In January 2016, the Department of Gender Equality of the Public Defender's Office organized four information meetings on early marriage issues in the Kvemo Kartliregion (Marneuli, Bolnisi, Tsalka and Gardabani).

The meetings were aimed at increasing awareness of the local population on the prevention of early marriage in the Kvemo Kartli region. The meetings were attended by school students, teachers, local residents and other interested persons. Meeting participants talked about the local factors contributing to early marriage and the solution of the problem with the involvement of the persons who are directly related to the issue and face it every day.

Unfortunately, forced marriage is still a common practice. The meeting participants recalled a number of cases of forced marriage. The practice of engagement of juveniles is also an acute problem. Families make decisions on their juvenile children’s engagement themselves and do not take into account the children’s views. The engaged girls drop out of school, since society believes that going to school is irrelevant for them.

Teachers believe that forced marriage is a financial deal for parents. According to them, permanent control by the state is very important, as it is the only way to make parents stop making decisions on their juvenile children’s marriage.

The meetings were organized within the project of the "Girls’ rights and prevention of early marriage", which is supported by the British Embassy. The project aims at revealing early marriage cases and familiarizing school students, parents, teachers and all other interested parties with the response mechanisms.