On June 7, 2010, the Public Defender and the Center for Children and Women’s Right at the Public Defender’s Office, with the support of the UN Development Program project “Strengthening the Public Defender’s Office,” held a round table on the topic of gender equality.

The Public Defender and representatives of the Councils of Ethnic Minorities and of Religions at the Public Defender’s Office met with the Chairman of the Consultative Council under the Chairman of the Parliament, Ms. Rusudan Kervalishvili.

The meeting participants discussed the issue of activating the involvement of the Councils of Ethnic Minorities and of Religions in the implementation of the Law of Georgia on Gender Equality and in the development of the 2010-2013 Action Plan for the events designed for the implementation of the gender equality policy.

At the meeting, the Public Defender, George Tugushi, declared that for the Public Defender’s Office, the issue of supporting representatives of different ethnic and religious minorities has long gone beyond the area of gathering information and statistics and is expressed in strengthening them in every aspect in order to ensure that their civil, political, economic, and cultural rights are fully protected.

“Today’s meeting once again emphasizes our particular attention toward representatives of different ethnic minorities and religions who should not only be informed about gender equality but also get actively involved in the development and implementation of the plan for achieving gender equality which should fully reflect their needs and opinions,” pointed out the Public Defender.

The Chairman of the Consultative Council under the Chairman of the Parliament, Ms. Rusudan Kervalishvili, thanked the Public Defender for organizing the meeting and expressed hope that she will cooperate actively with representatives of the Councils of Ethnic Minorities and of Religions.

At the meeting, a representative of the UN Development Program presented a research study “Gender and Society – Georgia,” while the Gender Commission of the Council of Ethnic Minorities presented a study “Involvement of the Issue of Gender in the Action Plan of the National Concept for Tolerance and Civil Integration.”

The meeting was concluded with a discussion, and the guests listened to the opinions of the members of the Councils of Ethnic Minorities and of Religions on the implementation of the Law of Georgia on Gender Equality and on the process of development of the Action Plan for the years 2010-2013.