Inclusion of Persons With Disabilities in Electoral Processes

The United Nations Integrated Electoral Assistance Team (IEAT) in South Sudan, in partnership with the National Elections Commission (NEC), successfully conducted a four-day BRIDGE modular workshop on “Equal Access: Inclusion of Persons With Disabilities in Electoral Processes.” This transformative initiative brought together electoral stakeholders from across South Sudan to address the critical challenge of ensuring meaningful democratic participation for persons with disabilities.

The workshop reinforced a fundamental truth: electoral accessibility transcends mere legal compliance – it embodies the core democratic principle that all citizens must be able to exercise their voting rights and participate fully in political life. Through dynamic interactive sessions, comprehensive assessments, and collaborative planning exercises, participants developed both the knowledge and practical tools necessary to identify and eliminate barriers preventing persons with disabilities from engaging in electoral processes.

The training emphasized the shared responsibility of all stakeholders – from the NEC and State High Electoral Commissions (SHEC) to civil society organizations and disability rights advocates – in creating an inclusive electoral environment that upholds the democratic values of equality and universal participation.

Held in Juba from June 17-20, 2025, the workshop was facilitated by BRIDGE international facilitators Natia Kashakashvili and Shalva Tskhakaya, working alongside national co-facilitators Nyilueth Malou Malek and Ahon Malou Lueth Makeny. The session welcomed 25 participants, demonstrating strong commitment from South Sudan’s electoral community to advancing inclusive practices.

The workshop equipped participants with both theoretical understanding and practical skills across twelve essential areas:

1. Establishing foundational knowledge of disability inclusion principles
2. Analyzing accessibility barriers throughout the electoral cycle
3. Understanding reasonable accommodations within existing legal frameworks
4. Developing stakeholder-specific inclusion strategies
5. Examining successful international models and best practices
6. Building institutional capacity for embedding inclusion practices
7. Conducting practical polling location accessibility assessments
8. Exploring technological solutions for enhanced access
9. Creating collaborative roadmaps for advancing electoral accessibility

A particular emphasis was placed on fostering sustainable partnerships between electoral stakeholders and disability rights organizations, recognizing that lasting change requires coordinated effort across all sectors.

Participant Feedback

Participants provided overwhelmingly positive feedback, highlighting several key strengths of the training:

Content Excellence: Participants particularly valued learning about barriers to electoral participation, international legal frameworks including the CRPD, electoral cycle mapping, reasonable accommodation concepts, and success stories from other countries. The practical exercises, especially polling station accessibility checklists, were deemed highly relevant to South Sudan’s context.

Methodology Appreciation: The participatory approach, featuring group work and hands-on exercises, received exceptional praise. Participants found the content well-organized and accessible, while commending the facilitators’ expertise and energy. The sequential, interconnected nature of topics enhanced understanding and retention.

Future-Focused Recommendations: Participants expressed strong enthusiasm for expanding the training to reach more stakeholders at state and grassroots levels, with particular emphasis on including civil society organizations representing persons with disabilities. There was unanimous support for ongoing capacity building leading up to South Sudan’s 2026 elections.

As one participant noted: “The BRIDGE curriculum is well organized with the needed materials and relevant collected information from different countries in the world with real scenarios. The facilitators are knowledgeable and the venue is conducive with excellent service.”

Moving Forward: From Knowledge to Action

The workshop’s success was measured not only in knowledge transfer but in participants’ demonstrated readiness to implement inclusive electoral practices. There was strong interest in institutionalizing disability inclusion within electoral management structures and a clear desire for continued capacity building and collaborative measures.

This training represents a significant milestone in South Sudan’s journey toward fully inclusive democratic processes. As the country prepares for its 2026 elections, the foundations laid through this workshop will be crucial in ensuring that all citizens, regardless of ability, can participate meaningfully in shaping their nation’s democratic future.

The commitment demonstrated by participants and the practical tools they have acquired signal a promising path forward for electoral accessibility in South Sudan, reinforcing the principle that democracy is strongest when it truly includes everyone.