Dimension: 3.3.2 Access for persons with disabilities
This dimension concerns ensuring that persons with disabilities are able to access both the parliamentary premises and information about parliament. Parliament Parliament A national body of elected (or sometimes appointed) representatives that makes laws, debates issues and holds the government to account. needs to ensure that it is accessible to all groups in society.
The physical structure of a building – especially an older or heritage building – can create barriers for persons with disabilities, making it difficult for them to access the parliamentary chamber(s) and/or committee rooms. The parliamentary building may need to be retrofitted to meet accessibility standards, such as by removing all physical barriers to entering and moving around the premises, installing accessible bathrooms, or installing signage for persons with hearing and visual impairments.
The same principle applies to access to information about parliament. Parliamentary proceedings may be accompanied by sign-language interpretation, or be made available on the parliamentary website in formats that are compatible with assistive technologies. Publications may, for example, be produced in Braille or in other ways that enhance accessibility.
Parliament Parliament A national body of elected (or sometimes appointed) representatives that makes laws, debates issues and holds the government to account. should consult regularly with civil society organizations representing the interests of persons with disabilities, and should solicit their input and assistance in ensuring that parliament is accessible to all.
Aspiring goal
Assess your parliament against this dimension
Assessment criteria
No 1: Legal framework
The legal framework and/or parliament’s rules of procedure require parliament to ensure equal access for persons with disabilities to the parliamentary building, to parliament’s processes and proceedings, and to information about the work of parliament.
No 2: Physical access to parliament
In practice, there are no obstacles to equal access for persons with disabilities to the parliamentary premises and to its proceedings.
No 3: Access to information about parliament
Parliament makes information about parliamentary proceedings, as well as parliamentary publications, available in formats that facilitate access for persons with disabilities.
No 4: Consultation
Parliament consults regularly with civil society organizations to seek input and advice about ensuring that parliament is accessible to all people, regardless of disability.
How to complete this assessment
This dimension is assessed against several criteria, each of which should be evaluated separately. For each criterion, select one of the six descriptive grades (Non-existent, Rudimentary, Basic, Good, Very good and Excellent) that best reflects the situation in your parliament, and provide details of the evidence on which this assessment is based.
The evidence for assessment of this dimension could include the following:
- Provisions of the legal framework and/or parliament’s rules of procedure relating to access for persons with disabilities to the parliamentary building, to parliament’s processes and proceedings, and to information about the work of parliament
- Statistics on access by persons with disabilities to the parliamentary building, to parliament’s processes and proceedings, and to information about the work of parliament
Where relevant, provide additional comments or examples that support the assessment.
Sources and further reading
- David Beetham, Parliament Parliament A national body of elected (or sometimes appointed) representatives that makes laws, debates issues and holds the government to account. and democracy in the twenty-first century: A guide to good practice (2006).
- Commonwealth Parliamentary Association (CPA), Recommended Benchmarks for Democratic Legislators, revised edition (2018).
- National Democratic Institute (NDI), Toward the Development of International Standards for Democratic Legislatures (2007).
Get help with this assessment
The assessment of indicators involves diagnosing and considering strengths and weaknesses, i.e. the things parliament is doing well, and the things it could do better or more effectively, taking into account established good practices that are described in the indicators.
Read the assessment guidance to find out what to consider when conducting an assessment against the Indicators. Find out how to prepare, how to set the objectives of the assessment, how to organize the process, and more. Contact the project partners for expert advice.
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