On November 20 – the day of adoption of the Convention on the Rights of the Child (CRC) by the UN General Assembly – a roundtable on “Initial monitoringresults of state subprogramson reintegration and foster care and experience of non-governmental organizations” was held within the framework of the project “Strengthening of Public Defender's Center for Child's Rights” funded by United Nations Children's Fund (UNICEF).

The meeting was attended by representatives of local and international non-governmental organizations.

At the opening, Maia Gedevanishvili, Head of the Center for Child’s Rights of the Public Defender's Office, presented general information about objectives and implementation of the project. Jaba Natchkebia, UNICEF representative and project manager, expressed the organization's position on the implementation of the subprogram.

Mariam Janiashvili, representative of the project “Strengthening of Public Defender's Center for Child's Rights”, spoke about the initial monitoring results of the subprogram on foster care; Mariam Botchorishvili reviewed the initial monitoring results of the state subprogram on reintegration. Project consultant Ia Shekriladze presented a research on the assessment of the needs of reintegrated families.

The rapporteurs underlined the problems of realization of the rights of beneficiaries involved in the subprograms, including the issues of violence, exploitation and other forms of ill-treatment, poverty and inadequate level of life, lack of quality education and health care. In addition, introduction of national/local self-government services, purpose and effectiveness, state of rights of juveniles with disabilities/special educational needs and general recommendations prepared by the Public Defender's Office on the abovementioned issues were reviewed at the meeting.

Within the framework of the roundtable, discussion was held about the process of deinstitutionalization, basic legal regulations of the state subprograms on reintegration and foster care and the problems in practical implementation of the subprograms.

The project “Strengthening of Public Defender's Center for Child's Rights” has been carried out since June 3, 2015, and is aimed at monitoring the rights of beneficiaries involved in the state subprograms on reintegration and foster care across the country. This type of monitoring is being carried out within the scope of the Public Defender's mandate for the first time in Georgia. Special reports, recommendations and proposals will be prepared during the project.