Kutaisi, Georgia: The Kutaisi City Hall held a meeting on Monday to develop an action plan to protect the rights of persons with disabilities for 2024.
The Deputy Mayor of Kutaisi Tamar Dakhundaridze, led the meeting, which representatives of various departments, civil society organizations, and persons with disabilities attended.
The action plan is based on the Law on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities, which requires the municipalities to annually develop and approve a plan that outlines the measures to ensure the equal participation and inclusion of persons with disabilities in all spheres of life.
The Council for Protection of Rights and Integration of Persons with Disabilities of Kutaisi Municipality City Hall, established in 2023, met to determine the plan, goals, tasks and activities for the upcoming year. The council comprises 15 members, including seven persons with disabilities, and is chaired by the Deputy Mayor.
The action plan covers various areas such as accessibility, education, employment, health, social protection, culture, sports, and public awareness. Some of the planned activities include improving the physical infrastructure of public buildings, providing assistive devices and services, supporting inclusive education and vocational training, promoting employment opportunities and entrepreneurship, enhancing health care and rehabilitation, increasing social benefits and allowances, organizing cultural and sports events, and conducting information campaigns and advocacy.
The action plan will be finalized and submitted to the City Council for approval by the end of February. The plan’s implementation will be monitored and evaluated by the Council for Protection of Rights and Integration of Persons with Disabilities, which will also coordinate the cooperation and communication among the relevant stakeholders.
The Deputy Mayor of Kutaisi, Tamar Dakhundaridze, expressed her commitment to improving the situation of persons with disabilities in the city and ensuring their full and effective participation in the development of Kutaisi. She also thanked the meeting participants for their valuable input and feedback.
The meeting was part of the project “Strengthening the local governance for persons with disabilities in Georgia”, which is funded by the European Union and implemented by the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) in partnership with the Ministry of Regional Development and Infrastructure of Georgia and the Kutaisi Municipality City Hall.
