Georgia

Government responses

Mainstreaming of disability inclusion, participation, and partnerships

• [11 April 2020] A session of the interagency working group on the rights of persons with disabilities has been held to discuss measures to protect the rights under the state of emergency.
• [19 April 2020] The Emergency COVID-19 Project includes persons with disabilities as stakeholders for consultation. The project highlights the importance of accessible communication and offers direct transfers of GEL 100 to persons with severe disabilities (including children with disabilities) for up to six months.
• [15 June 2020] The Public Defender (Ombudsman) of Georgia has held an online conference regarding the targeted programmes for persons with disabilities during the pandemic.

Continued access to goods and services 

• [24 April 2020] Several organisations, including the Agency for State Care and Assistance for the Victims of Human Trafficking, UNICEF, Georgian Public Broadcaster, and MAC Georgia, have teamed up to launch a weekly show for children with disabilities and their family members. The weekly programme is intended to ensure children with disabilities have support for physical, mental, and educational needs whilst in-person services are unavailable, with topics on independent living skills, behaviour management techniques, teaching and learning methods, and parental self-care, among others.

Accessible public information

• [17 April 2020] The government has worked with UNDP to ensure that persons with disabilities have access to accurate and timely information to protect themselves from the pandemic.

Social protection and employment support

• [23 March 2020] The Social Service Agency would continue state transfers, such as state pensions, compensation, and social packages.
• [24 April 2020] The government would allocate a total of GEL 3.5 billion ($ 1.1 billion) for crisis management, of which GEL 1.035 billion would be targeted at social assistance. Around 40,000 persons with severe disabilities and children with disabilities would receive cash assistance of GEL 600.

Last modified: 6 May 2021