The Commission on Human Rights (CHR) is pressing the Commission on Elections (Comelec) so that the physically-challenged could exercise their right to vote in the May 10 elections.

In a speech before a forum on the right to vote for the disabled sponsored by the National Council on Disability Affairs (NCDA), British Embassy, Comelec and International Foundation for Electoral Systems (IFES) held in Quezon City recently, CHR Chairperson Leila M. de Lima expressed her complete disgust for the treatment given to two persons with disability (PWDs) bumped off from flights of a local airline.

De Lima said that it made her blood boil since she has a special child and the incidents only mirror the low level of concern by this common carrier on the the rights of PWDs that had been enshrined by the International Covenant on the Rights of the Disabled.

She stressed that the CHR had been working with the Comelec since 2008 to ensure that people belonging to seven categories of people would not be disenfranchised and that the state must do everything to ensure that they exercise their right of suffrage.

These seven groups are detainees; indigenous peoples (IPs); internally displaced people (IDPs); migrant workers; elderly; first-time voters, and; PWDs.

“The CHR is mandated to monitor the Philippine government’s compliance with international treaty obligations on human rights. We are a state-party to the Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities. This international treaty entered into force in 2008, and that same year, in April, the Philippines ratified it,” De Lima stressed.

Under this international treaty, the Philippines is obliged to do the following: “The government must ensure and promote the full realization, of all human rights and fundamental freedoms, for all persons with disabilities, without discrimination. This is the underlying obligation on the part of government; It must adopt appropriate laws, administrative and other measures. It must take measures to modify or abolish existing laws, regulations, customs and practices with discriminate against PWDs. The government must take PWDs into account in all its policies and programs; It must take measures to eliminate discrimination against PWDs by any person, organization or private enterprise. This is key because the government cannot simply ensure that it does not violate PWD rights.”

The other obligations are “to protect PWDs from torture, cruel, inhuman or degrading treatment or punishment, exploitation, violence and abuse. It must ensure an inclusive education system at all levels. It must take measures to ensure access to health services, including health-related rehabilitation. It must prohibit discrimination against PWDs in all matters relating to employment, including recruitment, hiring, career advancement, and safe and healthy working conditions.”

However, De Lima stressed that the Philippines has not ratified the Optional Protocol to the Disability Convention, and considered it as unfortunate.