NO CONDITIONS CREATED IN ARMENIA FOR PROVIDING PARTICIPATION OF DISABLED PEOPLE IN ELECTIONS
Noyan Tapan
Feb 14, 2008
YEREVAN, FEBRUARY 14, NOYAN TAPAN. Conditions have not been created
as yet in Armenia for a complete provision of the participation of
disabled people in the elections. This statement was made by Suren
Ohanian, the Chairman of the Paros (Lighthouse) non-governmental
organization, who is involved in the problems of disabled people,
at the press conference held on February 14.
According to him, approximately 87% of the electoral constituencies
of Armenia were not available for disabled people during the previous
elections. It was mentioned that about 5% of the 148 thousand disabled
people living in the republic, who have suffrage, is able to take
part in the elections.
Suren Ohanian stated that a program directed at the improvement of the
availability of disabled people in the electoral processes is being
implemented by the assistance of the IFES international organization
together with the Lusastgh non-governmental organization. Within the
frameworks of the program about 20 sloping platforms will be built
in the constituencies of all the regions of the republic. In addition
to this, 7 more sloping platforms will be built by the assistance of
the USA International Development Agency.
Work on keeping different groups of disabled people informed is
being implemented within the frameworks of the program. It was also
mentioned that 39 disabled people will conduct a monitoring mission
on the day of the RA Presidential elections.