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¼ of Yerevan's polling stations not accommodated for people with disabilities
TERT.AM
14:38 - 14.02.13
Unison NGO dealing with the issues of people with disabilities in
Armenia has studied the availability of 470 polling stations for the
people with limited moving opportunities and found out that only 32 of
them are available, and 42 almost available.
Asked what it means `almost' available, the NGO's chairman Armen
Alaverdyan said, `A curb, a stair...with the help of someone it is
possible to enter the polling station.' He stressed that the
organization has not conducted such study in the regions but added
that in 2003 only ten were available.
Overall, there are 180,000 people with special needs in Armenia, of
which 8,000 are children, the number of those moving with the help of
the wheelchair is 3,000, the majority of them are eligible voters.
The chairman of the NGO said that on the voting day their observers
accredited in the Central Election Commission will pay attention
whether the people having eyesight problems will be provided Braille
ballots or special lenses or not. He said they should be in all
polling stations.
Speaking to Tert.am, chairman of the Central Election Commission
Tigran Mukuchyan said not Braille ballots but cardboard templates will
be provided as in case of Braille ballots the voter may be immediately
revealed.
`All the polling stations will have these templates,' CEC chairman said.
As to the people having moving restriction, Mukuchyan said the works
are under way everywhere, in the provinces as well. The results will
be summed up. `One thing is clear we will try to accommodate our
polling stations as in reality when these buildings were built the
issue was not considered,' he said.
From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress
TERT.AM
14:38 - 14.02.13
Unison NGO dealing with the issues of people with disabilities in
Armenia has studied the availability of 470 polling stations for the
people with limited moving opportunities and found out that only 32 of
them are available, and 42 almost available.
Asked what it means `almost' available, the NGO's chairman Armen
Alaverdyan said, `A curb, a stair...with the help of someone it is
possible to enter the polling station.' He stressed that the
organization has not conducted such study in the regions but added
that in 2003 only ten were available.
Overall, there are 180,000 people with special needs in Armenia, of
which 8,000 are children, the number of those moving with the help of
the wheelchair is 3,000, the majority of them are eligible voters.
The chairman of the NGO said that on the voting day their observers
accredited in the Central Election Commission will pay attention
whether the people having eyesight problems will be provided Braille
ballots or special lenses or not. He said they should be in all
polling stations.
Speaking to Tert.am, chairman of the Central Election Commission
Tigran Mukuchyan said not Braille ballots but cardboard templates will
be provided as in case of Braille ballots the voter may be immediately
revealed.
`All the polling stations will have these templates,' CEC chairman said.
As to the people having moving restriction, Mukuchyan said the works
are under way everywhere, in the provinces as well. The results will
be summed up. `One thing is clear we will try to accommodate our
polling stations as in reality when these buildings were built the
issue was not considered,' he said.
From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress