On July 4, 2018, Deputy Public Defender Ekaterine Skhiladze spoke about the challenges in the field of protection of equality in Georgia at the presentation of the Council Europe’s new project against discrimination, hate speech and hate crimes and evaluated importance of the project together with other speakers.

According to the Deputy Public Defender, it is necessary to improve the legislative space for the full implementation of the right to equality. Four years have passed after the adoption of the Law of Georgia on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination, but there are still shortcomings that impede the effective functioning of the equality mechanism. It should be noted that the new project of the Council of Europe will also work in the direction of evaluation of the legislative sphere and its compliance with the European standards, which will undoubtedly facilitate the elimination of the existing problems.

Prejudices and stereotypical opinions in the community are still problematic, which keeps the vulnerable groups in a situation where they daily face oppression, which is most of all reflected in hateful crimes.

"The principles of equality should be observed at all stages of formal education. The results of our monitoring carried out in schools clearly showed shortcomings in the education system, which eventually promotes unhealthy and intolerant attitudes and encourages oppression," Ekaterine Skhiladze said in her welcome speech.

It is noteworthy that the project aimed at combating discrimination, hate speech and hate crime will work in the direction of development of legislation, capacity building and awareness raising, in order to ensure diversity and free realization of rights by everyone in Georgia.