Georgia has “solid” human rights framework, including legislations, policies in line with intl, European standards - EU report
As the report noted “in 2022 progress has been achieved in the reforms of the electoral system, of the public administration, the enhancement of gender equality, the rights of the child, and the rights of persons with disabilities”. Photo via Council of EU
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The European Union on Tuesday published its annual 2022 report on Human Rights and Democracy in the World, in which it assessed that overall Georgia has a “solid” human rights framework, including legislations and policies in line with international and European standards.
As the report noted “in 2022 progress has been achieved in the reforms of the electoral system, of the public administration, the enhancement of gender equality, the rights of the child, and the rights of persons with disabilities”.
However, the EU emphasised that “implementation should be strengthened in several areas”, including judicial reforms, anti-corruption, strengthening the independence of State’s institutions, while also stressing that the human rights situation in Georgia’s occupied Abkhazia and Tskhinvali (South Ossetia) regions remained “concerning”.
The report also said that the EU focused on strengthening the independence and accountability of the judiciary, reducing inequalities, contributing to the fight against discrimination and empowering the civil society to promote and defend their civic rights.
The regular political dialogue with Georgia was also noted, including the bloc’s “significant efforts” to encourage Georgia to develop the Georgian National Strategy for the Protection of Human Rights for 2022-2030 through regular meetings with Prime Minister Irakli Garibashvili’s Human Rights Advisor, in close cooperation with the United Nations.
A dialogue on the development of a comprehensive action plan to implement the National Strategy is ongoing. The EU has put forward suggestions aiming at integrating issues that had not been included in the strategy, such as addressing discrimination based on sexual orientation and gender identity, hate crimes and judicial matters”, the EU report said.
The EU delegation’s continued work to be at the “forefront of protecting and promoting” human rights in Georgia through implementing substantial human rights programmes and systemic outreach activities was also highlighted, with the bloc allocating €11 million for EU4Human Rights, aiming to strengthen human rights protection.
The report also said that the country continued its multilateral engagement throughout 2022, being elected as a Member of the UN Human Rights Council for 2023-2025 and stressed that in March 2022, the Human Rights Council adopted a resolution on continued technical assistance by the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights focused on the situation in occupied territories.
On 9 June, the UN General Assembly adopted by vote, for the 15th time, the Georgian resolution on Status of internally displaced persons and refugees from Abkhazia, Georgia and Tskhinvali (South Ossetia) regions, it was also noted in the report.
Claus Neukirch, the Director of the Directorate of Programme Co-ordination of the Council of Europe, on Wednesday thanked Niko Tatulashvili, the Georgian Prime Minister’s Advisor for Human Rights, for his efforts in the development of the country’s second Human Rights strategy.
The country has taken “giant strides” in the last 10 years to raise the standard of human rights protection, Vice Prime Minister Thea Tsulukiani told journalists on Saturday marking Human Rights Day.
The state's “primary responsibility” is to ensure human rights protection and today it is important to discuss the new document of the Government-approved 2022-2030 National Human Rights Strategy. Within the framework of the document, the country must ensure and implement its obligations to respect human rights, Shalva Papuashvili, the Georgian Parliament Speaker said on Saturday at the event dedicated to Human Rights Day.
Georgian Prime Minister Irakli Garibashvili said on Monday his Government had approved the National Strategy for Human Rights Protection for the years 2022-2030 following discussions with both international partners and domestic non-governmental organisations.
Mikheil Sarjveladze, the Chair of the Georgian Parliament's Committee on Human Rights, on Wednesday said the ruling Georgian Dream party Government had made a “huge” effort to ensure the human rights protection system in the country was "as smooth as possible" .
Rati Ionatamishvili, an MP of the ruling Georgian Dream party, on Wednesday said the European Union’s latest Human Rights and Democracy in the World report had confirmed Tbilisi “deserved” the bloc’s membership candidate status last year.
Niko Tatulashvili, the Georgian Prime Minister's Advisor for Human Rights, on Wednesday presented the 2024-2026 Draft National Action Plan for the Protection of Human Rights to representatives of the civil sector.
On the occasion of the International Day of Persons with Disabilities marked annually on December 3, the Georgian Government on Sunday announced that work to fulfil the goals and objectives outlined in the second National Strategy for the Protection of Human Rights of Georgia for 2022-2030, adopted in 2023, was underway by developing a 2024-2026 national action plan.
Georgian Parliament Speaker Shalva Papuashvili on Sunday said the role and commitment of disabled persons, including injured military personnel, were “particularly noteworthy” today with “just a few days left before the European Council grants Georgia the European Union membership candidate status”.
Georgian Prime Minister Irakli Garibashvili on Sunday said his Government’s goal was to create and “continuously develop” mechanisms that ensure the “effective protection” of human rights and freedoms with the involvement of each branch of Government, public agencies and interested parties.
Paweł Herczyński, the European Union Ambassador to Georgia, on Sunday said Georgians could “count on the EU to stand by your side to ensure your fundamental rights are respected”.