Persons with intellectual disability will be allowed to vote in Peru.

In September Maria Alexandra Villanueva, an actress from Peru with Down Syndrome participated at the Conference of States Parties that took place in New York. During her presenation she had the opportunity  to describe that about 20 000 persons with intellectual disabilities are not allowed to take part in  elections held in Peru. In a really impressive speech she stated how she fought for her right to vote and how she succeeded after a long battle.

Last week Maria Alejandra  received new ID card without  stamp of “disability” on it as it has been the practice. The stamp has prevented people with disability from voting in the past. At the same time the RENIEC (Peru’s civil registration institute) announced  a new resolution to reinstate the right to vote for persons with disabilities in Peru.