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Photo Gallery: Learning About Disability-Inclusive Elections in Bougainville

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On November 14, the International Foundation for Electoral Systems (IFES) conducted a training for the Office of the Bougainville Electoral Commissioner (OBEC) and disability rights advocates in the Autonomous Region of Bougainville in Papua New Guinea (PNG). IFES Senior Inclusion Officer Rebecca Aaberg and IFES PNG Gender Equity and Social Inclusion Officer Aileen Sagolo led interactive lessons on disability rights, barriers to and strategies for inclusive participation, and mainstreaming disability in the first-ever OBEC Strategic Plan.

“I have realized we don’t prioritize or even really consider voters with disabilities. When I go back to work, I will look for ways to make sure data is collected on people with disabilities so they can be registered and vote.” – Lorraine Binta, OBEC Data Roll Coordinator

To view the photo gallery on Flickr, please here or on the image below.

Men and women sit and stand around a table with a flip chart. A woman writes with a marker.

Training participants, including a Deaf advocate (right), discussed barriers to inclusive participation and came up with strategies for engaging persons with disabilities through the electoral legal framework, work at the OBEC, voter registration, voter education and awareness, and voting on Election Day.

The “Bougainville Electoral Support Program” is supported by the Australian and New Zealand Governments in partnership with the Autonomous Bougainville Government and the Government of Papua New Guinea.