Ombudsman's Regional Centers Held Educational Events Dedicated to the Rights of Persons with Autism

On the initiative of Ms. Sabina Aliyeva, the Ombudsman of Azerbaijan, within the framework of "World Autism Month" the Ombudsman's Western, North-West, Northern, and Southern Regional Centers organized legal awareness events on the topics of "Public Awareness of Autism" and "Benefits of Early Diagnosis". Representatives of the general public, including employees of public institutions, parents of children with ASD, students, and active young people, took part in these events.

During the educational events, the history, essence, and goal of April 2 - World Autism Day, as well as the onset of autism in early childhood, symptoms, causes, and neurological aspects of autism, were discussed. The protection of the rights of persons with ASD, along with the protection of the rights of other vulnerable groups of the population, is the focus of the Commissioner's attention. The participants were given in-depth information about the work being done to protect the rights of people from this category, including children with limited health opportunities.

It was noted that the Ombudsman proposed the adoption of a specific normative legal act and a targeted state program on state care for children with ASP, for this purpose. She also recommended the establishment of appropriate educational institutions and rehabilitation centers in the regions for these children to receive preschool and general education on time, as well as the strengthening of qualified personnel training.

In the end, the participants were given informative booklets prepared on the initiative of the Ombudsman, and their questions were answered.

It should be noted that during World Autism Month, the Western Regional Center staff members also visited the Ganja Autism Center, which was established with the support of the Heydar Aliyev Foundation, "Azergold" CJSC, and the organization of the "Birge va Saghlam" (Together and Healthy) Public Union to support the personal growth of individuals with ASD.