Providing accessible candidate lists and other election materials for visually impaired persons

During the Finnish parliamentary elections in 2011 the Ministry of Justice, in cooperation with FFVI, for the first time financed the production of accessible candidate lists for visually impaired persons, including audio and Braille. Since then these visual aids have been available in every election on all levels in Finland.

Problems Targeted

Prior to 2011 the list of candidate in Finnish elections were not accessible to everyone, as they were only published in print or on the Internet.

Solution, Innovation and Impact

The practice of producing candidate lists in audio and Braille formats is a simple way to significantly enhance the political participation of visually impaired people. The visually impaired have been directly involed in both the planning and implementation of the project, as the FFVI has been responsible for the project’s practical work.

Funding, Outlook and Transferability

Depending on the election system, the practice is easily transferable to other countries. Notably, the Finnish Ministry of Justice deems this a cost-efficient practice.

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