Click on a word which is in bold to read what it means.
In many European countries now
people under guardianship can vote.
For example, people under guardianship can now vote in:
- Denmark
- France
- Germany
- Spain.
But there are still many countries
where people under guardianship
cannot vote.
This is wrong!
Find out why:
People with intellectual disabilities
can make their own decisions
People with no intellectual disabilities
have the rights to make decisions
and they don’t need to explain them.
Even if they make the wrong decision.
People with intellectual disabilities
should have the same right.
And we should give them support.
We can support people with intellectual disabilities
in making their own decisions
People with intellectual disabilities
have the right to be supported
so they can be independent.
This also means:
- having information
in easy-to-read, - making things accessible
support them when they vote.
Everyone’s decisions are influenced
when we vote
Being influenced means
that someone tells you something
and you believe them.
Then you will do what they say,
because you think they are right.
This is part of politics.
Everyone must be careful
to not be influenced by bad people.
But this is a problem for all people.
Not just for people with intellectual disabilities.
Some people with intellectual disabilities
are very interested in politics
People with intellectual disabilities
are like everyone else.
Some of them don’t care about politics.
Others want to be elected as a politician.
The right to vote is a right for everyone.
You should have that right
even if you are not interested in politics.
Taking the right to vote away
from people with intellectual disabilities
is discrimination
The UN CRPD says
that people with intellectual disabilities
should be part of politics
like everybody else.
Voting and being elected
are part of this.
All EU Countries
have signed the UN CRPD.
The Council of Europe Commissioner for Human rights
has also agreed with it.
Not letting people with intellectual disabilities vote
is discrimination.
