The Public Defender's Office checked 59 free canteens in 25 municipalities. According to the Ombudsman's assessment, the current situation in some municipalities both in terms of food delivery services and sanitary meets the minimum requirements, however, the overall picture is unsatisfactory.
The amount allocated per beneficiary in the free canteens of Tbilisi Municipality amounts to 1,30 GEL, which is less than the daily amount calculated in the regions. This is mentioned in the monitoring report of free canteens distributed by the Public Defender.
According to the information of the Public Defender's office, as a result of the monitoring, it was revealed that: there is no unified standard for the management and delivery of the free canteen service in the country, and the nutritional needs of the beneficiaries are not taken into account when the service is implemented, there were cases when the menu is prepared by an accountant and not by a specialist in the relevant field, in most cases, the menu does not change throughout the year, and also, the majority of institutions do not meet universal design standards.
"In February and March 2022, the Office of the Public Defender monitored 59 free canteens operating in 25 municipalities of Georgia, based on the principle of random selection.
The free meals program is implemented in almost all municipalities, which is an important service for realizing the right to proper food. The right to adequate food means access to the food necessary for a healthy and active life, including a minimum ratio of adequate calories, protein, and other specific nutrients.
According to the Public Defender's assessment, the current situation in some municipalities both in terms of food delivery service and sanitary-hygiene meets the minimum requirements, however, the overall picture is unsatisfactory.
The Public Defender points out that the Government of Georgia should ensure the development and approval of the basic standards of free canteen services, which will take into account the management of the service, the calorie content of the menu, the quality of food, safety, sanitary-hygienic requirements, the improvement and equipment of food blocks, the observance of hygienic norms and other relevant issues.
