Persons with disabilities and CSOs issued a joint statement condemning the Georgian Government’s non-inclusive and “shady” nomination of a candidate for the UN Committee on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities (UNCRPD Committee). The signatories accuse the country of violating the relevant Convention by excluding the procedures for due participation. The undersigned urge an international response.
The statement urges the international community “to condemn the absence of transparency and civic participation” in the nomination and also calls on “the intergovernmental and international non-governmental organizations, as well as the individual nations, to further inquire into the situation, publish and disseminate the findings.” The Georgian community and CSOs expect support from their international counterparts and express readiness to provide more information.
The statement highlights that significant efforts and foreign funding have been dedicated to establishing participation mechanisms for persons with disabilities. However, this “direct violation” still occurred due to the “façade” nature of the government’s participation mechanisms.
In this context, the statement also refers to the reintroduced Foreign Agents bill. “The authorities justify the introduction of this bill by the need for civil society to be transparent. While the government itself does not adhere to the principles of transparency, accountability, and inclusive participation, the authorities lacked the political will to involve persons with disabilities in decision-making on such a matter of nationwide importance.”
This statement is joined by the following representative organizations of persons with disabilities and other organizations working on disability rights, parents of disabled children and adults, and disabled activists:
Organizations:
Platform for New Opportunities/PNO
Georgian Network of ex/users and survivors of Psychiatry
Families against discrimination/FAD
Movement Accessible Environment for Everyone
Sentire
Movement Inclusive Society Georgia
Equal Participation Center/EPC
Aures Foundation
Partnership for Human Rights/PHR
Georgian Young Lawyers Association/GYLA
Social Justice Center
Individuals:
Esma Gumberidze
Giorgi Akhmeteli
Giorgi Enukidze
Marine Korkotadze
Ana Sikhashvili
Olga Kalina
Shorena Shavlakadze
David Kviriliani
Ekaterine Tortladze
Tatia Datashvili
Givi Jvarsheishvili
Goderdzi Gogoladze
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