News

6-12 October, Senaki, Coalition for Independent Living completed active rehabilitation and independent living training camp for people using wheelchairs. About 20 people from different regions of Georgia were participating in the camp. October 7, Georgia Dream presidential candidate Giorgi Margvelashvili visited the camp in hotel “EA”. Margvelashvili met people with disabilities to hear about their issues. The presidential candidate also tried his hand at navigating a wheelchair over obstacles. He later, told camp participants in case of his victory in elections the president’s administration would have a special representative dealing with the issues of citizens with disabilities. Government is working about the problems in this field and it is planned to make legislative changes, mentioned Margvelashvili.

Coalition for independent Living Chairman Giorgi Dzneladze welcomed Margvelashvili’s initiative and noted that the main problem is the lack of communication between the Government and people with disabilities. If the special representative will be presented with PWD the communication problem will be solved.

Among the guests of the camp was Human Rights committee leader Eka Beselia. The ratification process of the UN Convention about the rights of the people with disabilities is in progress, stated Beselia, after the elections we are going to present to Parliament this legislative proposal for approval.

Regional Development and infrastructure Minister, Davit Narmania, visiting the camp with Giorgi Margvelashvili, stated, that the committee prepared Decree of the Government about the rights of people with disabilities to  access to the physical environment. The decision concerns to the public infrastructure, road adaptation and 20 centimeter barrier removal.

The camp was supported by USAID and WID in the frame of the project Georgian wheelchair production network, accomplished by Coalition for Independent Living.