The Malta Federation of Organisations Persons with Disability is calling for the right of persons with disability to vote in secrecy.

“In line with the CRPD, the majority of EU countries offer persons with disabilities the possibility of freely choosing assistance to vote. However, in Greece and Malta, only election officials can assist persons with disabilities, something that may effectively discourage voters to participate in the elections.”

The Federation explained that the above information is quoted from the Executive Summary of the European Disability Forum (EDF)’s European Human Rights Report , Issues 6 – 2022, Human Rights Report on the political participation of Persons with Disabilities.

The Malta Federation of Organisations Persons with Disability (MFOPD) is the Malta representative on the European Disability Forum (EDF).

The UNCRPD is an international human rights treaty which reaffirms that persons with disability should enjoy all human rights and fundamental freedoms. All EU members states and the EU have ratified the UNCRPD, Malta included.

The Federation pointed out that Article 29 of the Convention requires that all Contracting States protect “the right of the person with disabilities to vote by secret ballot in elections and public referendums. ”

Once again, it said, “Malta’s general elections held earlier this year were not totally accessible to all persons with disability and once again, some of the persons with disability who decided to exercise their right to vote had to do this not in an anonymous voting manner.”

The Federation insisted that “persons with disability in Malta should be able to vote in secrecy as is done by the general Maltese population.”

With the 2024 European Parliament elections approaching, MFOPD joins EDF and urged national decision makers “to acknowledge, consider and implement” the following recommendations:

“Guarantee all persons with disability the right to vote and to stand for election

Maximise accessibility, including to information; and

Provide reasonable accommodation so that persons with disability can vote independently and secretly.”

Permalink: MFOPD calls for the right of persons with disability to vote in secrecy