About the Project

This project continues to promote Council of Europe and international standards in the field of promoting equality and non-discrimination and combating hate speech, as well as to support the co-ordination between state authorities, legal and law enforcement professionals, civil society, etc., to adapt domestic frameworks in line with international standards, and to apply those standards to prevent and combat hate speech in Georgia.

This project is implemented within the third Phase of the joint programme of the European Union and the Council of Europe “Partnership for Good Governance”. It builds on the results of the previous phases of the Partnership for Good Governance in the field of promoting equality and non-discrimination (Phase I 2015-2018 and Phase II 2019-2023).

  Budget: EUR 300 000 

The overall Programme budget is EUR 19.3 Mio. (80% is co-funded by the European Union and 20% by the Council of Europe).

 Duration: 1 March 2023 to 28 February 2026

What are the objectives of the project?

Improved co-operation among stakeholders to prevent and combat hate speech in Georgia, including better protection of vulnerable groups and more accessible redress mechanisms in line with European standards and best practices.

How does the Project work?

  • Through a combination of tailored policy/legislative, capacity-building and awareness raising actions;
  • By providing support for improved co-ordination and co-operation through working groups and creation of joint proposals for policy/legislative changes;
  • By training multipliers in awareness-raising, human rights narratives and co-ordination;
  • Through small grants for specific actions that support the co-operation between public sector and civil society organisations on local level.

Who benefits from the Project?

  • Public Defender’s Office ;
  • Law enforcement agencies, Ministry of Interior, Prosecutors office, State Ministry for Reconciliation and Civic Equality, Ministry of Education, Science, Culture and Sports including the Office of resource officers;
  • Local authorities, municipalities;
  • Civil society organisations;
  • General public.

What do we expect to achieve?

  • Georgian institutions respond to hate speech in a systemic and co-ordinated manner involving relevant non-state stakeholders based on shared awareness of the dangers posed by hate speech and the effect it has on those targeted by it;
  • Local authorities and non-state stakeholders build common understanding of hate speech, as well of the dangers it poses those targeted in vulnerable situations and are able to respond to it through prevention and protection measures.

How to get more information?

The “Partnership for Good Governance” (PGG) is a joint initiative of the European Union and the Council of Europe for strengthening good governance in the Eastern Partnership region.

PGG provides tailor-made support to Eastern Partnership countries to bring their legislation and practice closer to European standards in the fields of human rights, rule of law and democracy. It supports, in particular, Eastern Partnership countries’ domestic reforms to strengthen justice, counter economic crime, promote equality and non-discrimination, advance women’s access to justice and combat violence against women. PGG supports Georgia in its European perspective agenda, in line with Council of Europe standards.

 

Council of Europe Action Plan for Georgia 2024-2027


 

Office in Georgia

64b Chavchavadze Ave. 14th Floor
Tbilisi 0179, Georgia

+99532 2913870/ 71/ 72

http://www.coe.ge