On 11-15 March 2016, Ekaterine Skhiladze, Deputy Public Defender of Georgia, and Ana Iluridze and Mariam Tavdgiridze, representatives of the Public Defender's Office, participated in the 63rd session of the UN Commission on the Status of Women (CSW) in New York. A number of important events, interactive dialogues and meetings were held within the framework of the session.

On March 11, representatives of the Public Defender of Georgia attended a meeting of national human rights institutions, which aimed to enhance cooperation and discuss the future activities and advocacy opportunities within the framework of the session of the Commission on the Status of Women.

On March 13, Georgia hosted an event in partnership with the United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA), the topic of which was protection and monitoring of sexual and reproductive health and rights for strengthening gender equality and the role of national human rights institutions in this direction. Ekaterine Skhiladze spoke about the activities and expertise of the Public Defender’s Office of Georgia, the situation of sexual and reproductive health and rights in the country and the activities implemented/to be implemented in partnership with the UN Population Fund.

At the event - “Femicide monitoring initiative and the role of international and regional mechanisms in the prevention of femicide" - organized within the framework of the session by the UN Special Rapporteur on violence against women, its causes and consequences, Ana Iluridze, Head of the Gender Department of the Public Defender’s Office, spoke about the importance of femicide monitoring mechanism, which was established on the Public Defender’s initiative, and highlighted the achievements attained as a result of implementing the recommendations set forth in the special report developed on the basis of analyzing the cases of femicide.

* The session of the UN Commission on the Status of Women is one of the largest meetings of world leaders, representatives of non-governmental organizations and private sector, UN partners and activists, which is dedicated to the women and girls’ rights.