Statement of GYLA on the International Day of Persons with Disabilities

The International Day of Persons with Disabilities is celebrated on December 3. On this occasion, Georgian Young Lawyers’ Association would like to focus on the human rights situation of persons with disabilities.

Bearing in mind the fundamental rights of human dignity and honor guaranteed by the Constitution of Georgia and international human rights documents, as well as the essence of the fact that being a human has a value in itself, GYLA stresses that persons with disabilities should be equally benefit from basic human rights and legal guarantees, without any discrimination.

GYLA would like to also highlight the fact that persons with disabilities in Georgia remain to be one of the most socially vulnerable part of the population. Problems that they face in terms of realization of their rights are multidimensional and translate into everyday social barriers as well as multiple barriers engendered by inadequate efforts of the government, which ultimately prevents persons with disabilities from leading a dignified way of life and hinders their social integration.

In order to overcome the existing challenges, GYLA calls on the state to fulfill obligations undertaken under national and international legislation in the field of disabilities and to ratify the documents of both material and vital importance - UN Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities and its Optional Protocol. GYLA would also like to highlight important role of the government for raising awareness of public and civil servants first and foremost, and calls on the government to undertake meaningful steps to combat public stereotypes and prejudice against persons with disabilities.

GYLA expresses its constant readiness to provide legal assistance to persons with disabilities, if required.