Persons with disabilities’ voice and participation after being elected in local political office: exploring the institutional and social contexts in Senegal

• To document the different pathways through which the people with disabilities became elected
• To assess the factors that supported or hindered the journey to getting voted into office for people with disabilities
• To explore the participation experiences of elected people with disabilities in local decision-making bodies, in terms of inclusion in its fullest sense (physical accessibility, accessible communications and inclusive attitudes)
• To explore the experiences of people with disabilities who participate in local decision-making bodies, in terms of discussing and passing policies that include or exclude other people with disabilities
• To evaluate how disability-related issues are reflected in council decisions since the election of people with disabilities to these councils

We investigate how being elected to local political office impacts active participation and voice for elected people with disabilities. We will also document how decisions made by the councils since the election of people with disabilities to these councils are inclusive of issues related to disability.

This study will contribute to the ongoing debates and knowledge base on the political participation processes of people with disabilities, particularly the role of political parties, cultural and institutional norms and any other barriers that affect the participation of elected people with disabilities in local decision-making in political offices.