Presentation of Special Reports on Child’s Rights
On April 3, 2015, the Public Defender presented two special reports “On legal rights of the child in mountainous regions of Georgia” and “Results of the monitoring in pre-school institutions”. The reports were prepared by the Centre of Child’s Rights of the Public Defender with support of the United Nations Children’s Fund.
Results of the monitoring conducted in the period from May 1, 2014 to January 31, 2015, revealed that problematic issues in mountainous regions of Georgia include effective implementation of social programmes/ sub-programmes of central/local authorities, provision of children living in extreme and relative poverty with appropriate living and teaching/caring resources, implementation of referral procedures necessary for protection of children from violence and other forms of ill-treatment, psycho-social rehabilitation of children – victims of violence, accessibility of the right to healthcare, implementation of quality, effective and accessible general education. To this day, the issue of protection of the right to healthcare of children with disabilities/ special education needs and quality of establishment of inclusive education, less effective implementation of sub-programmes of foster care and reintegration are deemed acute.
The results of the monitoring of pre-school education institutions revealed that significant part of children are experiencing psychological pressure, while facts of physical violence are relatively low. Additionally, large number of kindergartens operates in inadequate infrastructural and sanitary-hygiene conditions. In accordance to the monitoring results, problems also were identified with regards in-practice realization of right to early and pre-school education, as well as need for enhancing of skills of teachers and caregivers. The standard of food organizational regulations is not adhered properly in part of the pre-school institutions. Also, the monitoring process revealed intolerant and discriminatory attitudes towards children with disabilities. The monitoring was conducted in Mestia, Batumi, Khulo, Shuakhevi, Keda, Akhmeta, Oni, Ambrolauri, Kazbegi, Kutaisi, Tskaltubo, Terjola, Samtredia, Telavi, Sighnaghi, Mtskheta, Rustavi and Marneuli.
At the opening of the event, Public Defender of Georgia reviewed challenges in the country with respect to protection of child’s rights. He talked about low level of awareness of the public about implementation of state programmes, inadequate qualification of teachers, forms of violence in pre-school institutions. He especially stressed problems related to intolerant environment for children with disabilities and inclusive education.
“On the basis of violations identified as a result of the monitoring of legal rights of children and pre-school institutions in the mountainous regions of Georgia, we have examined 230 individual cases; prepared 9 recommendations and proposals. The examination results have been reflected in both Parliamentary and special reports of the Public Defender of Georgia,” – said Ucha Nanuashvili.
Representative of the United Nations Children’s Fund in Georgia Sascha Graumann noted that children represent an especially vulnerable group in Georgia and against this background the monitoring conducted by the Public Defender’s Office became even more significant. He also noted that the United Nations Children’s Fund closely cooperated with the PDO and this cooperation would continue in the future. The UNICEF representative also spoke about importance of accessibility of pre-school education and issues resolving of which requires greater attention on the part of the authorities.
Representatives of international organizations, the non-governmental sector, as well as central and local authorities participated in the event.
Please see an electronic version of theSpecial Report on Monitoring of Preschool Institutions
