The Public Defender of Georgia is echoing the report, according to which, the Zestafoni municipality is searching for a male presenter for the New Year concert.

The Public Defender notes that various restrictions aimed at segregating women from the labour market, unfortunately, are still a topical problem, though similar open attempt by the public authorities to exclude women from the labour market is particularly alarming. Although the state has a positive obligation to create appropriate conditions for the full realization of women's right to work, the self-governing body contributes to the development of discriminatory attitudes and practices against women’s employment.

The Public Defender considers that the employer shall create equal conditions for everyone during the competition, which, among others, implies that none of the genders should be deprived of the opportunity to have access to the right to work by imposing discriminatory restrictions against them. Difference between the job functions of women are gradually disappearing as the roles of men and women are becoming equal and women are more or less emancipated in the labor relations. However, some employers still have stereotypical views concerning the ability of women to perform certain duties, which leads to the development of discriminatory practices at the pre-contractual stage.

Given the abovementioned, the Public Defender calls on the Zestafoni municipality to eliminate discriminatory approach and give opportunities to the applicants not according to their gender, but according to their qualifications, as well as to refrain from discriminatory approaches in the employment or other spheres in the future.