The ongoing war in Ukraine has disproportionately affected persons with disabilities and the new joint programme aims to address the challenges and needs of Ukrainian refugees with disabilities in Georgia. The project is being undertaken with the European Disability Forum, 4 United Nations agencies, Georgian organizations of persons with disabilities, and key government ministries.  Since the Russian Federation invaded Ukraine on 24 February 2022, over 197 000 Ukrainians have entered Georgia, as calculated by the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR). Georgia serves both as a transit and destination point, mainly due to its simplified entry and migration policies and lower cost of living compared to most European Union (EU) countries. The project, Mainstreaming a disability-inclusive humanitarian response to the Ukrainian refugee crisis, aims to review coordination systems between central and regional institutions, UN organizations and other humanitarian actors, and gather reliable data on Ukrainians living with disabilities in the country. “Maybe some people need wheelchairs, maybe someone has a family member who is deaf and requires a hearing aid, but we don’t know about them, and they don’t know that help is available,” said Giorgi Dzneladze, Chairman of the Coalition for Independent Living in Georgia. “I hope this project can bridge that gap and connect people with the help they need.” Bridging the gap between people and services As of January 2023, UNHCR estimates that approximately 25 000 Ukrainian refugees remain in Georgia, with 62% being female. Male refugees account for 38%, and this number is significant because, under the current Ukrainian Martial Law, only older men, men with disabilities, and men who have a dependent with a disability can leave Ukraine. People over 60 years-old and minors account for 8% and 26%, respectively. Many of these arrivals are expected to stay at least until June, which is the end of the school year in Georgia, but it’s likely that they will also stay beyond then. Having fled from many parts of Ukraine, but predominantly from eastern areas, many families no longer have a home to return to. The challenges of fleeing to a foreign country can be overwhelming for anyone, especially persons with disabilities. Moreover, people with complex health needs must navigate unfamiliar health systems to access essential services and assistive products while dealing with language barriers, financial hardships and psychological trauma, among others.  The Government of Georgia has ensured that Ukrainians who fled the war are granted access to health care. To help refugee children alleviate stress and trauma, psychosocial centres are working in Batumi at full capacity. However, it’s been reported that some essential services, such as primary health care, frequently remain inaccessible. Bureaucratic processes and the lack of information on how to access services have resulted in many refugees being unable to receive the help they need. Partners gather in Tbilisi to launch the programme The kick-off workshop took place in Georgia's capital, Tbilisi, on 2–3 February. It gathered project partners from WHO/Europe, WHO Country Office in Georgia, UNHCR, Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights (OHCHR), United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF), United Nations Entity for Gender Equality and the Empowerment of Women (UN Women), and United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA). Members of organizations of persons with disabilities, such as the European Disability Forum and Coalition for Independent Living, also took part, sharing their experience and raising questions and concerns regarding the issues of refugees with disabilities in Georgia, such as a shortage of interpreters in shelters or the lack of specialized schools. In turn, representatives from the Georgian Ministry of Internal Affairs, Ministry of Internally Displaced Persons from the Occupied Territories, Ministry of Health and Social Affairs, and local municipalities reported on new government decrees and initiatives designed to help this population group, such as adjustments to the process of disability determination. “I believe that projects like this can really help people with disabilities, including refugees from Ukraine. I'm happy to use my personal and professional experience to make this kind of difference,” said Mariya Yasenovska, who fled from Kharkiv after the war broke out and now supports the European Disability Forum as its Human Rights Officer. Background Funded by the United Nations Partnership on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities (UNPRPD), the programme takes place in Georgia and Moldova. Other goals include improving services dealing with sexual and gender-based violence for refugee women and girls; strengthening the legislative framework; promoting access to employment, education and social protection for persons with disabilities; and eradicating stigma and discrimination. The programme will conclude on 31 October 2023.  

