• Texas Best Medical Center

We, the undersigned civil society organizations, hereby publicly urge the government of Georgia to ensure a continuous and inclusive engagement of civil society in the process of developing the human rights action plan.

Throughout all stages of the process, civil society organizations have expressed their willingness (details provided in the link) to contribute to the development of the action plan. This commitment is supported by written communications dated February 28 and March 19, 2023, with the Human Rights Secretariat of the Government of Georgia. However, we firmly believe that this engagement should be built upon a foundation of trust and should not be merely symbolic or illusory, as such superficial engagement, accompanied by hostile actions towards civil society, undermines its value. Additionally, it is crucial to note that the strategy itself was approved without comprehensive discussions involving stakeholders.

We are of the opinion that a truly inclusive process will result in a more effective action plan that benefits all members of society. This is particularly crucial considering that the strategy fails to address the needs of certain vulnerable groups, including LGBTQI individuals, altogether.

Furthermore, in a recent oral report dated June 22, 2023, the European Commissioner for Neighborhood Policy and Enlargement emphasizes the need for the Georgian government to resume constructive dialogue with civil society and conduct regular and transparent consultations.

We reiterate that our primary objective, as civil society organizations, is to exert maximum effort to obtain candidate status. Accordingly, on July 31, 2023, we will publish our recommendations, which we deem important to be taken into account during the development of the human rights action plan, with the aim of establishing a democratic, legal, and socially just state.

Simultaneously, we call upon the Georgian authorities to:

  • Cease the practice of limiting the space for civil society and refrain from contradicting the constitutional values and international obligations of Georgia.
  • Ensure an ongoing and inclusive involvement of civil society in the development of the human rights action plan.

Signatory Organizations:

  1. Association of Young Lawyers of Georgia
  2. Women for a Common Future (WECF) – Georgia
  3. Rights Georgia
  4. Center for Human Rights
  5. Open Space Caucasus (COS)
  6. Rule of Law Center
  7. Partnership for Human Rights
  8. Center for Democracy and Governance
  9. International Society for Fair Elections and Democracy (ISFED)
  10. Equality Movement
  11. Women’s Initiatives Support Group (WISG)
  12. Equality 17
  13. Queer Association – Themida
  14. Association Anika
  15. Association “Dea”
  16. Down Syndrome Association of Georgia
  17. Cooperation for Equal Rights
  18. Georgia Network of Psychiatry Service Users and Survivors
  19. Mental Health Association of Georgia
  20. Coalition for Independent Living
  21. Community of Solidarity
  22. Families Against Discrimination (FAD)