Due to the difficult situation of safety and monitoring of the Georgian market, the Public Defender of Georgia has launched an informational campaign - Safe Toy. The Public Defender's Office started to study the issues relating to the regulation of safety of toys and the country’s practice in this direction in 2016.

Important activities are planned within the framework of the abovementioned campaign in order to establish a mechanism for monitoring the production and supply of toys, regulate the legislative and institutional market, determine the responsibility of the business sector and raise awareness of citizens.

It is noteworthy that there is no state body that would supervise the market and therefore, safety of toys remains beyond state control, whereas harmful toys threaten the child's life, health and best interests.

According to the results of a survey conducted by the Center for Strategic Research and Development, substance D-2-ethylholexpliflate (DEHP), which is harmful to health and its use in toys is prohibited in the EU, was found in nine out of ten toys bought in Georgia.

According to the EU Directive on Toy Safety, the states must create toy safety and market supervision mechanisms to ensure availability of safe and secure toys for children. The Directive shall be implemented in Georgia before September 1, 2019, and it is therefore important the state to plan and implement specific actions under the obligations of the Directive before that period.

On March 9, 2017, the Public Defender of Georgia recommended the Government of Georgia to take measures for the protection of the child’s health. It is welcome that the Government of Georgia has taken into account the recommendation, but it is necessary to bring existing regulations closer to the Directive in a timely manner.

The Public Defender's campaign has been joined by business organizations, which are ready to support the production, import and sale of safe toys in Georgia; Association Safe Toy has been founded and an agreement has been reached on the basic principles. The Public Defender’s Office continues cooperation with the Center for Strategic Research and Development of Georgia, which is actively working on the safety of toys.

Information about the campaign Safe Toy was introduced to the public by Public Defender Ucha Nanuashvili at a press conference on June 1, 2017.