UN member states addressed Georgia with recommendations
By Natalia Kochiashvili
Wednesday, January 27
On 26th of January, at the United Nations, as part of the 3rd cycle of the Universal Periodic Review (UPR), UN member states shared Georgia's recommendations for improving the human rights situation.
The periodic review session focused on the judiciary and the challenges in this area. The Office of the Public Defender and non-governmental organizations shared the recommendations addressed by the UN Member States in the third cycle of the Universal Periodic Review of Georgia.
According to the organizations, the steps taken in the direction of judicial reform in Georgia have been positively assessed by the states, but the number of recommendations indicate that this issue remains a problematic issue for the international community.
The states call on Georgia to step up its work towards judicial independence and transparency. In line with the UK recommendation, the country should heed the OSCE/ODIHR recommendations. In his speech, the US representative highlighted the current situation in the judiciary, highlighting problems, including clan governance. He spoke of the need for reform, the appointment of judges according to their merits, and called on the state to take into account the recommendations.
The organizations say that the representatives of the states positively assessed the progress made by Georgia in the fight against violence and discrimination against women and gave additional recommendations in these areas.
The representative of Denmark advised Georgia to bring the definition of sexual violence in line with the Istanbul Convention. The representative of the Parliament of Georgia noted that the issue will be discussed by the Parliament at the spring session.
Other important recommendations related to the sexual exploitation of children, including the fight against prostitution (where Georgian law does not comply with the requirements of the Lanzarote Convention), childhood and forced marriage, and the provision of adequate protection and assistance to victims. The session also addressed challenges on topics such as discrimination, hate crimes and the rights of LGBTQ people.
Georgia received more specific recommendations from: Spain - regarding the abolition of the requirement for a sex reassignment operation to change the gender record in identification documents; Sweden - Amendments to the Criminal Code of Georgia and the Law on the Prevention of Violence against Women and / or Domestic Violence, Protection and Assistance to Victims of Violence, so that victims' rights are protected on any grounds, including the GOI, free from discrimination.
The recommendations also relate to identifying, preventing and properly investigating threats posed by hate, far-right radical groups, including ensuring that LGBTQ people enjoy freedom of assembly and expression.
Member States also focused on developing social programs in the field of children's rights and services for street children and working children. Recommendations were made on the implementation of the Code of the Rights of the Child. Particular attention was paid to the ratification of the Additional Protocol to the Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities and the Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities. Recommendations were voiced regarding access to education for children with disabilities.
The right to sexual and reproductive health, in particular universal access to sexual and reproductive health services was also addressed: Comprehensive school education on sexual and reproductive health in accordance with UNESCO international standards; Adequate implementation of the state strategy for maternal and neonatal health and measures to reduce maternal and neonatal mortality.
It should be noted that the extension of the mandate of the Labor Inspection by the Georgian delegation was named as one of the achievements from January 1, 2021, although nothing was said about the need to equip the Labor Inspectorate with human and material resources.
In contrast to the previous cycle of the UPR, the recommendations of the states in the current discussions included the issues raised by the EMC in its international reporting to ensure the right to adequate housing.
In particular, a general recommendation was issued to guarantee adequate housing for the homeless, and the Government of Georgia was also recommended to develop a housing regulatory framework, through relevant action plans and strategies, distributed to both the homeless and the displaced.
The Universal Periodic Review Advocacy Campaign was supported by UPR Info and the Open Society Foundations. Organizations involved in the campaign: Public Defender's Office in Georgia; Coalition for Equality; Coalition for Independent and Transparent Judiciary; Partnership for Human Rights; Center for Human Rights Education and Monitoring; Georgian Young Lawyers Association; Institute for Tolerance and Diversity; Women's Initiative Support Group; Platform salute; Association Hera XXI; Equality Now.
