We are all familiar with the voting process: exchange your voting document with a ballot sheet and mark your preferences within the privacy of a booth.

With your back to the assistant commissioners, you can even draw the curtain to ensure that not even your hand movement gives your preferences away.

Now imagine being wheeled into a room and asked your voting preferences by at least five enquiring faces – two assistant commissioners and a representative of each party – who will then proceed to mark the ballot sheet on your behalf.

There is a risk, of course, that you are acquainted with these people, making the situation even more uncomfortable and intimidating.

This procedure is in total breach of a person’s right to freedom and privacy, according to Oliver Scicluna, Commissioner for the Rights of People with Disabilities.

“This method could also give rise to discrimination: if a person with a disability made public their voting preferences, they could suffer consequences since they are more dependent on government services.”

The issue of a disabled person’s right to vote independently will be discussed at a roundtable hosted by the commission in collaboration with the Social Wellbeing Faculty and the Disability Studies Department.

The commission hopes to kick off a debate ahead of the upcoming European Parliament elections, especially after the UN raised concern over Malta’s reservation on an article in the United Nations Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities that makes the electoral campaign and voting accessible to all.

The convention calls for the introduction of a trusted friend or electronic tools to assist people during the voting process. Such technologies, which could include photos of the candidates, would make the voting process accessible to all – including those with illiteracy issues.

A trusted friend, said Mr Scicluna, would meanwhile accompany a person into the voting booth to help them mark the ballot sheet. But how could one ensure that no abuses take place?

“The current process still allows for abuse and intimidation,” said Mr Scicluna. “We believe a trusted friend system is the lesser of two evils and in the majority of cases would definitely allow more privacy to the person with a disability.”

Mr Scicluna meanwhile believes that neither is it acceptable to continue to interdict people with intellectual disabilities and mental health issues, leading to the loss of rights such as driving and voting.

He hopes that the Personal Autonomy Act, which seems to be in the pipeline, will replace the current Guardianship legislation. He explains that personal autonomy would allow a trusted friend to take a decision together with the person with a disability, in contrast to the way guardians currently take decisions for people with a disability, even in their absence.

“Unfortunately, there seems to be no political will from either of the main parties to make voting accessible to all. Politicians seem comfortable with the status quo,” Mr Scicluna added.

Accessibility is not limited to the voting booth. There are certain disabilities, such as hearing impairments, which make it more difficult for a person to take an informed decision as they cannot follow debates during an electoral campaign.

Another daunting challenge for people with a disability is getting their name on the ballot sheet – the simple act of visiting the electoral offices could be an ordeal because of inaccessible pavements and roads.

“If we want true change in our country when it comes to inclusion, we need to ensure that just as we did with State entities, people with a disability are elected to decision-making roles, especially in Parliament.

“Sometimes politicians try to get into the shoes of people with a disability but these shoes will never fit properly. We lag behind when it comes to making effective changes within the disability sector as policy makers do not always consult with people who have first-hand experience,” Mr Scicluna said.

The UN committee recommends that Malta:

■ Introduce policy measures to empower people with disabilities to effectively participate in political life, in particular providing support to people with psychosocial and intellectual disabilities so that they can participate in decision-making processes on an equal basis

■ Ensure that all electoral procedures, facilities and materials are accessible for all, including through audio devices

■ Ensure the right of people with disabilities to a secret ballot, promote the participation of people with disabilities in political and public life and decision-making.