structure for participation, not just to become MPs. “We have Bucupho, for example, who are very influential people at the community level. This is another opportunity for persons with disabilities,” he noted.

UNFPA Head of Office, Margaret Thwala-Tembe, noted that the inclusion of persons with disabilities in political decision-making was essential to the achievement of Agenda 2030 of the SDGs. “For the world to achieve the Sustainable development goals, every citizen including persons with disabilities must play a part,” she said.  “That’s why we need voices of persons with disabilities where decisions are made, and their capacities are built to continue and lead in their communities during this time of elections.  Participation of persons with disabilities in the electoral process provides the basis for mainstreaming their inclusion in all aspects of society by breaking down social stigmas and increasing the accountability of elected representatives.”

During the consultation, speakers requested Government to provide grants to enable persons with disabilities to campaign as it was becoming expensive to do so on your own. “A majority of persons with disabilities are also poor which makes it difficult for them to campaign successfully,” said Bongani Makama, FODSWA President. He also requested the Deputy Prime Minister to lobby the appointing authority to consider persons with disabilities when making political appointments. “All we are asking for is 10 percent of political appointees are persons with disabilities,” said Makama.