French people with mental disabilities or suffering from cognitive disorders challenge presidential candidates and make 15 proposals in this between-two-rounds, indicates the Vulnerability and Society Circle at the origin of the #MaVoixCompte2022 operation. The goal is to help people in a situation of mental fragility (handicap, cognitive disorders, neurodegenerative disease, aging disorders, etc.) to exercise their right to vote. They are two million to be concerned.
Fifteen key proposals from workshops composed of people with mental disabilities were sent to campaign teams to make their voices heard. These proposals relate to five themes: health and the economy; freedom and security; ecology and global warming; cooperation between generations; the citizenship.
In terms of health and the economy, the think thank proposes in particular to fight against medical deserts by abolishing the numerus clausus, but also the development of nursing homes with the support of town halls. Another proposal to guarantee access to care: reduce appointment times, organize transport to places of care, but also strengthen education, prevention and care actions for people in precarious situations, and beyond. , consider mental health as a great national cause.
For freedom and security, several proposals have been made, including the guarantee of respect for choices around everyday acts (showers, meals, participation in events, hospitalization), that of inclusion from nursery school and the fight against discrimination and the punishment of stigmatization. And finally, free public transport or the development of sidewalks for people with reduced mobility.
Finally on the side of citizenship, the think thank proposes to facilitate the conditions of access to the vote for all, by helping the routing of people and by multiplying the channels or means of access to the vote. But also to register the vote as a civic duty, going so far as to make it compulsory, alongside other measures such as military or civic service.
The “Ma Voix Compte 2022” operation lasted nine months and nearly a thousand people with mental disabilities or suffering from cognitive disorders took part. Workshops and debates took place during the “Grand national debate” of 2019, then during the municipal elections of 2020, and finally between May 2021 and March 2022.
The people who participated are adults, residing in an institution (Ehpad, MAS, foster home, etc.), living with a mental handicap (cognitive, psychic) or an intellectual disability, a chronic condition or disease having a mental impact (neurological , psychiatric…), these are elderly people affected by a reduction in their cerebral capacities, etc. In each institution, a first workshop generally focused on elections, the right to vote and the interest in using it. A second workshop focused on a theme chosen by the participants and on the collective construction of proposals.