Action - DPO stocktake of participation in political and civic processes

The action outlined below will help achieve this outcome. This work was started under the existing Disability Action Plan.   

11. Priority: Promote disabled people participating in political and civic processes

11 A: DPOs to complete a stocktake of what are the areas needing the most attention and which will make the biggest difference to promote disabled people participating in political and civic processes. ODI will convene a discussion with DPOs and relevant government agencies to discuss priorities from the DPOs stocktake and identify possible actions.

On this page

Progress update

Scope of action

1. Contributors/partners with lead – who is involved in this action?
2. Implementation plan
3. What is included in the scope of this action?
4. What is excluded from the scope of this action?
5. What are the timeframes for implementation?
6. What resources will the lead and partners contribute?
7. What governance arrangements are in place for this project?
8. Reporting – key milestones/deliverables
9. Impact – what are we trying to achieve?
10. Evidence base
11. Related work

Progress update to September 2018

Status: Completed August 2016

Action Milestones:

• DPO's meetings July 2015- September/October 2015 [complete]
• DPO's meet and complete draft stocktake with proposed solutions.
• September/October 2015 DPO's meet with government agencies to identify possible actions.
• Report from May 2016 meeting between DPO's, electorial commission and the Department of Internal Affairs drafted.

Lead: Office for Disability Issues

DPOs contact:  Blind Citizens

Scope of action

This scope of this action was approved by the governance meeting of the Chief Executives' Group on Disability Issues and Disabled People's Organisations on 19 June 2015.

Action: DPOs to complete a stocktake of what are the areas needing the most attention and which will make the biggest difference to promote disabled people participating in political and civic processes. ODI will convene a discussion with DPOs and relevant government agencies to discuss priorities from the DPOs stocktake and identify possible actions.

Lead: DPOs (Blind Citizens NZ)

1  Contributors/partners with lead – who is involved in this action?

All DPOs will be asked to contribute.

Government agencies that could be involved include:

• Office for Disability Issues
• Electoral Commission
• Department of Internal Affairs.

2  Implementation plan

What is the purpose of this action and how will it be implemented?

This action ultimately seeks to significantly improve the level of participation by disabled people in political life. This is covered by Article 29 of the United Nations Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities. This includes disabled people engaging with and voting in national and local elections on the same basis as everyone else, taking part in national and local political processes, and taking a full part in public affairs, including forming and being represented by DPOs.

The first step is for DPOs to together identify the areas needing the most attention and which will make the biggest difference in reaching this objective. A clear list of priorities, along with suggested practical solutions, will be identified that will input into the broader discussion to be convened by ODI.

Agreement will then be reached between government agencies and DPOs on practical steps and timeframes for implementation.

3  What is included in the scope of this action?

Identifying existing opportunities and developing practical strategies to overcome barriers that limit the involvement or performance of disabled people in the following areas:

• Casting a fully informed confidential vote in national elections.
• Casting a fully informed confidential vote in local elections.
• Becoming active in political parties and standing for election to Parliament.
• Becoming active in local politics and possibly standing for election to a local authority such as a regional or city council, a local community board, disability advisory group, district health board, school board of trustees, etc.
• Holding office in an elected national or local political position.
• Joining and participating fully in non-government organisations concerned with the political life of New Zealand.
• Forming organisations that have the capacity to effectively represent the voice of disabled people at local, national and international level.

4  What is excluded from the scope of this action?

None.

5  What are the timeframes for implementation?

This action covers activity from June 2015 to October 2015.

6  What resources will the lead and partners contribute?

DPOs will use their own resources to involve their members as appropriate in order to examine the issues and prepare for a joint discussion with other DPOs.

DPOs will allocate half a day at a future meeting of DPOs (suggestion is the first meeting of the 2015/2016 financial year) at which they will complete the stocktake which will be the input to the discussion to be convened by ODI.

It may be necessary for DPOs to give further attention to this at a second meeting of DPOs before the stocktake can be completed.

The Office for Disability Issues will convene the discussion at a time before the end of October 2015 to involve DPOs and other government agencies as identified. This discussion will be held in conjunction with a scheduled meeting of DPOs to be determined.

The Office for Disability Issues will dedicate staff time to support and facilitate the discussion.

7  What governance arrangements are in place for this project?

Oversight of this project will be provided by:

• Blind Citizens NZ
• Office for Disability Issues

8  Reporting – key milestones/deliverables

What are the key milestones (what activity will be achieved by when) – how will progress on the action be tracked and reported via the Office for Disability Issues to the quarterly governance group meetings?

• June 2015: action scope approved
• July 2015: DPOs have first meeting and possibly complete the stocktake of issues and proposed solutions.
• August 2015: DPOs possibly meet for a second time to complete the stocktake.
• September/October 2015: Discussion involving DPOs and other government agencies completed and possible actions identified.

9  Impact – what are we trying to achieve?

What are indicators of the action’s intended result/outcomes desired?

A set of actions will have been identified that the Government is willing to implement without delay and which disabled people genuinely believe will significantly improve our ability to fully participate in civic and political processes on the same basis as everyone else.

How will these indicators be measured or evaluated?

DPOs will be actively involved in monitoring the implementation of the agreed actions over the agreed timeframes.

10  Evidence base

Is there any research or information (whether qualitative or quantitative) informing this action?

Report of last year's select committee inquiry into the accessibility of Parliament.

Concluding Observations and recommendations from the UN Committee on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities.

Is there any research or information which represents the lived experience of disability?

Recommendations concerning Article 29 from the Independent Monitoring Mechanism.

11  Related work

Is there any other work in the Disability Action Plan 2014-2018 that this action relates to or which contributes to this action? None.

Is there any other work (outside of the Disability Action Plan) that this action connects with or which contributes to this action? None.