Vote4All.eu
The project aims to inform and equip persons with cerebral palsy (CP) and other complex disabilities, as well as their representative organisations at national level, on how to advocate for their right to participate in the political process.
It will train “democracy champions” at national level on how to ensure that persons with disabilities can exercise their right to vote, and will highlight innovative solutions to promote the participation of persons with disabilities in the democratic process.
Exchange visits will showcase the achievements and challenges of national CP and disability organisations in Italy, the Netherlands, Portugal and Slovenia.
The project also aims to encourage the democracy champions to become politically engaged themselves, by training them in how the European Union works, how it impacts on the lives of persons with disabilities, and how they can improve the representation of persons with disabilities.
It will culminate in a study visit to Brussels and an online “Democracy Day” conference at which the democracy champions will have the opportunity to engage with policymakers and present solutions to improve the participation of persons with disabilities in the democratic process.
It is expected that the democracy champions will then become ambassadors for change at national level, and the project will provide them with the resources to do so.
Why?
Universal suffrage implies that all persons of eligible age have the right to vote. For many persons with disabilities, this right exists in principle but not in practice. There are legal restrictions, physical barriers, technical complications and more. 400,000 EU citizens with disabilities were denied the right to vote at the European Parliament elections in 2019 due to their disability.
Democratic participation also requires citizens to exercise their right to vote. When electoral candidates do not reflect the general population, it is inevitable that the motivation to vote will be diminished among those who feel underrepresented. Only two of 705 Members of the European Parliament have a visible disability.
Events
Democracy & Disability
23-24 January 2025
Online Training on Accessibility and Inclusion in the Democratic Process
- Programme
- The universal right to vote and participate in the democratic process – Oliver Lewis
- Barriers to the right to vote and stand for election in the EU – Alejandro Moledo
- Crash course on the EU democratic process – John Coughlan
Study Visit to Milan, Italy
13-15 February 2025
Focus on Civic Engagement and Social Inclusion
Study Visit to Ljubljana, Slovenia
12-14 March 2025
Focus on Legal Capacity to Vote
Study Visit to Lisbon & Porto, Portugal
7-11 April 2025
Focus on Accessible Voting
Study Visit to the Hague, Netherlands
26-28 May 2025
Focus on Representation of People with Disability
Study Visit to Brussels, Belgium
15-17 July 2025
Focus on the EU Democratic Process
Democracy Day
15 September 2025
Interactive online conference highlighting solutions to democratic participation and profiling inspirational individuals – on the International Day of Democracy
- Programme coming soon
- Registration Form
Participation Conditions
Online Events
Participation in the online events on 23-24 January and 15 September 2025 is open to everyone who is interested. Please simply register at the links above to receive the link to the event.
Study Visits
The number of places in the in-person study visits is limited and subject to an application process. Participants will receive a significant contribution towards their travel and accommodation costs. Click on the following link to read the participation conditions and on the links above to apply: Study Visit Participation Conditions.
Key documents
- United Nations Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities (especially Article 29)
- EU Strategy for the rights of persons with disabilities 2021-2030
- “Political participation of people with disabilities – new developments” (EU Fundamental Rights Agency)
- “6th Human Rights Report 2022: political participation of persons with disabilities” (European Disability Forum)
Echoes from…
- Disabilità: Vote4All forma “campioni della democrazia”
(Disability: Vote4All trains “champions of democracy”)
- Center Sonček Šiška je pripravil študijski obisk v okviru projekta Vote4All.eu
(Center Sonček Šiška organized a study visit within the framework of the Vote4All.eu project)
- Porto comprometido em fomentar a participação democrática de pessoas com paralisia cerebral
(Porto committed to promoting democratic participation for people with cerebral palsy)
- CNE participa em sessão sobre participação política de pessoas com deficiência no âmbito do projeto Vote4All
(CNE participates in a session on political participation of people with disabilities within the framework of the Vote4All project)
Partners
Associated Partners
Supporting Organisations
Disclaimer
Funded by the European Union. Views and opinions expressed are however those of the author(s) only and do not necessarily reflect those of the European Union or the European Education and Culture Executive Agency (EACEA). Neither the European Union nor EACEA can be held responsible for them.