This document is the third report of the Coalition for Equality, which reflects the Coalition’s activities carried out over
the period from 1 October 2016 to 31 December 2017. It provides a detailed review of cases litigated by the organizations
included in the Coalition to the Public Defender’s Office of Georgia, Common Courts and the Constitutional
Court. The analysis of these cases provides an assessment of the situation of the rights of discriminated groups and
the efficiency of mechanisms for ensuring equality and protection of the rights of vulnerable individuals.
The Coalition for Equality is a non-formal alliance, which was founded in April 2014 with the support of the Open
Society Georgia Foundation (OSGF), in the process of adopting the Law on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination.
The aim of the Coalition is to strengthen the mandate of the anti-discrimination mechanisms, increase their
competences and promote the effective struggle against discrimination. Members of the Coalition include the Georgian
Young Lawyers’ Association (GYLA), Human Rights Education and Monitoring Center (EMC), Partnership for
Human Rights (PHR), Women’s Initiatives Supporting Group (WISG), Union “Sapari,’’ “Article 42 of the Constitution”
and “Identoba”.
Ensuring the right to equality is one of the major values and strategic priorities of OSGF. OSGF has been supporting
the Coalition since its establishment and it also undertakes the function of the Secretary of the Coalition. Though the
Coalition, OSGF monitors the implementation of the anti-discrimination legislation and promotes the establishment
of high standards of elimination of all forms of discrimination at national courts. On 19 April 2017 GYLA was elected
as the chair of the Coalition for the term of 1 year.
OSGF has had a significant role in the elaboration and adoption of anti-discrimination legislation. In 2013-2014, OSGF
presented the draft anti-discrimination law to religious and ethnic minorities, associations of persons with disabilities,
LGBT community organizations representatives and other groups. OSGF refined the draft on the basis of the
views of these groups and presented it to the Parliament of Georgia.
During the reporting period, the Coalition member organizations litigated 60 cases. Discrimination on the ground of
disability (15 cases) is at the top of the cases litigated by the Coalition, which is followed by discrimination on the
basis of gender (14 cases). Discrimination on the grounds of religion (10 cases) is the third in the list. The Coalition
members litigated 6 cases on the grounds of sexual orientation and gender identity (one of which concerns discrimination
of a lesbian, two cases of transgender women and three cases of discrimination against gay community members),
ethnicity (two cases), expression (two cases), political affiliation (two cases), discrimination on the grounds
of place of residence (two cases), race (one case), marital status (one case), nationality (one case), criminal record/
conviction (one case), the form of acquisition of education (one case), discrimination based on the date of leaving
the private health insurance scheme (one case), and profession (one case).