My heart goes out to the people of Türkiye and Syria in this hour of tragedy" said the UN Secretary-General António Guterres in a statement. "The United Nations is fully committed to supporting the response. Our teams are on the ground assessing the needs and providing assistance." In a situation overview published shortly after 4pm GMT, UN aid coordination office OCHA, said that there had been "close to 2,000 death reported" in the two countries impacted, with at least 78 aftershocks reported, ahead of the second earthquake. The Turkish Government has issued a Level 4 alarm, calling for international assistance. The earthquake also heavily impacted northwest Syria, which is home to around 4.1 million people who rely on humanitarian assistance, the majority being women and children.  Caption: A victim of the February 6 earthquake is treated in Samada, Syria. Photo: © UNOCHA/ Ali Haji Suleiman Syrian communities have been hit by an on-going cholera outbreak together with harsh winter weather. So far there is a 48 per cent funding gap for the last quarter of 2022, with $371 million pledged, out of a required total of just over $800 million. Mr. Guterres said that the UN was counting on the international community to help the many thousands caught up in the disaster, "many of whom were already in dire need of humanitarian aid in areas where access is a challenge." Emergency medical teams from the World Health Organization, WHO, have been given the green light to provide essential care for the injured and most vulnerable, WHO chief Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus said in a tweet. Specialist UN surge teams from the Office of UN Disaster Assessment and Coordination (UNDAC) also tweeted that they were “ready to deploy”, amid multiple horrifying social media posts showing huge buildings collapsing in heavily built-up areas. In a statement issued via Twitter, the UN in Türkiye expressed deep sadness at the loss of life and the destruction of property. The team expressed its condolences to the families of victims "as well as to the people and Government", wishing the injured a speedy recovery. "United Nations Türkiye expresses its solidarity with Türkiye and is ready to assist." Syria aid lifeline hit UN humanitarian coordinating office OCHA underscored that the initial 7.8 magnitude quake hit at the height of winter. The epicentre was in southern Türkiye, where nearby Gaziantep – an important UN aid hub for northern Syria - was among the cities affected. “Deeply saddened by the loss of life caused by this morning’s #earthquake,” the UN refugee agency in Syria (UNHCR) tweeted, adding that it was “actively coordinating a response with #UN Agencies and other humanitarian actors to deliver assistance and support to those in need in Syria”. The UN along with humanitarian partners, assists some 2.7 million people every month in northwest Syria, via cross-border air deliveries. The UN reported that 224 buildings were completely destroyed and at least 325 partially destroyed by the quakes, in 17 different subdistricts there, according to initial information from local authorities. Idlib, Aleppo shock Although the earthquake was felt as far away as Lebanon, closer to home, northern Syria’s Aleppo and Idlib also reportedly saw thousands of building collapse, including two hospitals. Humanitarian needs in northern Syria are already huge, as the region is home to millions of people displaced by the country’s long-running war. Snow and rain have hampered the work of rescue teams, whose families are also among those believed to buried under collapsed buildings. Photo: © UN Geneva UN-wide support After an official request for international assistance from Ankara, the UN Children’s Fund, UNICEF, confirmed that it was ready to support the emergency response. “The images we’re seeing out of Syria and Türkiye are heart-wrenching,” said UNICEF Executive Director Catherine Russell. “That the initial earthquake happened so early in the morning, when many children were fast asleep, made it even more dangerous, and the aftershocks bring continuing risks. "Our hearts and thoughts are with the children and families affected, especially those who have lost loved ones or who have been injured.  Our immediate priority is to ensure children and families affected receive the support they so desperately need."  In an update late on Monday, UNICEF said that official figures from the two nations affected indicated that more than 2,300 have died and "these numbers are only likely to increase." Heavy snowstorms have hit parts of Syria and Türkiye in recent days, with further sub-zero temperatures forecasted. It is likely that schools, hospitals and other medical and educational facilities will have been damaged or destroyed by the earthquakes, further impacting children, said UNICEF. Potential damage to roads and critical infrastructure will also complicate search and rescue efforts and the wider humanitarian response. Echoing that message of support, UN migration agency, IOM, said that is warehouse in Gaziantep had prepared non-food items and essential relief ready to be deployed. “IOM teams are also doing on-the-ground assessments to inform the response”, said spokesperson Safa Msehli. Director-General Antonio Vitorino tweeted his solidarity “with people in Türkiye, Syria, Lebanon, the Palestinian Territories, Jordan and all those affected following the deadly earthquake. We will be working closely with governments in the region to support those affected and help alleviate their suffering.” WHO on the ground The World Health Organization's classified emergency medical teams initiative has been activated to provide essential healthcare for the injured and most vulnerable affected by the disaster, in response to a request for international assistance, the agency said. National authorities are focusing on search and rescue in the immediate aftermath of the earthquakes, while anticipating increased need for trauma care to treat the injured. “The immediate priority is to support the response locally,” said Dr. Catherine Smallwood, Senior Emergency Manager coordinating the Türkiye earthquake response at WHO/Europe. “Türkiye has very strong capacity to respond to earthquakes, but such is the level of the destruction, they have put out an alert for international medical assistance. And we are coordinating potential deployment with the Turkish authorities.” There are more than 700 UN staff members in total based in the earthquake-hit areas. In the Turkish city of Hatay there are two international staff and 52 national staffers, said the UN Spokesperson Stephane Dujarric, briefing correspondents in New York, where a headcount is underway to ensure that everyone is accounted for. In Gaziantep, there are some 154 international and 376 national staff members, all of whom have been accounted for. "In Syria, all staff are safe and accounted for", Mr. Dujarric added. A version of this article first appeared in UN News here. Printed from here.  

