 Concerted efforts are required to ensure an increased number of youths are registered as voters and participate in the electoral process.  Noting the effect of the increased candidate nomination fees on certain groups, the ZEC should consult youth groups to review the impact of such measures on youth participation in the 2018 Harmonised Elections in order to guide the formulation and implementation of such future measures. Persons with disabilities According to the 2012 national census, there are more than 817,000 persons with disabilities (PWDs) in Zimbabwe, making up approximately 6 per cent of the country’s total population. Efforts have been made to ensure inclusion of persons with disabilities (PWDs) throughout the political process. Specifically, the Constitution compels the state to facilitate voting by persons with a disability or those with special needs. It further requires the Senate to reserve two seats: one male and one female, elected through a first-past-the-post system by an electoral college system designated by the National Disability Board. The Disabled Persons Act of 1992 enjoins the National Disability Board to prevent discrimination against PWDs, resulting from or arising from their disability. Zimbabwe is also a state party to the UN Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities, which is very clear on the rights of PWDs to effectively and fully participate in political and public life on an equal basis with others, including their right to vote and be elected. The impact of political violence on PWDs A September 2017 report by the Zimbabwe Peace Project, notes that between 2000 and 2008, pervasive levels of violence within the context of political retribution not only targeted PWDs, but often resulted in disabilities of the victims. The report further notes that this history of violence has not only left physical scars, but also manifested into psychological violence. This entrenched the disenfranchisement of PWDs from the system, with many refusing to campaign or stand for political office. Respondents interviewed in the report were primarily from rural areas, and noted that the perpetrators of violence tended to be ZANU-PF youths. These experiences were further reinforced during the 2018 signing of the National Peace and Reconciliation Commission (NPRC) peace pledges across the country. The National Disability Board was set up in January 2018 to advocate for PWDs. Electoral participation in 2018 In the lead-up to the 2018 Harmonised Elections, various attempts were made to open up the political space for PWDs to effectively participate in the elections. One significant adjustment was the provision of disability-friendly polling booths within polling stations that were lower and more accessible to voters. Likewise, the 30