On 2-3 May, 2016, at the 89^th session in Geneva the UN Committee on the Elimination of Racial Discrimination considered the combined 6^th, 7^th and 8^th periodic reports submitted by the Government of Georgia on 2 July 2014 in compliance with the International Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Racial Discrimination.

In his speech First Deputy Public Defender Paata Beltadze presented Public Defender’s alternative report on the important challenges in the fight against discrimination. The report highlights the shortcomings of the anti-discrimination law; reviews the situation of preservation and development of cultural heritage of national minorities, their involvement in the decision-making process, access to media and information, education and teaching of the national language; provides facts of discrimination and restrictions on the right to get education in the mother tongue in the Gali district; discusses the rights of internally displaced persons and challenges in terms of freedom of realization of religious principles.

The report also covers the issues of refugees, asylum and repatriation of persons displaced from Georgia during the former Soviet Union in the 40-ies of the 20^th century.

After reviewing the report, the Committee on the Elimination of Racial Discrimination will develop recommendations, implementation of which should be reported by the Georgian Government in the next cycle.