Georgia: The Ombudsman of Georgia welcomes the amendment to the Resolution of the Government of Georgia on the definition of a social package, as a result of which persons with disabilities will no longer be restricted from receiving a social package during the implementation of public activities.
The Public Defender established discrimination in this restriction in 2017 and recommended to the Government of Georgia to extend the right to use the social package established by law to persons with significant and moderate disabilities employed in public service.
As the Government of Georgia did not share the recommendation, the Public Defender filed a constitutional complaint with the Constitutional Court of Georgia on May 20, 2021, requesting that the disputed norm be declared unconstitutional – in relation to Article 11 of the Constitution of Georgia (the right to equality).
The Constitutional Court of Georgia has accepted the constitutional claim of the Public Defender for substantive consideration, and the sittings are scheduled for June 9-10 of the current year.
However, the hearings were postponed at the request of the respondent – the Government of Georgia. Within a few days, it became known that the Government of Georgia had shared the recommendation of the Public Defender of Georgia and made changes to the resolution.
The Public Defender welcomes the fact that the discussions initiated in the Constitutional Court have made it possible to eliminate direct discrimination against persons with disabilities in the field of employment.
