The present document represents a special report on outcomes of a child protection monitoring mission to Georgia’s Highland regions within the frames of a UNICEF supported Empowering the Centre for Children’s Rights project implemented by the Public Defender’s Office from 1May 2014 to 31 January 2015. The monitoring aimed at evaluating the implementation of children’s rights and freedoms through assessing their relevance to domestic and international standards as well as developing practical recommendations and proposals for better realisation of the rights of minors. The monitoring process was based on the key principles of trust, confidentiality, security, professionalism, accuracy, neutrality, impartiality, sensitivity, visibility and promotion1. In addition, the monitoring process heavily relied on the guiding principles, standards and recommendations developed by the UN Committee on the Rights of the Child (CRC) as well as on Concluding Observations on the Rights of the Child issued by CRC on 28 June 2000 and 23 June 20082. The systemic and comprehensive monitoring which assessed the quality of the implementations of these documents was conducted in a manner encouraging minors’ participation and considering the best interests of the children based on equality, appropriate treatment and non-discrimination principles.

The monitoring process covered Mestia, Kazbegi, Akhmeta, Oni, Ambrolauri, Khulo, Shuakhevi and Keda territorial units.

The present report introduces outcomes of the monitoring in in the following key areas: realisation of the right to be protected from poverty and inadequate standard of living, the right to healthcare and a quality of its implementation, protection of minors from violence and other kinds of inappropriate treatment, the right to education and its quality and effective implementation and the rights of children with disabilities and foster care placement.

Special Report on Protection of the Child’s Rights in Georgia’s Highland Regions