On June 1, 2010, on the International Children’s Day, the Public Defender and the Center for Children and Women’s Right at the Public Defender’s Office, with the support of the project of the Council of Europe “Supporting the Public Defender’s Office”, held a conference “Children’s Right - To Be Listened to”.

The conference was designed to increase the involvement of children in the decision-making process related to their life and education and to make sure that the state agencies ensure children’s participation and take their opinions into consideration in the process of planning and implementation of children’s programs.

By means of the conference, the adolescents acquainted the public with their opinions about the legal condition of children.

High school students from the public schools of Tbilisi, Rustavi, Marneuli, Telavi, Gori, and Batumi took part in the conference. The students talked about the following topics: the institution of Mandaturi; the legal condition of children devoid of care; the rights of children with disabilities; ethnic minorities; inappropriate treatment and discrimination of children; protection of children from harmful influence; and the influence of armed conflicts on children’s lives.

The conference will lay the foundation for the formation of the Council of Advisors at the Public Defender’s Office, which will get involved effectively in the work of the Center for Children and Women’s Right at the Public Defender’s Office. At the same time, the adolescents who join the Council will be given opportunities to raise the high school students’ awareness of children’s rights in their own schools.

The children were given certificates of participation in the conference and books about the issues of children’s rights protection.

The conference was attended by the Public Defender, George Tugushi, the Minister of Education and Science, Dimitri Shashkin; the Minister of Labor, Health and Social Affairs, Aleksandre Kvitashvili; the Vice-Speakers of the Parliament, Rusudan Kervalishvili and Gigi Tsereteli; the Chairman of the Parliamentary Committee of Human Rights and Civil Integration, Giorgi Arsenishvili; the Deputy Chairman of the Supreme Court, Zaza Meishvili; the Director General of the Public Broadcaster, Giorgi Chanturia; as well as representatives of international organizations; teachers and directors of public schools; and parents.