IEC, HCD, JBA sign MoU to enhance legal aid for persons with disabilities in elections

AMMAN — The Independent Elections Commission (IEC), the Higher Council for the Rights of Persons with Disabilities (HCD), the National Centre for Human Rights, and the Jordanian Bar Association (JBA) on Sunday signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) meant to provide legal assistance to persons with disabilities during the 2024 parliamentary elections.

IEC Chairman Musa Maaytah stressed the importance of the memo as the country prepares for the 2024 elections under a new law ensuring that all segments of society, especially persons with disabilities, can participate in elections and political parties, according to an IEC statement.

The IEC, in cooperation with the Ministry of Education, has prepared 95 schools as model polling stations accessible to persons with disabilities, ensuring easy access to polling centres, Maaytah added.

Expressing thanks to the IEC for its efforts to enable persons with disabilities to exercise their constitutional rights, Muhannad Azzeh, HCD secretary-general, noted that the partnership with the IEC serves as a political and strategic model for other Jordanian institutions.

JBA President Yahya Abu Abboud stressed that the association, as a constitutional institution, aims to uphold the rule of law by providing legal aid to those who are unable to access legal services.

NCHR chairperson of the board of trustees Samar Haj Hassan affirmed that the cooperation assures citizens that the electoral process will be transparent and impartial.

The MoU aims to coordinate and provide free legal assistance to persons with disabilities at all stages of the 2024 General Elections. It also aims to promote and protect human rights as enshrined in the constitution and to monitor the elections in accordance with the law.

Provisions of the MoU include receiving legal requests from persons with disabilities, referring them based on the legal context, and initiating and following up on legal cases through the JBA until a verdict is reached.

In addition, the memo outlines cooperation in training staff on effective communication with persons with disabilities and raising awareness to ensure broad outreach.