In the framework of hisofficial visit to Brno, the Czech Republic, Public Defender of Georgia Ucha Nanuashvili took participation in the International Conference dedicated to the 15^th anniversary of the work of the Public Defender of Rights of the Czech Republic.

During his speech at the conference, the Public Defender of Georgia reviewed situation of human rights and freedoms in Georgia and noted that in 2014, compared to the previous year, number of applications that were addressed to the Public Defender doubled which indicatesto importance of the role of the Public Defender. In his speech, Ucha Nanuashvili spoke about the National Preventive Mechanism, the UN Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities; importance of Law on the elimination of all forms of discrimination for monitoring of implementation of which the Department of Equality was established at the Public Defender’s Office of Georgia. Other issues mentioned were reforms planned in the area of educational activities; violation of human rights in conflict regions, situation in Georgia with regards to gender equality; monthly bulletins describing main activities of the Public Defender, as well as information clips that are aired on various Georgian TV channels.

At the conference, Public Defender of Georgia Ucha Nanuashvili emphasized strategy of the newly-established department for protection of human rights in defense sphere and work of the Parliamentary Secretary of the Public Defender.

During the conference, speeches were made by Public Defender of Rights of the Czech Republic Anna Sabatova, Ombudsman of Hungary László Székely, Ombudsman of Slovakia Jana Dubovcová, Ombudsman of Poland Irena Lipowicz and Ombudsman of Austria Gertrude Brinek, also Deputy Public Defender of the Netherlands. Reports were presented by Vice President of the Chamber of Deputies of the Parliament of the Czech Republic Ian Bartoszek, Minister of Human Rights, Equal Opportunities and Legislation Jiří Bartoška, Chair of the Committee on Petitions of the Chamber of Deputies Zuzky Bebarové-Rujbrové, Director General of Czech Social Security Administration William Kahouna and Judge of the Constitutional Court Tomas Langasek.

In the framework of the conference, three parallel sessions were held where working methodology of ombudsmen, ability of a public defender to influence the legislation, cooperation with media and transparency, raising public awareness of human rights and openness of the public defender institute were especially stressed.