Caucasus Disability Organizations Unite to Create a Society of Equal Opportunities
By Denise Roza, Perspektiva
More than 30 NGO representatives from 11 regions of the Caucasus, including Adigeya, Abkhazia, Azerbaijan, Armenia, Georgia, Dagistan, Ingushetia, Karachaevo - Chercessia, Nagorny Karabakh, the Chechen Republic and South Ossetia, gathered in Moscow for the first time to discuss the creation of a network which will act throughout the Caucasus Region to protect the rights of people with disabilities.
The meeting was held during the seminar, "Introduction of Ideas of Independent Life of Disabled Persons in the Caucasus," conducted by the Moscow Regional Public Organization of Disabled Persons, "Perspektiva," from May 18 through May 25, 2002.
The purpose of the Moscow meeting was to encourage and promote international cooperation through the network and to improve the lives of persons with disabilities throughout the Caucasus. This regional association will serve not only to improve the quality of life of disabled persons, but it will also seek to promote the acceleration of peace-making processes and the construction of measures of trust in region.
The group discussed stereotypes which disabled persons face in society as well as tools and methods for successfully defending the rights of persons with disabilities. Particular attention was paid to the philosophy of Independent Living and community support services, both necessary for improving the quality of life of disabled persons throughout the Caucasus. For more information about the network, contact Koba Nadiradze, Chairman, at alexis@gol.ge or nadira@gol.ge.
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