On 5 September 2019, First Deputy Public Defender Tamar Gvaramadze participated in a meeting of the Committee of Ministers of the Council of Europe in Strasbourg, the main theme of which was the role of national human rights institutions and ombudsmen in the implementation of human rights and the rule of law.

Tamar Gvaramadze briefed the audience on the Public Defender's mandate and main directions of activities in Georgia. She spoke about the important issues of national human rights institutions and ombudsmen, such as the realization of the principle of pluralism in the process of Public Defender's activity. The First Deputy Public Defender emphasized the importance of pluralism, engagement of stakeholders, transparency of the process and selection of the ombudsman based on objective criteria. She also focused on access to information and especially the unhindered access to personal data during the effective examination of cases of violations of rights by the Public Defender.

The meeting was organized by France that holds the presidency of the Council of Europe. It should be noted that next year the Committee of Ministers intends to review the progress made by the Member States relating to the 1997 Recommendation (R (97) 14) of the Committee of Ministers to Member States on the Establishment of Independent National Institutions for the Promotion and Protection of Human Rights. The recommendation calls on the Committee of Ministers that the Member States immediately establish national human rights institutions in accordance with the Paris Principles of the United Nations.

Emily Logan, Chair of the European Network of National Human Rights Institutions(ENNHRI), and Arman Tatoyan, Public Defender of Armenia, delivered speeches at the meeting. The meeting was attended by high-level representatives of Member States of the Council of Europe, experts and representatives of national human rights institutions.