Council of Europe Office in Georgia News
Call for tender - local-level activities on combating hate speech
The Council of Europe is currently implementing projects "Enhancing Equality and Non-Discrimination in Georgia" and "Combating Hate Speech in Georgia" in Georgia. The Council of Europe Office in Georgia is actively seeking providers to establish a pool of organisations for implementing the...
Council of Europe Secretary General to hold press conference in Tbilisi
Council of Europe Secretary General, Alain Berset, will hold a press conference tomorrow, Friday 20 December, at 13h00 local time (10h00 CET) at the Pullman Hotel in Tbilisi. The conference will also be webcast on the Council of Europe’s website. The Secretary General will report on the results...
Council of Europe Secretary General visits Georgia
The Secretary General of the Council of Europe, Alain Berset, will begin an official visit to Tbilisi on 18 December. The Secretary General is accompanied by the Director General for Human Rights and the Rule of Law, and the Director General for Democracy and Human Dignity. This mission takes...
Improving the quality of Georgia’s national reports to the European Committee of Social Rights
On the 16 and 17 December 2024, in a significant effort to improve the quality of Georgia’s national reports submitted to the Council of Europe European Committee of Social Rights (ECSR), a workshop was held in collaboration with the Ministry of Internally Displaced Persons from the Occupied...
Pompidou Group launches training programme for Georgian teachers on drug and psychoactive substance use prevention
The Pompidou Group of the Council of Europe successfully delivered the first phase of its Training of Trainers (ToT) programme, titled Introduction to Prevention of Drugs and Psychoactive Substances. These cascade trainings, held on 7-8 December and 14-15 December 2024 in Kakheti region, aimed to...
Georgian authorities must fulfil their obligation to uphold the right of peaceful assembly
"I am following with serious concern the reports of disproportionate use of force by the police against predominantly peaceful demonstrators and journalists covering the ongoing protests in Georgia. The authorities must uphold their human rights obligations to respect freedom of peaceful...
Secretary General exchanges views with President Salome Zourabichvili and Prime Minister Irakli Kobakhidze
Secretary General Alain Berset is closely following the current developments in Georgia. Over the past 24 hours, he spoke by phone with President Salome Zourabichvili and Prime Minister Irakli Kobakhidze. In light of the tense situation and on-going confrontations, the Secretary General expressed...
HUDERIA: New tool to assess the impact of AI systems on human rights
A new Council of Europe tool provides guidance and a structured approach to carry out risk and impact assessments for Artificial Intelligence (AI) systems. The HUDERIA Methodology is specifically tailored to protect and promote human rights, democracy and the rule of law. It can be used by both...
Council of Europe anti-torture Committee visits Georgia
During the visit the delegation examined the treatment and safeguards afforded to persons in police custody, including those detained during the ongoing public demonstrations in Tbilisi. It also looked into the situation of persons held in several prison establishments. In addition, the...
Vacancy notice: Senior Project Officer and Project Officer
Do you have experience in the implementation of co-operation projects? Are you motivated and passionate about supporting Georgia in the field of participatory democracy, multilevel governance, and human rights at local level? Do you have the potential to work in a dynamic and creative team, in...
Empowering women human rights defenders in Georgia - a high-level meeting held in Tbilisi
Representatives of civil society and international organisations gathered for a high-level meeting under the title Their Fight, Your Future, dedictaed to advancing the protection and empowerment of women human rights defenders (WHRDs) in Georgia. Held on the International Day of Women Human...
Protecting and empowering women human rights defenders in Georgia: A high-level meeting in Tbilisi tomorrow
„Their Fight, Your Future“ – this is the title of a high-level meeting on the protection and empowerment of women human rights defenders that UN Women and the Council of Europe Office in Georgia will host tomorrow in Tbilisi. The event, held symbolically on 29 November, the International Day of...
