Anti-stigma campaign to break down stereotypes on disability

UNICEF Georgia is launching a social change campaign tomorrow to address stigmas against people with disabilities in Georgian society.

Children with disabilities are one of the most isolated, disadvantaged and marginalized groups of children in Georgia. On a daily basis, they are subject to discrimination and their rights are violated”, UNICEF Georgia said on their official Facebook page.

Based on UNICEF data, 40 percent of the Georgian population harbors some form of stereotypes and discriminatory emotions against people with disabilities.

Inviting the public to gather at the launch of the Anti-Stigma Movement at Zurab Tsereteli Museum of Modern Art in Tbilisi on February 23, Communication Officer at UNICEF Georgia Maya Kurtsikidze told Agenda.ge that the two-year campaign will do its best to change public attitude towards children with special needs in Georgia.

The campaign will be carried out by UNICEF with the support of the European Union in Georgia and USAID/Georgia.

We want to break the myths these people are always surrounded with”, Kurtsikidze said, explaining that children with special needs will be telling their own stories with their parents as part of the frontline of the campaign.

With awareness-raising activities scheduled all around Georgia, the campaign aims to break down myths surrounding disabilities, teaching people how to better communicate with disabled children and showing them how to treat them with equality.

This includes success stories of children with disabilities and their parents, formal educational comics, contests for school children, country-wide discussions, public gatherings, festivals and fun demonstrations where children with disabilities and their parents will participate.

As Kurtsikidze said, the guests of tomorrow’s launching ceremony will personally see, feel and hear what these children are capable of and what challenges they face in their daily lives.