OSCE Office: Georgian amendments to remove gender quotas for party election lists “not aligning” with int’l human rights standards

The Organisation for Security and Co-operation in Europe’s Office for Democratic Institutions and Human Rights has said amendments to the Georgian election code that stipulate removal of gender quota requirements for parties in compiling their election lists are “not in line with international human rights standards and OSCE commitments” in its legal opinion on the legislative initiative.

The opinion was prepared on request of the Georgian Public Defender's Office, which on Monday said the document “negatively evaluated” the changes, initiated by the Girchi party, and found them inconsistent with the standards related to the elimination of discrimination against women in political and public life.

The report said the amendments, published on May 21 , removed gender quotas applicable to party lists for parliamentary and municipal elections, as well as financial incentives to encourage political parties to nominate more women than the
legal minimum.

Without introducing alternative forms of temporary special measures or other recognised mechanisms to accelerate women’s political representation in Georgia, this represents a setback for the advancement of gender equality in Georgia, not in line with international human rights standards and OSCE commitments which mandate the elimination of discrimination against women in political and public life”, it said.

The recommendations from the ODIHR emphasise the importance of conducting proper impact assessments and inclusive consultations when making amendments to electoral and gender representation legislation. Additionally, they advise against fast-tracking legislative initiatives unless there is a genuine urgency to pass a specific law.

The recommendations advocate for the implementation of effective temporary special measures to eliminate discrimination against women in public and political life in Georgia. This includes re-introducing mandatory electoral gender quotas, incorporating provisions in the election code to clarify the conditions for lifting gender quotas, reintroducing financial incentives for political parties to enhance the inclusion of women in party lists and considering additional measures to promote balanced representation and intra-party democracy.

The ODIHR added if the authorities chose not to reintroduce mandatory electoral gender quotas, alternative and “equally effective” measures should be adopted to accelerate women’s political participation.

The Parliament of Georgia heard the amendments in an expedited manner, in four days, and passed them in the final, third reading on April 4, before also overriding President Salome Zourabichvili’s veto on the changes on May 15.