Round table

Rights of Disabled Persons: Current Situation and Prospective

In the framework of the memorandum concluded between the Association Right to Health and Georgian-American University Law School legal clinic, a round table was held on June 8, 2010. The topic of the gathering was Rights of Disabled Persons: Current Situation and Prospective.

Prof. Marina Kvachadze, director of the legal clinic opened the meeting and Prof. Zaza Rukhadze, dean of the Georgian-American University Law School, greeted the workshop participants. The meeting was also attended by Nino Kiknadze, director of the Law, Media and Health program of Open Society – Georgia Foundation.

Participants of the round table were professors of Georgian-American University and Grigol Robakidze University “Alma Mater” (Malkhaz Badzaghua and Misha Badzaghua), university students, medical law master students at Tbilisi State Medical University, NGOs, such as Article 42, Association Ndoba, Right to Health Asscication, organization Interlaw, organization Leaders for Democracy and representatives of Women’s Information Center.

Vakhtang Menabde, head of the centre for the protection of the rights of persons with disabilities at Public Defender’s Office, talked about principles of the Centre’s functioning and the problems disabled persons encounter in everyday life. Mr. Menabde stressed the importance of the role of Public Defender in protecting of the rights of disabled persons. He specifically discussed the issues posed in Public Defender’s Office Reports of the 2nd half of 2009: conceding the status, inclusive education, rehabilitation and social integration, institutions for disabled persons and their role. Mr. Menabde touched the UN Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities and the issues of its ratification in Georgia.

Students of Georgian-American University - Tiko Diasamidze, Medea Salukvadze and Nino Lashkarashvili, headed by Misses Mari Chokheli, made presentations discussing the experience of USA, Europe and Russia in protecting the rights of disabled persons.

Non-governmental organizations presented their experience about projects implemented by them to protect rights of persons with disabilities.

In the end, discussion was held touching upon specific cases of infringement upon the rights of disabled persons’ and children’s rights, conditions of the realization of their right to education and legislative amendments. Undergraduate and master students, as well as the representatives of the NGOs actively participated in discussion.

Prof. Marina Kvachadze reviewed the outcomes of the Round Table and noted that regular meetings of such type will promote disseminating of the information about the Public Defender on the one hand, and active involvement of law students in protecting disabled persons’ rights on the other.

Prof. Irma Manjavidze, president of the Right to Health Association, thanked-student participants of the Round Table for expressing their concern, as well as being active and granted certificates to them.