President of the Ibsar association, Mohamed Mansouri, announced on Wednesday the creation of a national coalition of local council members with disabilities.
Speaking at a symposium in Tunis on “People with disabilities and political participation: challenges and opportunities”, Mansouri said the formation of this coalition is part of a project funded by the United Nations Democracy Fund.
“This coalition can meet the specific needs of people with disabilities, facilitate communication and create new training opportunities on the principle of local councils, budgeting and development,” Mansouri explained.
More than 60% of the candidates have no political or civic experience, he said.
Mansouri also expressed reservations about the process of submitting candidacies and drawing lots in the various constituencies, in particular the absence of sign language, despite the registration of 40 candidacies from people with hearing disabilities.
He added that most of the areas used for the drawing of lots were not a
dapted for persons with reduced mobility.
He pointed, in this respect, to the lack of audio description and the lack of consideration by the organisers of the drawing of lots for the specific needs of the visually impaired.
Source: Agence Tunis Afrique Presse