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The News in Brief

Tuesday, April 3
Prepared by Maria Chanishvili

Ombudsman Urges Gov’t Promote Rights of People with Autism

The Public Defender of Georgia, Nino Lomjaria stated on Monday, on the World Autism Awareness Day, that it is important to put more effort in protecting the rights of people with Autism in order to ensure their participation in the public life.

“Proper protection of the rights of people with autism is still problematic in Georgia. The lack of health care for children with autism, lack of necessary programs and services for them, limited number of habilitation/rehabilitation services, territorial inaccessibility, poor quality of services provided, and lack of staff and low level of their qualifications are still challenges in the country,” stated Lomjaria.

She noted that it is important to plan effective measures adjusted to the needs of persons with autism, by considering gender aspects. Inadequate support for and gaps in the inclusion education impedes practical realization of the right to education by children with autism.

The 2018 World Autism Awareness Day focuses on the importance of empowering women and girls with autism, who face multiple challenges including barriers to accessing education and employment on an equal footing with others, denial of their reproductive rights and the freedom to make their own choices.



Audit Service Says Road Accidents affect State Economy

Georgia’s State Audit Office reported on Monday that the damage to the state economy caused by road accidents in 2015 amounted to 738 million USD.

The audit service calculated the medical expenses in the wake of road accidents in Georgia, in the country which has three times more road accidents annually than European countries.

Traffic accidents rate has been growing since 2011. Number of vehicles in Georgia has risen by 33% between 2011 and 2016. The number of traffic accidents has also increased by 35% in the period.

A total of 6, 079 road accidents were registered in 2017, after which 517 persons died and 8, 461 persons were injured.