aA A meeting of the Seimas Ombudspersons and the Human Rights Unit with the Commission for the Monitoring of the Rights of Persons with Disabilities

The Seimas Ombudspersons Erika Leonaitė, Jolita Miliuvienė and the staff of the Human Rights Unit met with the Monitoring Commission on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities under the Office of the Ombudsperson for Equal Opportunities, which monitors the implementation of the United Nations Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities.

Ms. Leonaitė, Head of the Seimas Ombudspersons’ Office, emphasised the importance of cooperation with the Monitoring Commission on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities and presented the mandates of the Seimas Ombudspersons and the areas of their activities, which also focus on the implementation of the UN Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities.

Vytautas Pivoras, Chairman of the Commission for Monitoring the Rights of Persons with Disabilities, presented the work of the Commission, and Indrė Širvinskaitė, Vice-Chairman of the Commission, introduced the priorities of the Commission for 2023-2024 and the areas of activity planned for 2025-2027.

The participants agreed to continue and strengthen cooperation between the Commission and the Seimas Ombudspersons’ Office in the areas of prevention of torture and the work of the National Human Rights Institution.

The meeting also discussed initiatives to cancel the new inclusive education programme in the Seimas and initiatives in the Seimas to amend the Police Act, which extends the list of at-risk persons to include persons with mental health problems. The need to strengthen the monitoring of the rights of persons with disabilities and the lack of human and financial resources allocated to this area were also discussed.