CONFERENCE ON PEOPLES WITH DISABILITIES HELD IN BAKU
The Ombudsman Office of Azerbaijan, UNICEF Representation in Azerbaijan and Union of Organizations of Persons with Disabilities in Azerbaijan held Thursday a conference on equal opportunities and rights for persons with disabilities.
Representatives of state bodies, international organizations, public unions and non-governmental organizations attended the conference.
Human Rights Commissioner Elmira Suleymanova announced that the event aimed to focus on effective aspects of application of the United Nations Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities in Azerbaijan and to exchange views on it.
She said in the past few years, several laws were adopted in the country to provide social protection and improvement of living conditions of persons with disabilities.
E. Suleymanova stated there were many countries having no legislation on protection of persons with disabilities in working places adding that the Convention provides equal rights for those persons in all fields.
UNICEF Representative in Azerbaijan Ms. Hanaa Singer announced there are more than 500 million persons with disabilities across the world about 150 million of whom are children. All opportunities should be used for their integration into society, she stressed.
UNICEF Representative said the society has to undertake certain steps to prevent violation against disabled women and girls.
According to Ms. Singer, the Convention’s article 24 indicates that participating countries recognize the right of disabled people to education, and must, based on equal opportunities, make every effort to realize this right providing inclusive education system at all levels.
Chairman of the Azerbaijan Parliament Standing Commission on Social Policy Hadi Rajabli said persons with disabilities always feel government’s support and care, adding the Parliament will do ratify the convention in nearest future. He noted that every year, the government grants with new apartments and special “OKA” motor cars to disabled veterans of Karabakh war and 20 January tragedy. Mr. Rajabli added this year the lawmakers will pass new laws and make amendments to existing ones in order to improve social conditions of persons with disabilities.
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