Originally published here.

This is a study about how people with disabilities take part in politics. This study was written by the Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights at the United Nations.

Political rights

All people who have the nationality of a country are called citizens. All citizens have the right to have a say in how their country is run. This means they have political rights. Political rights are for example:

· The right to vote in elections In elections, citizens choose who will run their country, their region or their city. For example, citizens elect their Members of Parliament.

· The right to become a candidate in elections Everyone has the right to stand for elections. This means that everyone can be a candidate in elections. A person with a disability should also be able to be a candidate, if he or she fulfills the conditions, as any other citizen. This means other citizens can vote for you in elections. When you get enough votes, you become a representative. For example, a Member of Parliament is a representative who has been elected.

· The right to take part in politics Citizens can take part in politics. It means they can have a say in the way their country is run. This is when citizens become involved in politics, or when they give their opinions on important decisions. But citizens can also have a say in how their country is run when they vote in elections. By voting, citizens choose who they want to run the country.

· Get a job in the public service Public service means all offices where people work for their country and its citizens. For example, police officers are part of the public service. Governments should make sure that all people have equal chances to get a job in the public service. This means the conditions to get the job must be the same for everyone. People with disabilities should also have the chance to apply for jobs in the public service.

What the Convention on the rights of persons with disabilities says

The Convention of the United Nations on the rights of persons with disabilities is a list of rights that people with disabilities have. The Convention is made up of different parts called articles. Normally, each article stands for one right. Article 29 is about the right to take part in politics. This article says that all people with disabilities have the same right to take part in politics as other citizens. The Convention also asks governments to make sure that people with disabilities have the same chances to take part in politics as anyone else.

This means they have to support people with disabilities. By taking part in politics, people with disabilities can make sure that governments make laws and decisions that are good for people with disabilities. The right to vote and stand for elections is very important. It gives people with disabilities a chance to make important decisions. It also means that people with disabilities are equal before the law with other citizens. Governments have to encourage people with disabilities to be more involved in the community by

· joining organisations of people interested in politics

· joining political parties

· getting together and forming organisations of people with disabilities.

You can read the complete study here.