The Public Defender congratulates to all children residing in Georgia on the International Child Protection Day and hopes that they will have possibility to live in the peaceful, violence free and decent environment and develop according to their best interest.

International Day for Protection of Children is marked in many countries as Children's Day on June 1 since 1950 and represents the reminder of the obligation of state to ensure the prosperity of each child that considers the meaningful fulfillment of their rights to life, access to health, education and adequate housing.

Despite the steps for fulfillment of the obligations at international and national level, the standards of protection of children are still low in our country. An incomplete list of the recent challenges in child’s rights are the following: Alarmingly high rate of infant mortality, extreme poverty of children, tolerant attitude of society towards the violence of children; difficult situation of children with disabilities in mountainous regions, particular disturbing situation, increasing number of marriages in early age, children’s labour and abandoned children.

The Public Defender checks the situation of children’s rights on the whole territory of Georgia, carries out the monitoring of closed institutions of children and studies concrete cases of violence of children’s rights.

The PDO will intensify its work to better protect children’s rights in the future and try to identify hidden cases of violations of rights, elaborate and carry out educational programs aimed at promoting awareness of the society.

The Public Defender hopes that high standards for the protection of children’s rights set in the national human rights strategy will be realized and ensure the prosperity of each child residing in Georgia.