On June 22, 2015, the Public Defender of Georgia held a presentation - “Legal rights of persons with disabilities in accordance with the Public Defender of Georgia Parliamentary Report for 2014”.

At the opening of the event, Pubic Defender of Georgia Ucha Nanuashvili briefly reviewed developments in the country, emphasized positive and negative tendencies registered with regards to legal rights of persons with disabilities, main problems and challenges that interfere with full realization of rights of persons with disabilities.

The Public Defender of Georgia believes that during 2014 issues of adequate implementation of positions of the Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities, and ratification of the Optional Protocol of the Convention remained as main challenges. Another problematic issue is inaccessible physical environment, transport and public objects that significantly hinders their ability to lead independent lives and often emerges as a ground for discrimination of persons with disabilities.

The special report was presented by Head of the Department of the Protection of Rights of Persons with Disabilities Irina Oboladze. She spoke about obstacles, problems and challenges existing before children, women and representatives of ethnic minorities with disabilities. Also, Irina Oboladze reviewed recommendations addressed towards state bodies aimed at improvement of the current situation.

After the presentation, at the discussion that was moderated by First Deputy Public Defender Paata Beltadze, especially acute issues were discussed by representatives of international organizations and non-governmental organizations working on the topic, also persons with disabilities and their care-givers. The issues also included rights of war veterans with disability status, shortcomings of inclusive education, shortage and inaccessibility of services that is especially apparent in regions. Particular attention was paid to importance of conduction of correctly-planned information campaigns aimed at elimination of the stigma existing in the society.

It was also mentioned, that on the part of the state there has not yet been developed policy supporting employment of persons with disabilities and relevant legislative framework that should play a significant role in inclusion of persons with disabilities in the society. So far, special needs of persons with disabilities have not been included in state healthcare programmes either.