The “My Right” Campaign is a sustained rights-based movement dedicated exclusively to establishing the political and civil rights of persons with disabilities in Lebanon. Its goal is to ensure their full and equal participation as both candidates and voters by removing all barriers that hinder their constitutional right to vote and be represented. The campaign remains active to this day and works effectively across several integrated and interconnected areas.

Legislative Advocacy

• Removing legal restrictions: Working to amend or abolish any articles in electoral and civil laws that may limit the eligibility of persons with disabilities to run for office or vote.
• Pressuring for treaty implementation: Continuously advocating with authorities to implement Article 29 of the UN Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities, which concerns the right to political participation.

Awareness and Political Education

• Educating on voting rights: Organizing educational campaigns targeting persons with disabilities about the importance of political roles and their right to register and participate in the electoral process.
• Accessibility of information: Demanding that political parties and election supervisory bodies provide candidate platforms and electoral information in accessible formats, such as sign language or large print, to ensure informed political decision-making.

Research and Analysis

• Studies on participation: Conducting specialized research to measure the rate of participation of persons with disabilities in elections and to uncover procedural and physical barriers affecting this rate.
• Policy analysis: Studying and evaluating current electoral policies and providing evidence-based policy recommendations to enable political inclusion.

Field Monitoring and Accountability

• Comprehensive election day monitoring: The “My Right” Campaign deploys trained field teams to intensively and neutrally monitor the voting process on election day itself.
• Immediate readiness assessment: Special focus is placed on assessing the physical accessibility of polling centers, including entrances, exits, ramps, and accessible restrooms.
• Monitoring staff: Monitoring also includes assessing the readiness of polling center staff (polling station heads and employees) to receive voters with disabilities, and evaluating their training on providing technical assistance while maintaining voting secrecy.
• Issuing reports: Following each electoral cycle, the campaign issues detailed and comprehensive monitoring reports documenting strengths, shortcomings, and recorded violations. These reports serve as powerful, documented advocacy tools to demand that the Ministry of Interior and electoral bodies make necessary adjustments and improvements to ensure inclusive elections in the future.

This diversity in the “My Right” Campaign’s work, combining legislative pressure, public awareness, and critical field monitoring, affirms that political participation is a fundamental and non-negotiable right for ensuring a genuine and inclusive democracy.