Strengthening efforts to protect children in Georgia from sexual exploitation, abuse, and violence
The Council of Europe commemorated the 18 November: Day for the Protection of Children against Sexual Exploitation and Sexual Abuse with a series of outreach events. Held from 18 to 22 November 2024 in Tbilisi, Kutaisi and Batumi, the events brought together over 300 participants. Each session...
New grant launched for civil society organisations
The Council of Europe’s Democratic Institutions and Civil Society Division has launched a grant for non-governmental organisations (NGOs). It aims to foster democratic culture and strengthen the engagement of citizens in decision making in their countries, and to enhance the mutual engagement...
Georgia’s elections marred by uneven playing field, pressure and tension, but voters offered a wide choice, say international observers
While voters were offered a choice between 18 candidate lists and candidates could generally campaign freely, Georgia’s parliamentary elections were marred by entrenched polarization and concerns over recently adopted legislation and its impact on fundamental freedoms and civil society, as well...
PACE to observe the parliamentary elections in Georgia
A 32-member delegation of the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe (PACE), headed by Iulian Bulai (Romania, ALDE), will travel to Georgia from 24 to 27 October to observe the parliamentary elections, alongside observers from the OSCE Parliamentary Assembly, the European Parliament, the...
Council of Europe Congress: Georgia should return to the path of democratic consolidation and recommit to democratic principles
The Congress of Local and Regional Authorities of the Council of Europe has reiterated its call on the Georgian authorities to reverse the recently adopted anti-human rights legislation and to refrain from taking any action that would further threaten political pluralism, infringe on human rights...
A visit to Pankisi - Council of Europe engages with local CSOs for regional progress
On 16 October 2024 Natalia Voutova, Head of the Council of Europe Office in Georgia and the Ambassador of France to Georgia, H.E. Sheraz Gasri visited the Pankisi Valley to discuss support to CSOs, education, women’s rights, and civic engagement with the local communities. Their tour began at the...
Call for tender - national consultancy services on various aspects of drug prevention
The Council of Europe project on ’’Strengthening the Role of Key Actors in Drug Prevention” is looking for Provider(s) for the provision of national consultancy services on various aspects of drug prevention to be requested by the Council on an as needed basis. The detailed description and...
PACE monitors and observer mission head express deep concern as Transparency International Georgia is forced to end its election operation
“We are deeply concerned by the fact that Transparency International Georgia has been forced to close its election observation operations because of the deplorable decision by the Anti-Corruption Bureau to declare this civil society organisation and its Director as ‘subjects with a declared...
Roundtable on Enhancing Coordination Among National Stakeholders for the Execution of European Court Judgments by Georgia
A roundtable focused on improving and strengthening co-ordination and co-operation among key national stakeholders for the execution of European Court of Human Rights (ECtHR) judgments in Georgia was held on 27 September 2024. Discussions centred on the National Strategy and Action Plan for the...
‘Free and legitimate elections essential to safeguard Georgia’s place in Europe’, says head of PACE pre-electoral delegation, ending visit
A PACE pre-electoral delegation, headed by Iulian Bulai (Romania, ALDE), has concluded a two-day visit to Georgia (23-24 September 2024) ahead of the parliamentary elections of 26 October 2024. Mr Bulai stressed that these elections are taking place at a very crucial moment in Georgia’s European...
Council of Europe and DataFest Tbilisi - promoting gender equality and non-discrimination through data-driven initiatives
From 19 to 21 September 2024, Tbilisi hosted DataFest, the largest annual data conference in Eastern Europe and Central Asia. This year marked the third consecutive year that the Council of Europe Office in Georgia supported the festival. The collaboration centred on increasing awareness of the...
Exploring AI and Gender Equality - a public lecture on combatting gender bias in technology takes place in Tbilisi
On 18 September 2024, Dr Silvia Semenzin’s[1] public lecture in Tbilisi gathered civil society representatives, students, and professionals to explore the risks and potentials of Artificial Intelligence (AI) in promoting gender equality. The event focused on the influence of AI systems on gender...
