Independent Living Center of Disabled Women (formerly Women and Reality)
1. History of Establishment
The initiative group “Women and Reality” (W&R) was established in 2008 by women with disabilities, motivated parents, and their supporters. The initial impetus for establishing the group was the need to support people affected by the 2008 Russia–Georgia war, particularly internally displaced women with disabilities from the Shida Kartli region. In close coordination with the Ministry of Internally Displaced Persons from the Occupied Territories, Accommodation and Refugees of Georgia, W&R responded promptly to the critical social rehabilitation and support needs of women with disabilities in the emergency context.
On 19 June 2012, the initiative group obtained official legal status and was registered as a non-entrepreneurial (non-commercial) legal entity (NNLE), “Women and Reality” (W&R).
Mission-To promote equality of rights and opportunities for women with disabilities, ensuring that they enjoy the same rights and opportunities as other members of society.
Objectives: To protect the dignity, rights, and freedoms of women and girls with disabilities; To contribute to the development of civil society working in the field of disability rights; To support young women and girls with disabilities in protecting their rights and freedoms, developing their talents and abilities, and achieving full and equal participation in society.
Since 2014, the organization has been actively working to develop the community of women with disabilities. This work includes establishing and strengthening groups of community leaders and facilitating their meaningful participation in advocating for issues affecting their lives. These efforts strengthen cooperation among women with disabilities in advocating for their rights at both the national and local levels.
As a result of the organization’s advocacy efforts:
-The 2018–2020 Government Action Plan on Human Rights Protection incorporated accessibility to family planning services and age-appropriate sexual and reproductive health education for persons with disabilities.
-Promoting inclusive and accessible healthcare: For the first time in Georgia, in 2017–2018, the organization raised the issue of equipping screening centers with accessible gynecological and mammography equipment within the Tbilisi City Hall Council on Issues of Persons with Disabilities. The initiative aimed to improve access to healthcare services for women with disabilities.
-Integrating the needs of women with disabilities into local policies and decision-making processes: The organization actively cooperates with local self-government authorities in Tbilisi and across the regions of Georgia, including Kakheti, Imereti, Samegrelo, Guria, Racha, and Samtskhe-Javakheti, to ensure that the needs of women with disabilities are reflected in local policies and to promote the development of rights-based services and initiatives tailored to their needs.
-Promoting the participation of women with disabilities in electoral processes: In 2014, in coordination with the Georgian Gender Equality Network, the organization facilitated a meeting in the Adjara region with women candidates participating in local self-government elections, supporting the engagement of women with disabilities in electoral and political processes.
In 2023, the organization changed its official name from “Women and Reality” to “Independent Living Center of Disabled Women.”
The change of name did not represent a change in the organization’s mission or vision. Rather, it marked a new stage in the organization’s development, aimed at more clearly reflecting the values, principles, and ideological framework that have guided the organization since its establishment and that are grounded in the principles of the United Nations Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities (CRPD), adopted in 2006.
During the same period, the organization expanded its target group to include the community of persons with disabilities as a whole and their family members. At the same time, the rights and needs of women and girls with disabilities remain one of the organization’s key priority areas.
Alongside the expansion of its activities, the organization has strengthened and further developed the following areas of work:
- Individual and systemic advocacy;
- Development of peer support and mutual assistance mechanisms;
- Improved access to information and supported referral for persons with disabilities and their family members;
- Development of psychosocial support and other essential services;
- Promotion of independent living and the full inclusion of persons with disabilities in society;
- Promotion of the integration of the issues and perspectives of women with disabilities into women’s policies and agendas;
- Support for equitable social and economic policies concerning persons with disabilities and women with disabilities.
This stage of organizational development is based on the understanding that protecting the rights of persons with disabilities requires both support tailored to individual needs and sustained efforts to bring about systemic change. Accordingly, the organization continues to advocate for the rights of women with disabilities while integrating this work into broader efforts aimed at empowering persons with disabilities and their families, promoting independent living and equal participation, and contributing to the development of an inclusive society.
Establishment of the “Equality Academy”
In 2025, as part of a new stage in the organization’s development and with the aim of strengthening its educational and consultancy activities focused on disability issues, the Independent Living Center for Women with Disabilities established an internal structural unit — the “Equality Academy”.
The Academy was established to promote the development of knowledge and practical competencies, advance inclusive approaches, and contribute to improving the quality of services tailored to the rights and needs of persons with disabilities.
The activities of the “Equality Academy” include:
- Developing educational resources and inclusive methodologies;
- Supporting the development of personal assistance services, including the development and enhancement of specialized training modules for the training and continuing professional development of personal assistants;
- Developing inclusive psychological support, including the development of specialized training modules and the professional development of specialists in the biopsychosocial approach and trauma-informed care;
- Promoting the economic empowerment of persons with disabilities, including women and girls with disabilities, by developing the knowledge and skills necessary for employment and economic independence;
- Supporting non-formal education for persons with disabilities and their family members.
This includes:
- Developing essential employment skills and strengthening the knowledge required for participation in the open labour market;
- Developing knowledge of digital technologies and opportunities for remote employment;
- Providing education in social entrepreneurship and business fundamentals.
Through these areas of work, the “Equality Academy” aims to empower persons with disabilities and their family members while also strengthening the knowledge and practical competencies of professionals and service providers. Ultimately, these efforts contribute to creating a more equal and inclusive environment.
Key Programs and Services
- Personal Assistance Service — provided within the framework of the Personal Assistance Service Sub-Program of the State Program for Social Rehabilitation and Child Care;
- Free, accessible, and inclusive psychological support service for persons with disabilities and their family members.