The United Nations Development Programme (UNDP), in collaboration with the United Nations Electoral Assistance Division (EAD) and the Africa Disability Alliance (ADA), is organizing the Africa Conference on Disability Inclusion in Electoral Processes in the Digital Era, with the financial support of Germany and Spain.

This first of its kind conference in the field of United Nations electoral assistance will place the inclusion of persons with disabilities at the centre of discussions on digital transformation, political participation and electoral processes.

The conference will bring together Election Management Bodies, organizations of persons with disabilities, regional institutions, electoral experts, technology actors and development partners from across Africa to advance more inclusive and accessible electoral processes.

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Why this conference matters

Persons with disabilities continue to face structural barriers to political and public participation, including limited access to electoral information, inaccessible registration and voting procedures, insufficient reasonable accommodation and weak complaint mechanisms.

As electoral processes become increasingly digitalized, accessibility must be embedded from the outset. Digital tools can expand participation, but they can also deepen exclusion where connectivity, affordability, assistive technologies and digital literacy remain uneven.

Key themes

The conference will focus on:

• Disability inclusion across the electoral cycle
• Digital accessibility and political participation
• Artificial intelligence, social media and inclusion
• Data, accountability and inclusive electoral reforms
• Procurement, budgeting and institutional capacity
• Practical solutions for accessible elections

Expected outcomes

The conference aims to support practical and measurable progress toward disability inclusive elections in Africa through:

• A practical toolkit for disability inclusive elections
• Minimum standards and accessibility checklists
• Procurement and accessibility requirements for electoral technologies
• A core set of indicators to support ethical monitoring
• A call to action and voluntary pledge to sustain follow up

Registration

Participants and media representatives can register to join online or attend in person at Noom Hotel Sea Plaza Dakar.

Register here.

Programme

The three-day programme will combine opening remarks, expert panels, interactive sessions and solutions oriented discussions.

Participants will examine how legal and regional commitments can be translated into practice, how data can strengthen accountability, and how digital transformation can support more inclusive electoral participation.