UN Special Rapporteur seeks input on equal political participation for people with disabilities
The United Nations’ Special Rapporteur on the rights of persons with disabilities, Heba Hagrass, is currently seeking input and comments regarding equal participation of persons with disabilities in political life.
In her upcoming report to the 61st session of the Human Rights Council, the Special Rapporteur will examine the barriers, effective legal and policy measures, as well as other promising practices that protect the rights of persons with disabilities to stand for elections and to hold public office. Through this report, the Special Rapporteur seeks to raise awareness of existing barriers and formulate practical recommendations to ensure that persons with disabilities have equal opportunities, particularly in local and national elections.
The Special Rapporteur is inviting Governments, National Human Rights Institutions, national Parliaments, independent monitoring mechanisms, civil society organizations and networks, including organizations of persons with disabilities, and other relevant stakeholders to contribute to the report by submitting information and comments on the following issues:
- Existing data on the level of political representation of persons with disabilities within local and national elected bodies.
- Legal restrictions on standing for elections and holding public office based on disability, including for people with intellectual disabilities, and specific examples of such policies.
- Existing stigma and ableist attitudes concerning the capacity of people with disabilities to stand for elections and hold public office effectively.
- Other barriers to enter politics, stand for elections and reach senior roles, including structural inaccessibility, financial challenges, and multiple and intersecting forms of discrimination.
- Examples of successful measures and supports to ensure equal rights for people with disabilities, including through reasonable accommodation, as well as specific examples and individual cases.
Inputs and comments must be sent by e-mail to hrc-sr-disability@un.org and received by 31 October 2025 at 12:00 (Geneva time). Submissions will be posted on the Special Rapporteur’s webpage when the report is published, except for those including a clear request not to be publicly disclosed.