Palau - Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities Treaty

This report addresses Palau’s obligations under the Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities with respect to civic participation. Despite legal protections for persons with disabilities, systemic barriers continue to restrict their full engagement in political and electoral processes.

This report examines key concerns related to civic participation in Palau, including (1) physical barriers that hinder access to voting centres, preventing persons with disabilities from exercising their right to vote; (2) limited access to civic participatory knowledge, with political information and government resources often unavailable in accessible formats; (3) educational and economic disparities that limit the ability of persons with disabilities to engage in political discourse and decision-making; and (4) policy implementation challenges, where disability rights initiatives lack funding, enforcement, and meaningful consultation with persons with disabilities.

This report recommends that Palau take concrete steps to improve accessibility at polling stations, expand civic education resources in accessible formats, address economic and educational barriers to political participation, and strengthen inclusive policymaking by ensuring direct consultation with persons with disabilities in legislative processes.