The news in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) focuses on the opening of the national workshop for the validation of the electoral glossary in Congolese sign language. This initiative, organized by the Independent National Electoral Commission (CENI) in partnership with the International Foundation for Electoral Systems (IFES), aims to ensure the inclusion of people with disabilities in the country’s electoral process.
CENI President Denis Kadima stressed the importance of inclusion within his institution and in the overall electoral process. He explained that the CENI is committed to making the electoral process accessible to all, including Congolese sign language. This electoral glossary validation workshop therefore aims to adapt this language to the specificities of electoral language in order to enable people living with disabilities to understand and follow the electoral process.
Denis Kadima also called on political leaders to take this category of people into account in their candidacy projects. Indeed, the reception of candidates for national deputies has already started, and it is essential that political parties include people with disabilities in their lists of candidates.
The Minister Delegate in charge of Persons Living with Disabilities, Irène Esambo, welcomed this CENI initiative aimed at concretizing the concept of inclusion. She pleaded for the creation of an office dedicated to people living with disabilities within the CENI, in order to take care of their specific needs during the next election.
The IFES Foundation, a technical partner of the CENI, has also committed to working closely to ensure the inclusion of marginalized populations and to improve the credibility of the electoral process.
This process of including Congolese sign language in the electoral process is a major step forward. The CENI, under the leadership of Denis Kadima, is taking a giant step to ensure greater support from citizens, regardless of their disability, in the electoral process in the DRC.
From now on, thanks to this electoral glossary in Congolese sign language, the CENI and the citizens will be able to speak the same electoral language and promote fair and inclusive participation of all Congolese in the political life of the country.
Sources:
– Link to article 1: [https://fatshimetrie.org/blog/2023/06/30/republique-democratique-du-congo-les-partis-politiques-de-lopposition-sengage-pour-des-elections-plus- inclusive/](https://fatshimetrie.org/blog/2023/06/30/republique-democratique-du-congo-les-partis-politiques-de-lopposition-sengage-pour-des-elections-plus-inclusives/ )
– Link to article 2: [https://fatshimetrie.org/blog/2023/06/30/la-ceni-en-rdc-instaure-la-langue-des-signes-pour-une-election-inclusive/]( https://fatshimetry