Representatives of the insurance sector in Georgia raise their awareness on AML/CFT compliance
The Council of Europe, in cooperation with the Insurance State Supervision Service of Georgia, conveyed an online training on Anti-money Laundering (AML) and Countering Financing of Terrorism (CFT) Compliance for Insurance Sector gathering 34 representatives of insurance companies and insurance...
Georgian Parliament should not adopt anti-LGBTI law and should refrain from using stigmatising rhetoric
The Council of Europe Commissioner for Human Rights, Michael O’Flaherty, published today a letter sent to the Chairman of the Parliament of Georgia in which he asks members of the Parliament to refrain from adopting the draft law “On protecting family values and minors” passed in second reading...
Tender Announcement: Local Consultants on Monitoring & Evaluation and Developing Interpersonal and Soft Skills for Project Beneficiaries
The Council of Europe project, "Further Enhancement of Social and Economic Rights in Georgia," seeks a national consultancy services Monitoring & Evaluation of project related activities and developing interpersonal and soft skills for project beneficiaries. Please find detailed information in...
Tender Announcement: Local Consultants on Social Rights
The Council of Europe project, "Further Enhancement of Social and Economic Rights in Georgia," seeks a national consultancy services on Social Rights. Please find detailed information in the attached files: Act of Engagement Terms of Reference Questions and answers Deadline for submission of...
Tender Announcement: National Consultant for the Development of Communication/Visibility Materials
The Council of Europe project, "Further Enhancement of Social and Economic Rights in Georgia," seeks a national consultant for the development of communication/visibility materials. Please find detailed information in the attached files: Act of Engagement Terms of Reference Questions and answers...
Monitors of the Communication Commission were trained in the pre-election media monitoring
The Council of Europe office in Georgia, in cooperation with the Georgian National Communications Commission, organised series of trainings on pre-election media monitoring, as a follow-up to the similar trainings conducted in 2020. The trainings were divided into two parts and aimed at...
Georgian authorities learn about evidence on and benefits of prison-based Therapeutic Communities
Kobuleti, Georgia was the venue for the Pompidou Group workshop on presenting the evidence on and benefits of prison-based Therapeutic Communities (TC) for treating substance use disorders, held on 30-31 July 2024. The event brought together representatives of the Georgian Special Penitentiary...
Regional media representatives discussed media development and coverage of elections ahead of 2024 Parliamentary Elections
Representatives of Georgian regional media outlets and high-level election officials exchanged views and discussed ways to improve the media environment during elections at the workshop – “Media development and coverage of elections” held on 27 July 2024 in Ajara region. The Council of Europe...
Assessing prevention measures for violence against women in Georgia
The Public Defender’s Office of Georgia, with the support of the Council of Europe, is conducting a monitoring initiative to evaluate measures aimed at preventing violence against women (VAW) and domestic violence (DV) in Georgia, as well as the implementation of the Action Plan of Measures to be...
Working on enhancing communication and interpersonal skills of the Labour Inspection Office Staff
To strengthen the effectiveness and public image of the Labour Inspection Office (LIO) of Georgia, five intensive training sessions on persuasive communication and interpersonal skills were conducted in June and July 2024. Nearly 100 labour inspectors and LIO management staff, who passed the...
Empowering the next generation of human rights defenders - Council of Europe hosts summer school to promote human rights in Georgia
The Council of Europe Office in Georgia brought together 42 law students from various Georgian universities for a Summer School to deepen their understanding of human rights and strengthening their advocacy skills. The Summer School provided participants with a comprehensive training on the role...
The Council of Europe empowers Georgian civil society and community-based organisations to promote equality and fight discrimination
On 24-25 July 2024 the Council of Europe, together with the Coalition for Equality and in cooperation with the ‘’Rule of Law Center’’ organised a training session for Georgian civil society and community-based organisations aimed at strengthening equality and combat discrimination. The event got...
