An opening ceremony of Disability Inclusion Training organized by the Union Election Commission and Myanmar Independent Living Initiative (MILI) held in Nay Pyi Taw yesterday. Photo: MNA
A Disability Inclusion Training held jointly by the Union Election Commission and Myanmar Independent Living Initiative (MILI) was introduced with an opening ceremony at the training hall of the UEC’s office in Nay Pyi Taw yesterday. UEC members U Tun Khin, U Saw Daniel Kyi, U Aung Soe Win and U Than Aung, and officials from the UEC office.
UEC Chairman U Hla Thein delivered a speech, saying 4.6 per cent of the national population (2.3 million people) are living with disabilities, according to the 2014 Myanmar Census, and 1.5 million from among them have the right to vote. He said the UEC works in line with the UN Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities, the Constitution of Myanmar, and the Rights of Persons with Disabilities Law to ensure PLWDs can exercise their right to vote or run for election. He said MILI is the first organization to collaborate with UEC on the rights of PLWDs and have provided their assistance in the commission’s tasks concerning the elections. U Hla Thein said PLWDs now enjoyed better voting procedures in the 2015 General Elections and the 2017, 2018 byelections. He said a national strategy for 2019-2022 was designed for inclusivity for PLWDs and communication with people from all relevant sectors. He said the 2020 General Elections will be conducted in line with 5 standards. He said the training will give practical demonstrations for ensuring PLWDs can give votes and will ask participants for their ideas. He said the ideas and results from the training have to be carried over to the election processes in the region participants are assigned to. He said we need to realistically implement the motto ‘Don’t Leave Us Behind’. The Disability Inclusion Training is a 2-day training attended by 30 members of Region and State sub-election commissions and 5 assistant directors from the UEC office.
—MNA
(Translated by Zaw Htet Oo)
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