Mako Chkadua and Malo Kotua, originally from Abkhazia, Georgia, and now based in the Samegrelo region, turned their passion for handicrafts into an opportunity for disadvantaged women. With the support of the European Union and UNDP, they train conflict-affected women in handicrafts to support their livelihoods and build social cohesion among internally displaced people and host communities. Mako and Malo used their hands-on experience in handicraft entrepreneurship and community activism to successfully bid for a grant under the EU4Dialogue programme. It’s the first major initiative for both Mako and Malo and their ‘Hands for Peace’ non-governmental organization to support conflict-affected women. The tailoring class students at the 'Hands for Peace' premises. Photo: UNDP Georgia/Nino Zedginidze The Power of Personal Experience Under the EU and UNDP project, Mako and Malo train 42 women in one of four handicraft areas: knitting, embroidery, tailoring, and macramé. They say the initiative helps women professionally grow, earn a living, improve their livelihoods, and increase their self-reliance. In addition, considering their lived experience as internally displaced people, the two women aspire to contribute to social cohesion and community resilience. "As Internally Displaced Persons, IDPs, we always had the problem of integrating into host communities. Our children's generation is different, but in our childhood, people would make clear distinctions between IDPs and locals. We would be called 'the thrown out, the homeless”, Mako recalls. She explains that by training women in handicrafts, ‘Hands for Peace’ contributes to social cohesion and helps the displaced and host communities find a common ground. Mako Chkadua at the tailoring class premises. Photo: UNDP Georgia/Nino Zedginidze ‘Hands for Peace’ selected a mixed group of participants – people displaced by conflict and people from host communities in Zugdidi, Tsalenjikha and Khobi municipalities. Their students include particularly disadvantaged women – mothers of many children, single mothers, or women in early marriages who could not continue their education. "As Internally Displaced Persons, IDPs, we always had the problem of integrating into host communities. Our children's generation is different, but in our childhood, people would make clear distinctions between IDPs and locals”. 33-year-old Mako and 31-year-old Malo are both originally from the Gali district in Abkhazia. Mako spent half of her life in collective IDP housing in Zugdidi, while Malo frequently moved in between her native Saberio village in Gali and the city of Zugdidi in Samegrelo. They first met in Zugdidi in 2017, where they returned after years of studies in Tbilisi. Their paths crossed again in 2018 at the Charity Humanitarian Center Abkhazeti (CHCA), where Malo taught polymer clay handcrafts, while Mako and her two colleagues, Monika Abralava and Salome Kardava, attended training in soutache for IDP women. As exceptional students, Mako, Monika, and Salome soon joined the ranks of handicraft teachers at the CHCA. In 2019, the four women came up with the idea of the non-profit ‘Hands for Peace’, to help other IDP women in handicraft learning. The embroidering class at the IDP Settlement in Zugdidi. Photo: UNDP Georgia/Nino Zedginidze Challenges and Opportunities – A Way Ahead Mako and Malo note high interest among women across the region to attend their handicraft classes. Last year, they received over 150 online and hardcopy applications. To assist those women who could not apply online, Mako and Malo toured villages with hardcopy application forms. Despite their interest, a lot of women could not join the training because of their domestic chores and care work. Some had young children who could not yet be enrolled in kindergartens, making prospective handicraft students miss out on the classes. Several participants of the ‘Hands for Peace’ project faced a similar issue, but the training course organizers found a solution. They invited mothers to come to the classes with their children and set up a small space in the office where youngsters could play while their mothers mastered needlework. The embroidering class at the IDP Settlement in Zugdidi. Photo: UNDP Georgia/Nino Zedginidze Malo notes that it takes more than just learning handicrafts to start earning a living. "A training or two is far from enough. We are doing our best to ensure that our involvement does not end up with sewing classes alone. The project includes further training for these women to continue their work independently, to learn how to sell their products and how to use funding opportunities, such as grant programmes," she says. Both Mako and Malo are optimistic about the future. They see that their work for empowering women yields results. Two of their students already found employment at the enterprises run by their trainers. And the tailoring class participants got an order from a local kindergarten to make 25 dresses for a New Year celebration.  According to Mako, "these women are making so much progress. Now they are independently looking for funding. They have grown professionally right before our eyes." ### Disclaimer: This story was produced with the financial support of the European Union and UNDP under the EU4Dialogue project. Its contents do not necessarily reflect the views of the European Union and UNDP.

