On July 7-8, 2014, with the support of the Open Society Georgia Foundation, Nino Kiknadze, Babutsa Pataraia (Union “Sapari”) and Tamar Dekanosidze (fellow at the Georgian Young Lawyers’ Association) participated in the 58th session of the UN Committee on the Elimination of Discrimination against Women in Geneva. At the session, Georgia submitted its 4th and 5th Periodic Reports on the progress made for women’s rights.
NGOs submitted shadow reports to the committee. Tamar Dekanosidze and Babutsa Pataraia worked on a report that was presented by the Georgian Harm Reduction Network. The report was on the domestic violence against women intravenous drug users and the availability of methadone maintenance treatment programs. The committee session was also attended by the representatives of the non-governmental organizations – the Georgian Harm Reduction Network, the Eurasian Harm Reduction Network, the Women’s Information Center and Hera XXI. Tamar Dekanosidze and Babutsa Pataraia also participated in the conference of Non-Governmental Organizations, Committee Hearing of the delegation of Georgia and met committee members to discuss the issues on women’s rights in Georgia. In addition to the issues described in the shadow report, Tamar Dekanosidze and Babutsa Pataraia, along with other non-governmental organizations, prepared recommendations and facts about issues on participation of women in politics, child marriage, LBT women, sexual and reproductive health and the national mechanism for women’s empowerment.
On June 18, the Committee published its concluding observations based on consultations with non-governmental organizations. In its concluding observations, the Committee recommends Georgian authorities to conduct a nationwide survey and to determine the number of women intravenous drug users, including pregnant women. The Committee also recommends ensuring treatment services for gender-sensitive and evidence-based drug users. It also includes the launch of harm reduction programs in detention facilities.
In addition to the rights of women intravenous drug users, the Committee also highlighted the remaining issues prepared by Tamar Dekanosidze and Babutsa Pataraia, together with other non-governmental organizations. These issues also include priority recommendations about violence against women and participation of women in politics. In two years, the Government of Georgia should provide information to the UN Committee on these issues.
The final recommendations will be used on the national and international level for strategic litigation, advocacy and thematic studies.
