

One out of seven people in the world has a disability, yet people with disabilities remain underrepresented in political and public life. Participation of persons with disabilities in the electoral process provides the basis for mainstreaming their inclusion in all aspects of society by breaking down social stigmas and increasing the accountability of elected representatives. IFES partners with organizations of persons with disabilities (OPDs), governments and civil society to advance the political and electoral rights of persons with disabilities around the world. IFES has worked with OPDs in more than 60 countries and is a recognized thought leader on political rights of persons with disabilities, receiving the InterAction Disability Inclusion Award in 2011 and two Zero Project Innovative Practice awards in 2015 and 2019.
IFES works to strengthen political inclusion by:
Explore our resources linked here to learn more and get involved.