The prevailing acute institutionalized homo, bi, and transphobic sentiments and attitudes in the country have a significant impact on the situation and quality of life of LGBTQ community members. Despite the presence of anti-discrimination laws, individuals from this community encounter various forms of violence and discrimination every day based on their sexual orientation and gender identity. Such discrimination adversely affects and restricts their ability to access basic necessities such as adequate employment, healthcare, education, and housing.
The LGBTQ community faces one of the biggest challenges with their right to adequate housing and lack of appropriate services. Domestic violence, rejection, and high rates of socio-economic vulnerability often lead to homelessness, making the LGBTQ community a group at high risk. The lack of institutional support exacerbates this issue. The country’s policy and legislation on homelessness inadequately address the needs of various vulnerable groups, including the LGBTIQ community, who are at risk of homelessness. Additionally, these policies and laws do not implement the necessary practices aligned with international standards to mitigate these risks effectively.
This document has a dual purpose. Firstly, it aims to provide a critical analysis of the current housing policy in Georgia, highlighting its practical and legal inadequacies and the limitations of existing housing services. It also examines international standards and best practices in addressing homelessness to help alleviate the burden of this problem and work towards a solution. Secondly, based on empirical research, this document identifies the challenges and requirements faced by members of the LGBTQ community in Georgia when it comes to realizing their right to decent housing.
The initial section of the document presents a comprehensive desk study that delves into the current situation in Georgia concerning access to adequate housing, exploring the state’s responsibilities and the gaps in their implementation. This section also addresses the particular difficulties faced by members of the LGBTQ community in obtaining adequate housing as one of the most vulnerable groups. Furthermore, it examines the international standards of addressing the housing problem, existing models, and their advantages and drawbacks.
The empirical section of this document aims to provide a comprehensive understanding
of the challenges faced by members of the LGBTQ community in Georgia regarding access to decent housing. The impact of these challenges on the quality of life of LGBTQ individuals highlights the crucial importance of implementing the right to adequate housing.
To gather empirical data, four in-depth expert interviews were conducted with community organization representatives and experts in the field. Additionally, four focus groups were conducted with 20 LGBTQ community members[1], including transgender, gay, lesbian, bisexual, and gender non-conforming individuals. The focus groups aimed to obtain first-hand data on the challenges and importance of adequate housing for the LGBTQ community, its causes, and consequences, the services and actions of the state and community organizations, as well as appropriate housing services and additional needs.
The final section of the document combines the results of the desk and empirical research to provide a set of recommendations for policy planning and practical implementation to promote the realization of the right to adequate housing for LGBTQ individuals in Georgia.
[1] The empirical research was limited by geographical area, as only members of the LGBTQ community living in Tbilisi could participate in the focus groups. This limitation was due to the limited time and resources available for the study.