Enhancement of Human Rights and Health-Care Support to Penitentiary System in Georgia

The Project builds upon the results achieved from the implementation of the previous CoE actions in Georgia, namely the EU-CoE JP “Human rights and healthcare in prisons and other closed institutions in Georgia” implemented in two phases between 2010-2017, and the VC project “Improving mental health care of persons detained in Georgia” implemented during 2018-2019. The previous projects supported to develop mental health care policies in prisons and other closed institutions and to improve the prison staff’ knowledge and skills to handle mental health-related issues better.

The current Project will assist the Special Penitentiary Service (Ministry of Justice) of Georgia in further improvement of healthcare services within the penitentiary system with a particular focus on mental healthcare.

It will also assist development and application of treatment of drug and alcohol addictions while strengthening of harm-reduction approach.

attention will be paid to the continuation of the suicide prevention programmes and training for the psychologists and medical personnel employed in the system.

The Project offers targeted solutions to:

the improved access of inmates to quality psychiatric care and treatment programmes;
establishment of an effective quality internal control mechanism on the provision of health care.

This Project will be implemented within 24 months, with an overall budget of 600 000 Euros financed by the Council of Europe Action Plan for Georgia 2016-2019.

Project documentation

Useful information

PROJECT NEWS

Back Georgia: Additional donation of personal equipment: protecting staff and inmates

@ Council of Europe

In response to the beneficiaries’ requests, the Project donated an additional lot of personal protective equipment to the Special Penitentiary Service (SPS) of the Ministry of Justice of Georgia and the Public Defender’s Office of Georgia (PDO).

The additional donation of 1550 face protective shields, 1800 disposable medical gowns, 1800 disposable medical caps, 1600 face masks (three layered and kn95), 500 disposable medical gloves, 300 disposable shoe covers, 50 litres of hand sanitizer and 50 litres of disinfectant liquid, was handed over to the SPS and PDO on 19 February 2021. This second lot complements the first lot offered to SPS in May 2020.

The donated personal protective equipment supports the efforts of the Georgian penitentiary system and the PDO to follow the CPT Statement of Principles relating to the treatment of persons deprived of their liberty in the context of the COVID-19 pandemic.

The hand-over was reflected on the respective social media accounts of the Project’s partners:

SPS – https://www.facebook.com/381617901914247/posts/3729276627148341/;

PDO – https://twitter.com/GeorgeBurj/status/1362876004377776130?s=20

The Council of Europe Project “Enhancement of Human Rights and Health-Care Support to Penitentiary Service” in Georgia supports the improvement of healthcare services within the penitentiary system, with a special focus on mental healthcare.

Georgia 2 March 2021