Advancing Political Participation: Accessible Parliaments as Drivers of Disability Inclusion

About the event

On 10 June 2026, a side event at the 19th Session of the Conference of States Parties to the Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities will focus on the role of accessible parliaments in advancing disability inclusion and political participation.

The event will bring together representatives of parliaments, Permanent Missions, organizations of persons with disabilities, international organizations and civil society to discuss how parliamentary institutions can become more accessible, inclusive and representative.

While many countries across the OSCE region have strengthened legal frameworks for disability rights, significant barriers remain to the full participation of persons with disabilities in political and public life. Recent ODIHR and OSCE Parliamentary Assembly survey findings show that around half of OSCE participating States do not have a single Member of Parliament with a disability.

The event will highlight practical tools and approaches to support reform, including parliamentary disability inclusion assessments, ODIHR’s forthcoming methodology for assessing disability inclusion in parliaments, and lessons from ODIHR-supported work in Ukraine and Montenegro.

The event is organized by the Permanent Mission of the Republic of Moldova to the United Nations, in co-operation with the Permanent Missions of Montenegro, Armenia and Ukraine to the United Nations, the European Parliament, the OSCE Office for Democratic Institutions and Human Rights (ODIHR), and the Ukrainian NGONGO
non-governmental organization “Fight for Rights”. The broad partnership reflects a shared commitment to strengthening disability-inclusive democratic institutions and advancing the political participation of persons with disabilities across the OSCE region and beyond.

What will be discussed?

Participants will discuss:

• The role of parliaments in advancing the political participation and representation of persons with disabilities
• Structural barriers that prevent parliaments from becoming fully accessible and inclusive
• Practical lessons from disability inclusion assessments, including the experience of Montenegro
• Ways to strengthen consultation with persons with disabilities and their representative organizations
• ODIHR tools and approaches that can support parliamentary reform, including assessments and mentorship programmes
• Opportunities for follow-up co-operation, particularly in Eastern Partnership countries

The discussion will also consider how accessible and inclusive parliaments can support the implementation of Article 29 of the Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities.

Participants

The event will gather Members of Parliament and parliamentary staff, representatives of Permanent Missions to the United Nations, organizations of persons with disabilities, international organizations, civil society, researchers and practitioners working on inclusive political participation and democratic governance.

Why this matters

Parliaments are central institutions in representative democracies. They make laws, oversee government action and represent citizens. When persons with disabilities face barriers to engaging with parliament, democracy becomes less representative and less inclusive.

Improving accessibility is not only about removing physical barriers. It also means reviewing procedures, institutional practices, consultation mechanisms and support measures so that persons with disabilities can participate fully and effectively in political and public life.

Strengthening disability-inclusive parliamentary institutions is particularly important in the context of democratic reforms and European integration processes in Eastern Partnership countries.

Participation

This side event is organized during the 19th Session of the Conference of States Parties to the Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities.