On 9-11 September 2019, Deputy Public Defender Ekaterine Skhiladze participated in the UNFPA Regional Conference - "Leaving No One Behind: Ensuring the Rights of Women and Youth with Disabilities” - in Istanbul.

The event was aimed at sharing experience in the direction of protection of women and youth with disabilities from violence, realization of sexual and reproductive health and rights, access to services and involvement, as well as at strengthening future cooperation.

At the session of sharing the best practices among the Eastern Partnership countries, the Deputy Public Defender talked about the Georgian Public Defender's mandate and activities in the field of sexual and reproductive health.

“Despite certain achievements, effective implementation of sexual and reproductive health and rights remains a problem in Georgia. Lack of information, access to quality services, public awareness and complex education create many obstacles, especially for women and youth with disabilities, women representing ethnic minorities, victims of domestic violence and violence against women. This is where we see the role of the Public Defender as a national human rights institution in the direction of monitoring and advocating the situation and speaking up for the protection of sexual and reproductive health and rights; and the support of the UNDP Georgia Office to the Public Defender's Office is extremely important in this process”, Ekaterine Skhiladze said.

The Deputy Public Defender also talked about the activities carried out and planned in partnership with the United Nations Population Fund, challenges and importance of establishing a national system of monitoring of reproductive health and rights. Participants showed particular interest in these very issues, as well as in sharing the Georgian experience.

The Public Defender's Office continues cooperation with UNDP Georgia relating to sexual and reproductive health and rights in order to help solve challenges.