Georgia’s Public Registry offers Braille to better serve blind citizens

Georgia is raising awareness and promoting social acceptance of people with disabilities by improving access to public services.

From today the National Agency of Public Registry of Georgia’s Ministry of Justice will print extracts of some documents in Braille for people with vision impairments.

The move comes on the same day as the world marks International Day of Persons with Disabilities.

Georgia’s Justice Minister Thea Tsulukiani said it was imperative to offer public services to all citizens of Georgia, regardless of their physical ability, and this service would offer the blind community much-needed support.

This initiative will allow people suffering with eyesight problems to access and realise their property rights,” she said, adding the Ministry was always open to helping people with disabilities "by keeping the door open for them”.

Of late the Justice Ministry has worked hard to create an equal environment where people of all abilities were welcomed. Tsulukiani said her office employed about 20 people with varying disabilities, all of whom worked in the Public Registry.

She noted Georgia was developing into a country where people with disabilities were more accepted than in the past, and all efforts had been taken to ensure the country supported, encouraged and catered for people with disabilities.

All infrastructural projects implemented by the Ministry in Georgia’s towns or villages are equipped with ramps and other necessary infrastructure for people with disabilities,” said Tsulukiani.

Meanwhile Georgia is about to embark on a nationwide renovation project to make the country more accessible for locals and tourists with disabilities. Next year Mtskheta, a high-profile tourist area not far from Tbilisi, will be the first of several Georgian cities to undergo changes to make the areas accessible for all.

Tbilisi was also set to undergo changes to become more disability-friendly. Last month Tbilisi Mayor David Narmania said a Three Year Action Plan envisaged the renovation of 315 municipal buildings and infrastructure in Georgia’s capital.