Strengthening of Monitoring and Coordination Mechanism of Child’s Rights and Struggle against Discrimination
On December 8, 2014, the Public Defender of Georgia with the support of the United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF) presented the strategy of the Centre of Child’s Rights for 2014-2017 that was elaborated in accordance with the National Human Rights Action Plan of Georgia and the anti-discrimination law of Georgia and serves the purpose of consolidation of the centre.
The Human Rights Protection Action plan consists of the following issues: strengthening of monitoring and coordination mechanism of child’s rights; strengthening of children protection and assistance system; eradication of children poverty; support of child’s right to healthcare; development of justice system orientated at children’s rights; quality and inclusive education for all children.
According to the anti-discrimination law, the Public Defender of Georgia should conduct monitoring of those issues that relates to eradication of discrimianiton and provision of equality. The Public Defender shares the main priorities of the National Action Plan in the sphere of protection of rights of minors and strengthens regular monitoring of children’s state institutions.
With regards to child’s rights protection, work of the Public Defender’s office will be aimed at the following issues: strengthening of cooperation with international and local organizations, participation in legislative processes, raising public awareness, generalized analysis of individual facts of violation of minor’s rights, improvement of monitoring mechanisms and ensuring participation of minors in discussion on systemic problems of their rights” – said Public Defender Ucha Nanuashvili at the presentation.
UNIICEF Representative in Georgia Sascha Graumann spoke about important steps undertaken by Georgia in recent years to conduct reforms in the sphere of human rights, including children’s rights. “With this regards, elaboration of the National Human Rights Strategy is a great achievement that is welcomed by the UNICEF. The National Strategy of Human Rights pays particular attention to children, as one of the priority target groups since children in Georgia are vulnerable and need special care and attention. We hope that the new strategy will serve as an effective mechanism for conduction of monitoring of the National Human Rights Action Plan and the anti-discrimination law”.
Representative of the EU Delegation to Georgia Eva Pastrana gave a positive assessment to the work of the Public Defender concerning issues of children’s rights, among them the presented action plan and stressed importance of realization of priorities suggested by Tomas Hammarberg.
Head of Tbilisi City Council Giorgi Alibegashvili noted that starting from the next year service will be launched at the City Council that will be aimed at protection of rights of children and women that will closely cooperate with the Public Defender and international and national organizations working in human rights sphere.
At the discussion that followed the presentation, issues raised included importance of improvement of the legislative base to better conduct the process of de-institutionalization, increase of financial and human resources for ssocial service agency and conduction of qualification-raising activities for employees.
The event was held in the framework of the activities dedicated to the 25thanniversary of the UN Convention on the Rights of the Child.