“This is an identical copy of the moon. This is Newton's pendulum, and what we see is the galaxy flying in the magnetic field,” explains Bacho, 15, showing off his collection of miniature galaxy figures. Since the young age, Bacho has been interested and passionate about physics. “My goal for the future is to become a physics theoretician. I want to receive a full scholarship from California Technical University in Los Angeles, where they teach theoretical physics the best,” he says. Bacho lives in Tbilisi, Georgia with his parents and a younger brother – Alex. He spends most of his days at home, doing homework and learning as much as he can about his topics of interests via digital resources. He says, he would like to go spend more time outside, but what prevents him is his disability – Bacho has spinal muscular atrophy and moves around in an electronic wheelchair. UNICEF/Geo-2022/Sukhitashvili Children with disabilities are one of the most vulnerable groups in Georgia. The services for children with disabilities in Georgia remain insufficient. In many municipalities such services do not exist at all. The widespread misconceptions and false beliefs prevent them from full engagement in social, educational, and cultural activities and from realizing their rights. Children with disabilities continue to suffer from the strong stigma connected to disability. “I have faced stereotypes too many times in my life. I think, this is because there is no information out there about us -people with disabilities. For example, if a person has a certain disability, everyone assumes right away that this person is not capable to think,” says Bacho. “When I first went to school, none of the teachers thought I could do anything. They assumed that my mom was doing my homework, not me. When I heard about this, I felt very upset, it made me feel like no one believed in me at school. Soon I proved them wrong – I am one of the few straight A students in my class,” smiles Bacho. In 2021 UNICEF invited Bacho to act as an advisory committee member in the project aimed at transforming disability assessment and support system in Georgia. “I was surprised how considered my input and opinions. I was listened to exactly the same way that adult professionals were listened to,” remembers Bacho. The focus of the Programme was to improve the policy environment, advance the accessibility of infrastructure, information and services, promote social inclusion, and increase access to social services for people with disabilities in Georgia. UNICEF/Geo-2022/Blagonravova Bacho has not physically attended school since he was in the third grade. The school is not far from his home, however, travelling this road can be a grueling task for Bacho and his mother. From the elevator to the ground floor there is a flight of stairs without a ramp, sidewalks are too narrow, there are several places on the way where Ana, Bacho’s mother has to lift the wheelchair to move forward. Ana says, the main problem was that even once they made it to school, she had trouble getting Bacho inside the building, then on the 2nd floor to his classroom. The building had no ramps, no bathroom adapted for wheelchair access, no elevator. Ana was helped by older students to carry Bacho around, which became almost impossible once the boy grew older and heavier. “It is ironic that it was COVID-19 pandemic that helped Bacho,” says Ana. “Online classes were introduced and for 2 years Bacho was able to attend classes, catch up with his classmates, learn in an interactive way”. Bacho was the first child in a wheelchair that attended the Tbilisi public school #169. Ana says, the school director and the teachers have always tried their best to help Bacho stay up to date with the curriculum,  regularly sending him class notes and giving feedback for his homework. However, it was only recently that the school underwent a physical remodeling, with disability access in mind.   “This makes it possible for Bacho to attend his school again and we are going to use this opportunity,” says Ana. “Even though it will take us one hour to get to the school, instead of 15 minutes – like for everyone else”, she adds. Limited access to services, stigma and social exclusion are far too often a reality for the children with disabilities. UNICEF/Geo-2022/Blagonravova Ana, Bacho's mother watching her son attending the lesson at Tbilisi #169 Public School “From a very young age, I have known that I am different from others. But I never saw this as a problem, because I believe that all people are equal and yet, unique,” says Bacho. “It is only the outside barriers, created by humans themselves, that create problems.” “It is very important that such barriers no longer exist, says Bacho. “It is important not only for people with disabilities, but for the whole society.”