People with disabilities can now expect improved access to electoral processes

People with disabilities can expect improved access to electoral processes after the Fijian Elections Office and various organisations representing disabled persons in Fiji signed on the Terms of Reference for Election Disability Access Working Group.

Supervisor of Elections, Mohammed Saneem says this will allow persons with disabilities to access electoral processes just like any ordinary citizen.

He says they are trying to make it more fair and accessible and keep building from what they have achieved in the last elections.

The Director Operations of the Elections Office, Anaseini Senimoli says accessibility is paramount.

She says the 1,436 polling venues were scrutinized by the working group and recommendations were given back to the Office.

Senimoli says as a result, one polling venue was closed because it did not meet the criteria for accessibility and an alternative venue was opened.

She adds the working group worked closely with the operations team at the Elections Office to ensure there were ramps and railings available at some polling venues, vehicle parking spaces for the disabled, all polling stations to be on the ground floor, the entrance and exit doorways allowed sufficient width area to allow wheelchair access in and out of the polling stations and waiting areas are available for voters before entering the polling stations.

The Executive Director for National Council for Persons with Disabilities, Lemeki Cagialau has acknowledged the Fijian Elections Office for bringing about changes in electoral processes and procedures that will promote persons with disabilities in achieving high level of involvement in the upcoming elections.