‘I want more people with disabilities represented in politics’

Swiss student Irene Stüssi is one of the 44 people taking part in the first special parliamentary session for people with disabilities in Switzerland. She is visually impaired.

On March 24, the federal parliament in Bern is welcoming 44 people living with disabilities from across Switzerland as representatives in the very first special session, organised by Pro Infirmis. They were chosen by 20,000 people in an online vote.

The participants will occupy 44 seats in the House of Representatives, which has 200 places. They will thus represent the 22% of the Swiss population who live with a disability, a total of 1.8 million people.

Irene, aged 20, knows that her visual impairment does not prevent her from being able to advance in life. In ten years, she hopes to have a university degree in theology and a job where she is recognised for her professional skills.

And she is clear about the kind of professional support she needs to achieve her goals. Today, however, such support is lacking.

This is something Irene and the 43 other people with disabilities meeting in Bern hope to change as they begin their discussions. At the end of their special session, a resolution will be adopted calling for better political representation of people living with disabilities and for active measures to improve inclusion.

Although Switzerland ratified the United Nations Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities in 2014, its implementation has so far been unsatisfactory. This recently prompted the Swiss government to request a partial revision of the Disability Equality Act.