Gov’t announces new national action plan at Int’l Day of Persons with Disabilities

On the occasion of the International Day of Persons with Disabilities marked annually on December 3, the Georgian Government on Sunday announced that work to fulfil the goals and objectives outlined in the second National Strategy for the Protection of Human Rights of Georgia for 2022-2030, adopted in 2023, was underway by developing a 2024-2026 national action plan.

The action plan will cover “all fundamental rights and freedoms” and also, focus on protecting the rights of vulnerable groups, the Government Administration said.

In the documents, special attention is devoted to the rights of disabled persons, [...] envisaging tasks that ensure their equality and accessibility, in particular, emphasising the needs and challenges of women with disabilities and disabled individuals living in the regions”, the body said.

It added that the protection of the rights of people with disabilities and the integration of their interests into state policy remained one of the priorities of the Government.

The Administration stressed an Interagency Coordination Committee responsible for the implementation of the Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities - established at the initiative of Prime Minister Irakli Garibashvili in 2021 - would continue the implementation of the UN General Committee’s recommendations issued after the state submitted a report on the rights of persons with disabilities in 2023.

Public institutions continue to develop and implement annual action plans together with organisations working on the rights of disabled persons under the Law of Georgia on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities”, the Administration said.

It also added that “important steps” were being taken both in terms of coordination and improvement of service delivery and accessibility to fulfil the obligations assumed by the international and national legislation.