Mali

Mali: Electoral Access Project

Boîte á images¸or image boxes, were used by the Electoral Access Project in Mali (PAPEM) for a voter education project supported by IFES in Bamako in 2015. The pictures integrated persons with disabilities throughout the document, which used images to explain to voters how to participate. By including voters with disabilities in the drawing, the project not only encouraged persons with disabilities to take part in the election but also increased awareness of other voters on the rights of persons with disabilities to take part in political and public life.

Trained facilitators used the images to help explain the voting process. The wordless format enhanced access of persons with low literacy as well as voters with intellectual disabilities. Image boxes have also been used around the world in countries such as the Democratic Republic of the Congo and Haiti to increase awareness of participation in political life and elections.