On March 15, 2023, the Public Defender of Georgia addressed the clinic “L.J. and Company LLC” with a recommendation relating to the elimination of gender-based discrimination. According to the factual circumstances, one of the doctors of the clinic requested from the father of a child patient that the child’s mother stayed with the child in the ward so that the mother of another child could feel more comfortable.

The Public Defender considered a case with similar content back in 2015 and noted that such stereotypes restricted men from contributing to the upbringing of their children and sharing the burden imposed on parents. It is important to ensure that the role of fathers is not diminished and the duties assigned to them are facilitated to be fulfilled equally with women in a stigma-free environment.

Taking into account the above, the Public Defender addressed the clinic with a recommendation to ensure equal treatment in the clinic by raising awareness of the employees and to carry out disciplinary measures in case of violation of the mentioned obligation.