Georgian Parliament marking Day of People with Disabilities with “important decisions” - Speaker

Shalva Papuashvili, the Georgian Parliament Speaker, on Wednesday said the country’s legislative body was marking this year’s Day of Protection of Rights of the People with Disabilities on the back of “important decisions” made over the recent years to “assert the rights” of disabled individuals across the country.

In his social media post, Papuashvili cited the ratification of the optional protocol of the United Nations’ Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities and inclusion in law of the indexation of social packages for such individuals of all categories and ages among the lawmaking institution’s work in the direction.

He also named strengthening of “Parliamentary supervision” of the topic and increase in the budget support for social rehabilitation and childcare for disabled people from ₾37.4 million ($14mln) to ₾66 million ($25 mln). 

Papuashvili said his body had also approved the state visions for disabled women's economic empowerment and gender equality in the country as part of legislation for women, before also highlighting the “increased responsibility” of ensuring actual provision of “equal opportunity”.

The Parliament Speaker also stressed “full engagement” of disabled individuals in the “decision-making process” in creating an “equal and inclusive environment” where rights of “not only disabled individuals but of each citizen” would be ensured “at a high standard”.