voting: do not exclude us

KRAN Manifesto - Right to Vote

By Shahab, Youth Ambassador

As a refugee, I believe that everyone - regardless of race, gender, socioeconomic status, religion, or political belief - should have the unrestricted right to vote. 

Barriers our young people face:

• many of them have leave to remain but still can not vote, which is unfair

• they feel that their voices are not heard

• they feel they are unable to make decisions about their future

• feeling unheard and unable to vote gives our young people a sense of not belonging and being second-class citizens, even after obtaining their status.

Solutions:

• government must provide resources and support to help our young people navigate the voting process, including language assistance for non-native speakers and help for those with disabilities

• legislative reform - we call for the enactment of laws that extend voting rights to refugees and asylum seekers, including provisions for their registration as voters and participation in local and national elections

• election security - we demand robust security measures to protect the voting rights of refugees and asylum seekers, ensuring their votes are counted accurately and fairly.

The right to vote is a cornerstone of democracy, and refugees and asylum seekers should not be excluded from this fundamental right.

By signing this manifesto, we commit to advocating for policies and practices that uphold the voting rights of refugees and asylum seekers, ensuring they can participate in the democratic processes of their host countries freely and fairly.