class=”sc-29f61514-0 icZBHN”>
This article is a political advertisement
“We are here. We are many. And we are part of it.” With this manifesto, Pro Infirmis has launched the “Get Used to It” campaign to take more part in politics. Within the scope of the parliamentary elections to be held next autumn, the disabled people’s organization is fighting for a society in which all people have the same value and the same rights. It is already formulated in the UN Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities a demand: People with disabilities should actively participate in shaping public affairs.
But reality looks different. Disabled people are grossly underrepresented in parliament; They make up 22 percent of the population. Specifically, with this quota, 44 people with disabilities will be required to take part in the national parliament. Currently, centrist National Assembly Members Christian Lohr and Philipp Kutter are the only parliamentarians living with a visible disability.
Disabled people – a disability?
The reason for this inequality is the multitude of barriers that prevent individuals with disabilities from participating in political activities. This starts with the fact that people with cognitive disabilities sometimes do not have the right to vote and are therefore excluded from the political process in many cases. Or they are slowed down by lack of accessibility, lack of sign language interpreters, or lack of plain language information.
The gist: Because accessibility is not yet a reality everywhere in Switzerland, and disabled people are forced to seek alternative accommodation due to the lack of ramps or disabled toilets, Simone says many people feel like they are a barrier. Leuenberger, EPP Grand Councilor from the Canton of Bern. “Many people do not have the self-confidence to immerse themselves in the political process. Instead of understanding that it is society that is the obstacle, not them, they surrender.” Society also needs to learn that real participation is necessary, Leuenberger said.
Switzerland delayed equality for years
Because that’s exactly what Switzerland is missing, despite the Disability Equality Act 2004. Leuenberger laments that this essentially exists only on paper. “In Switzerland, people with disabilities were not asked to what extent they should or wanted to be treated equally, but in principle they were simply deported to homes or sheltered workshops.” FDP local councilor Ferdinand Pulver from Reinach BL is similarly critical. “The implementation of the Disability Equality Act was first underestimated and then put on the back burner. “It is now unrealistic to implement this in time for the end of 2023.”
This angers SP’s Châtel-Saint-Denis FR local councilor Nicole Tille. “Switzerland has the financial means to make all the necessary improvements to make life easier for people with disabilities, but frankly there is no desire to do so.” At the end of 2022, Switzerland even received condemnation from the UN for its passivity. Eight years after ratifying the Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities, Switzerland is far from achieving its goal; There are major deficiencies in equality and self-determination. “It is therefore important to sign the current engagement initiative, which calls for accelerating the implementation of the law,” says Nicole Tille. At the session on disabled people held at the Federal Palace on March 24, 2023, participants also adopted a decision on the political participation and political rights of disabled people in Switzerland.
Significant incentives to drive improvements. But the three politicians now want to ensure that overdue accession to Switzerland becomes a reality in daily life and politics. They are running on the official disabled list created by Pro Infirmis for the parliamentary elections. A term chosen jointly and consciously by those concerned, with the aim of removing the stigma of the concept of “disability” and raising awareness: because it is about disabled people who are committed to breaking down the barriers that stand in their way.
Nicole Tille, Ferdinand Pulver and Simone Leuenberger: Three of more than thirty candidates with disabilities who want to make politics, and therefore all of Switzerland, more inclusive. Below they explain what makes the three tick. It is clear to everyone: “Our place is the Federal Palace!”
Simone Leuenberger: “We can only benefit if we are allowed to provide the support ourselves”
Despite the existing obstacles, Simone Leuenberger fought for her place in the Grand Council of the Canton of Bern. She lives with spinal muscular atrophy (SMA) and is dependent on a wheelchair and the support of assistants. His two most important political achievements are even more significant for him: the introduction of the aid contribution and the adoption of the Disability Benefits Act in the canton of Bern. These enable disabled people to live independently at home rather than in a care home. “We can only enjoy equality if we are allowed to provide the support ourselves,” says Leuenberger. “And if the corresponding financial benefits are truly sufficient.”
I hope your political struggle will now continue at the national level. As a Member of the National Assembly, he would make disability an issue wherever it is often forgotten. “It is an issue that concerns almost every area of politics. I see my job as a politician as always thinking about people with disabilities in these areas. So this becomes a natural issue. Participation is realistic when it starts in childhood, in nursery, at school. “Only if we tackle this issue from the ground up will we create a truly inclusive society.” Leuenberger receives support from his party in the election campaign. He feels very comfortable in the EPP because he is perceived there as a person with strengths and weaknesses. “I think the work I did there was very inclusive.” The politician also finds the support of Pro Infirmis valuable. “It is an important platform for us. Also, we disabled people get to know about each other and we can learn from each other or encourage each other.”
Ferdinand Pulver: “Obstacles will be removed only when they become visible”
The efforts of National Council candidate Ferdinand Pulver are also supported. The Basel native is in a wheelchair due to a motorcycle accident 16 years ago and has been politically active since 2017. Just three years later, he was elected to the local council in Reinach, the second largest city in the canton of Baselland, and has also been chairman of the cantonal section of the FDP since 2021. “My batchmates help me with my daily party work and ensure accessibility,” he says. “This means a lot to me.” The entrepreneur defines his biggest political success in the field of visual communication as the credibility he gained through his party work. “The way I politicized earned me respect across party lines.”
He now wants to continue this at the National Council level; By giving a strong voice to the 1.7 million Swiss disabled people and sensitizing politicians and society to their concerns. “I would like to use my expertise, political experience and level-headed nature to ensure that obstacles are removed in a common sense and sensitive manner, thereby contributing to society as a whole.” According to him, it is clear that as many disabled people as possible are needed in order to influence the way of thinking and decisions in politics. Pulver believes that if more disabled people were active in parliament in previous years, the delay in equality for disabled people would not have reached this level. “I hope we can fill this gap, at least to some extent, with the parliamentary elections,” he said.
Nicole Tille: “We want to be part of the solution”
SP local councilor Nicole Tille has been politically active in her hometown of Châtel-St-Denis for nearly seven years. The businesswoman and family woman lost her leg in an accident when she was 21 years old. “I am a warrior. My life path has led me to push boundaries and be a part of change.” As a politician, his focus is on inclusivity. “Our society is experiencing a serious population increase. In order to accompany this development, it was important for me that the place follow a path that improves the quality of life, ensures citizen participation and develops the culture of hospitality. This offer was accepted with great pleasure in 2021.”
Tille now wants to bring his energy to the National Council. “It is time to strengthen the representation of people with disabilities, as we are the most qualified and knowledgeable about disabilities,” he says. «We want to participate in decisions affecting people with disabilities and other social issues. “We want to be part of the solution.” The main thing for them is to increase accessibility due to the aging population. “It is necessary to adjust the accessibility of public infrastructure and create incentives for corresponding measures in the private sector.” In addition to his involvement in the council chamber, Tille is also active on the street. She collects signatures or distributes brochures for the participation initiative. “Meeting citizens and exchanging ideas is very enriching. “This helps advance thinking on this topic.” Raising awareness is also something he values about Pro Infirmis. «It’s great that the disabled list is available so we can network and use the organisation’s communications. “This makes us visible.”
Source : Blick
I am Dawid Malan, a news reporter for 24 Instant News. I specialize in celebrity and entertainment news, writing stories that capture the attention of readers from all walks of life. My work has been featured in some of the world’s leading publications and I am passionate about delivering quality content to my readers.
