Ruling party MP - UN Special Rapporteur “positively assessed” Govt’s steps in protecting disabled people’s rights

The MP said Quinn’s assessment of the National Human Rights Strategy was “important” and had a particular significance with the process of Georgia’s European integration in mind. Photo: Parliament of Georgia

Agenda.ge, 19 Sep 2023 - 18:14, Tbilisi,Georgia

Rati Ionatamishvili, an MP of the ruling Georgian Dream party, on Tuesday said Gerard Quinn, the United Nations Special Rapporteur on the rights of persons with disabilities, had “positively assessed” steps taken by the Georgian Government in protecting disabled people’s rights.

In his comments at a plenary session of the Parliament, Ionatamishvili said Quinn, who paid a visit to Georgia last week with the goal of assessing the country's performance and efforts taken to protect the rights of people with disabilities, had evaluated a related law passed by the legislative body in 2020.

The MP said Quinn’s assessment of the National Human Rights Strategy was “important” and had a particular significance with the process of Georgia’s European integration in mind.

He said the ability of the Government to “clearly see the challenges” spoke of the country's potential to “achieve the goal of an inclusive society”, and added the evaluation was an “additional motivation and incentive” for authorities to work with “greater responsibility” to strengthen the rights of people with disabilities.

Ionatamishvili also pointed out Quinn had “especially noted” the role of the legislative body in the process.