Human rights and liberties are safeguarded by Georgia’s Constitution, policy documents and international commitments, undertaken under the UN conventions and treaties. However, Georgia is still on the way to ensuring meaningful human rights protection for all citizens, especially for the vulnerable and marginalised groups.

Recent research shows that Georgian people pay greater attention to human rights and expect more proactive steps from the authorities to safeguard the rights of all citizens. Two out of five respondents (38.6 percent) believe that the state does not respond adequately to the acts of violence and discrimination against LGBTQI+ people (Source: WISG/SIDA/UNW/UNDP/UNFPA. 2022. ‘From Prejudice to Equality: Study on Public Knowledge, Awareness and Attitudes towards LGBT(Q)I Community and Legal Equality’). The vast majority of the respondents think that the state should better protect the rights of people with disabilities, including greater support for inclusive education (70 percent), inclusive infrastructure (85 percent) and disability assistance (82 percent) (Source: UNDP. 2020. ‘Public attitudes towards persons with disabilities in Georgia’)

With the belief that education and awareness are critical steps toward a human rights-based society, the European Union (EU), and the United Nations (UN) work in partnership to equip Georgia’s public and civic sectors with real-world, practical insights into human rights protection.

A series of training organized in July by UNDP and the South Caucasus Field Presence of the Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights (OHCHR), with EU support, brought together representatives of state institutions, media, professional associations and civil society. This educational initiative focused on the available tools and mechanisms to ensure respect for human rights in all areas.

On 15-16 July, the training session for journalists carried out in partnership with the Office of the State Minister for Reconciliation and Civic Equality, addressed the impact of misinformation and disinformation on protecting the rights of ethnic and national minorities. The training programme highlighted the critical role of the media in combating hate speech and fake news and providing the public with reliable and trustworthy information.

On 17-18 July, lawyers from the Legal Aid Service and the Georgian Bar Association participated in a training on the rights of people with disabilities. They discussed international standards in protecting disability rights and the challenges faced by people with disabilities in Georgia in getting access to justice.   

On 19-20 July, human rights activists and representatives of the organizations engaged in protecting and promoting the rights of LGBTQI+ persons learned how to prepare and submit alternative reports and communications to the UN human rights Treaty Bodies and how to use the UN human rights mechanisms for advocacy and strategic litigation.

On 28-29 July, representatives of Georgia’s Public Defender’s Office discussed how to better protect the right to health in Georgia and refreshed their knowledge of international standards in this area.