Leave no one behind — from policy and principles to practice in disability inclusive development in Georgia

Start DateOngoingEnd Date

25 Feb 202131 Jan 2026

Programme Status

Open

Programme Budget

US$ 700,000

Financial Information

Thematic focus: Access to Health, CRPD monitoring (art 33), GBV & Sexual and Reproductive Health, Inclusive SDGs Planning and Monitoring, OPDs capacity building

Implementing Partners

UN Agencies

UNDP
UNFPA
OHCHR

Government Organizations

Parliament of Georgia, Head of Healthcare and Social Issues Committee
Parliament of Georgia, Deputy Head of the Legal Issues Committee
Advisor to Prime Minister on Human Rights Issues

Organizations of Persons with Disabilities

Head of Georgian Network of Women with Disabilities
Chairperson of Accessible Environment for Everyone

The Programme

There have been some positive changes in the last several years in Georgia regarding the rights of persons with disabilities, however, little has improved in the daily lives of many persons with disabilities (PWDs), who remain one of the most marginalized groups in the country. PWDs lack access to education, employment, health, and social services. The situation analysis on the rights of PWDs was conducted to support Georgia to deliver on its commitments under the CRPD. It serves as a baseline for the UNPRPD programme proposal and presents existing gaps in disability inclusion in Georgia.

The UNPRPD programme proposal aims to improve the quality of life of people with disabilities in Georgia. The programme outputs are based on the recommendations of the Situation Analysis to ensure more effective contributions towards disability inclusive policies, systems, and – for the implementation of the CRPD and achieving SDGs.

Phase 2

The second phase of the programme in Georgia has a specific focus on advancing informed consent for persons with disabilities in the health sector, to strengthen the health system and increase access to health services. Building on amendments to healthcare legislation achieved in the first phase, the programme is delivering targeted capacity building for health workers and piloting and rolling out guidance on informed consent to enhance health service provision. The programme is also working to decentralize multi-stakeholder coordination mechanisms and strengthen national accessibility standards, further building on achievements secured in the first phase.

Approach

One of the main priorities of the programme is the creation and effective functioning of the coordination mechanism envisaged by article 33 of CRPD, the capacity building of professionals/policy makers, committee members and institutions involved in CPRD implementation as well as capacity building of OPDs to effectively contribute to the development and implementation of disability inclusive policy.

The other priorities will address essential building blocks and preconditions to CPRD implementation as well as echo the ongoing transformative changes in the system for PWDs in Georgia. It is obvious that national development demands combined approaches to policy, advocacy, budgets, and programs that channel efforts toward a unified, inclusive goal.