The inclusion of persons with disabilities in political processes is not only a question of social justice, but also crucial for building an inclusive and pluralistic society. Their voices and perspectives are often missing from the public debate, which leads to political decisions being made without sufficiently taking their needs into account.
According to the Palestinian Central Bureau of Statistics (PCBS), until October 7, 2023 and the outbreak of the war in the Gaza Strip, about 2.1 percent of the population in the Palestinian territories lived with some form of disability, affecting some 115,000 people. The proportion has always been higher in the Gaza Strip than in the West Bank. The UN Committee on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities (CRPD) reported that by the fall of 2023, 21 percent of households in Gaza included at least one person with a disability.
On the political level, the last Palestinian parliamentary elections were held in 2006. Among the Palestinian population in the occupied territories, 65 percent are under 30 years old – and have therefore never voted in their lives. Plans for national elections have been repeatedly canceled in recent years, most recently in 2021. Since the split between the West Bank and the Gaza Strip in 2007, the Palestinian Legislative Council (PLC) has not met for a regular, joint session. The PLC was finally dissolved in 2018. Since then, President Mahmoud Abbas has ruled by presidential decree.
Direct political participation is only possible at the local level. Local elections were last held at the end of 2021. Elections to student parliaments at universities in the West Bank, such as the renowned Birzeit University, are often used as a reference for the political mood within the population.
When considering the political decision-making and participation opportunities of persons with disabilities in the Palestinian territories, it is therefore relevant to shed light on physical accessibility in electoral processes at the local and national levels, as well as examples of election nominations and representation in political bodies such as city councils and political parties. The general perception and treatment of persons with disabilities in Palestinian society can also provide an insight into realities of participation.
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