The 16th session of the signatory states of the UN Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities concluded with a panel discussion, featuring Rati Ionatamishvili, a member of the Parliament of Georgia, as one of the main speakers. The panel discussion focused on building an inclusive democracy for people with disabilities.

It is noteworthy that the European Parliament organized the CRDP COSP panel discussion at the UN for the first time, and the participation of the Parliament of Georgia, as a country aspiring for EU candidate status, was particularly highlighted in this format.

During the panel discussion, national policymakers in the field of disability exchanged views on enhancing legislation and promoting the rights of individuals with disabilities across all policy domains through effective parliamentary policies and structures.

Rati Ionatamishvili shared insights on Georgia's experience in parliamentary oversight and law-making processes during his speech. The role of the Parliament of Georgia in shaping state policies for persons with disabilities was positively evaluated during the session.

Legislators and representatives of persons with disabilities will continue to study and share experiences and knowledge on successful approaches, strategies, and action plans.

At the conclusion of the panel, the participants discussed Georgia's European integration process and expressed hope that the Parliament of Georgia's participation in the panel discussion at the United Nations, under the auspices of the European Parliament, would contribute to obtaining candidate status.

Dr. Marcus Shaffer, one of the authors of the UN Convention on Persons with Disabilities and a special rapporteur on Georgia at the UN, moderated the panel discussion. He is scheduled to visit Georgia in September of this year as part of a working visit.