On March 10, 2021, the Public Defender’s Office, in cooperation with UN Women and with the support of the Norwegian Ministry of Foreign Affairs, held an online presentation assessing Georgia's international obligations relating to gender mainstreaming and presented a study conducted by the Public Defender’s Office.

In her welcome speech, Public Defender Nino Lomjaria briefly reviewed the findings of the study and gender mainstreaming issues. "Gender mainstreaming involves reflecting the challenges facing women and men, their experiences and needs in all areas of public policy, including economics, health care, defense and education. Our main criticism relating to gender equality and women's rights is directed against the lack of such approaches, often fragmented responses and the lack of a systemic vision.”

Sabine Machl, UN Resident Coordinator in Georgia, Nino Tsilosani, Member of Parliament of Georgia, and Maka Peradze, Head of the Human Rights Secretariat of the Government of Georgia, also delivered welcome speeches at the conference. Expert Lika Jalaghania assessed the status of fulfillment of international obligations in the direction of gender mainstreaming by Georgia and introduced the main findings of the study.

The study made it clear that despite the progress made in recent years in the direction of gender equality, the country's gender policy fails to increase women's political participation or coordinate the work of state agencies in response to violence against women and domestic violence, or to prevent the cases of femicide. Implementing and monitoring gender mainstreaming in national policy and budgeting also remains a problem.

Despite the commitments undertaken by Georgia within the framework of international documents, no mechanisms have yet been developed to integrate gender mainstreaming in education, economics, employment or other areas. The State does not have a complex vision in this process and gender policy is often superficial and narrow.

The online presentation was moderated by Ekaterine Skhiladze, Deputy Public Defender of Georgia. The meeting was attended by representatives of the governmental and non-governmental sectors.