March 21 is World Down Syndrome Day. The main goal of marking this day is to raise public awareness of issues of people with Down syndrome.

This year’s message of the World Down Syndrome Day is - “Improve Our Support Systems”, which calls on states to support people with Down syndrome to equally engage and participate in public life.

People with Down syndrome and their families still face problems and various difficulties in the process of exercising their rights in Georgia. Among them are the timely implementation of the social model of disability, access to healthcare services, stigma and stereotypes in society, continuous and quality inclusive education, equal opportunities for employment and professional development in the open labour market, participation in the public and political life of the country. Another challenge is the lack of services aimed at facilitating independent living of people with Down syndrome and tailored to their individual needs, and their timely implementation.

The Public Defender of Georgia calls on the State to take consistent and result-oriented steps to ensure the protection of the rights of people with Down syndrome and their full inclusion in everyday life by improving support systems for these people.