Georgian Disabled Women's International Association Founded

A new organization, the Georgian Disabled Women's International Association, has established a website: www.itic.org.ge/gdwia
 

Since 1996 an Initiative Group on Human Rights Protection has been functioning. The section on disabled people's rights was headed by Ms Manana Galuashvili, editor of the Caucasus Disability Newsletter called "Rights of Disabled People". The Newsletter was issued with the assistance of British Humanitarian Organization, Oxfam, under the guidance of Ms Jacqui Christy, a Caucasus Disability Adviser.

In 1997-1999 Ms Manana Galuashvili was a coordinator of Novib+Oxfam project "Disability Awareness Programme". At the same time Oxfam encouraged the setting up of a group uniting women with physical disabilities, which was incorporated later as the Georgian Disabled Women's International Association, representing a volunteer civic public union that unites women with active life position and conducts its activity under the Constitution of Georgia, Georgian Civic Law, current legislature and rules of its Regulations [registration number - #20530496]. President - Manana Galuashvili.
 

Objectives

1. Monitoring of disabled women condition at the national level;
2. Searching for ways of solving those problems that disabled women face;
3. Highlighting challenges disabled women have to deal with through Mass Media and creating positive image in the society;
4. Protecting disabled women's rights;
5. Integrating disabled women (including bed-patients) into the mainstream life and society;
6. Tackling issues of disabled women's employment;
 

Organizational Sections

According to the organization' s 3-year plan, its institutional development and future activities include the function of following sections:
1.Training Section;
2.Projects Elaboration Section;
3.Public and Mass Media Relatins Section;
4.Rights Protection Section;
5.Psychological Support Section;
6.Monitoring Section;
7.Employment Section;
8.Disability Arts Section;
9.International Relations Section;
 

Activities

1. Setting up a continuously permanently updated database on the situation of women with physical disabilities; bringing out and systemizing the spectrum of problems disabled women have to face up to;
2. Raising public awareness and creating positive image of people with disabilities via highlighting situation of disabled women, corresponding to the reality, through governmental and non-governmental media, TV and Radio channels, publishing articles in newspapers, issuing posters; newsletter on disability issues;
3. Integrating and promoting access to education; involving hospital patients with disabilities into the mainstream life through raising awareness, arranging training (involving patients through phone intercom), rendering advice by hot line, involving them in current projects, etc.;
4. Networking: establishing direct links and information exchange with organizations, both governmental and non-governmental, at national, regional and international levels; exchange visits, workshops, participation in joint activities, etc.
5. Lobbying at municipalities, ministries and Parliament levels;
 

CONTACT INFORMATION
Manana Galuashvili
President

Address: #34, Dzmebi Zubalashvilebis St, Tbilisi, 380008, Georgia-Caucasus
Tel:(+995 32) 92 09 11
TeleFax:(+995 32) 92 14 61
E-mail: gdwia@access.sanet.ge