Georgian judges explore new approaches to adjudicating electoral complaints in a digital era
At the two-day workshop, up to 100 judges from common courts of Georgia exchanged with election commissioners on latest changes to the electoral legal framework and practices. They committed to develop common practices and ensure that effective legal remedies are in place prior to 26 October...
Resource officers, psychologists and social workers are prepared to spread knowledge on human rights education at schools
The Council of Europe continues its cooperation with the Office of Resource Officers of Educational Institutions, supporting the implementation of a six-day training course on Human Rights Education. This year social workers and psychologists joined the resource officers, to advance their...
Promoting diversity and equality at the workplace – Council of Europe collaborates with SPAR Georgia
To foster equal and inclusive work environment in private companies and ensure effective responses in tackling discrimination, the Council of Europe organised a training on the implementation of the Equality Policy with SPAR Georgia on 19 July 2024. The event focused on various forms of...
Dual diagnosis and complex PTSD - Council of Europe continues training of specialists working in the justice system
The Council of Europe continues its cycle of trainings on the pressing issues of mental health for specialists (psychologists and representatives of the medical department) working in the criminal justice. On July 18-19, psychologists and psychotherapists of the Special Penitentiary Service and...
Synergy for change: Civil society raising awareness on violence against women in a context of global challenges
On 11 and 12 July 2024, the Gender Equality Division hosted the conference “Synergy for Change” for representatives of civil society organisations active in combating violence against women and promoting gender equality. The conference, held in Budapest within the framework of Ending violence...
Positive Parenting programme completes the pilot phase supported by the Pompidou Group
The Council of Europe has successfully completed the piloting of the "Positive Parenting" programme in various institutions including the Special Penitentiary Service, the National Crime Prevention and Probation Agency, the Juvenile Referral Centre, the State Care Agency, and Office of the...
Call for Tender - Local Consultancy Services in the field of Combating Violence Against Children
The Council of Europe Project Combating Violence Against Children in Georgia has launched a call for the provision of local consultancy services. The aim of the tender is to create a pool of national consultants to provide consultancy requested by the Council on an as-needed basis, in order to...
Workshop on Enhancing Civil Society Participation in the Council of Europe Project
Engagement of CSOs in the Council of Europe co-operation project is essential, due to their capacity to reach out to, empower, represent, and defend vulnerable persons. The Group of Experts on Action against Violence against Women and Domestic Violence (GREVIO) baseline assessment report also...
Call for tender - provision of local consultancy services
The Council of Europe Project “Democracy Starts in Schools – Engaging School Children in Decision Making Processes in Schools and Communities in Georgia” (Phase II) has launched a call for the provision of local consultancy services. The aim of the tender is to create a pool of national...
Council of Europe anti-corruption body calls for stronger oversight and accountability in top executive functions and the police
The Council of Europe’s Group of States against Corruption (GRECO), in a report published today, calls for determined measures to prevent corruption in Georgia in respect of persons with top executive functions and law enforcement officials. GRECO recognises that a few positive steps were taken...
Young Equality Ambassadors, representatives from civil society and state institutions becoming multipliers of human rights education
Throughout the week of 1 July 2024, representatives from various CSOs and community-based organisations, Equality Ambassadors, officers from the Public Defender’s Office (PDO), from the Labour Inspection Office, and from other state institutions gathered for a Training of Trainers on Human Rights...
Council of Europe body GRECO closes its monitoring round on preventing corruption among MPs, judges and prosecutors
The Council of Europe Group of States Against Corruption (GRECO) in its fourth report assessing the implementation by Georgia of its 2016 recommendations welcomes the statutory amendments that have introduced the obligation on all prosecutors to submit declarations of assets, a novelty since its...
Council of Europe Congress: Statement by the Monitoring Committee on the situation in Georgia
The Monitoring Committee of the Council of Europe’s Congress of Local and Regional Authorities, meeting in Tbilisi, Georgia, on 2 July 2024, adopted the following statement: “The Monitoring Committee reaffirms its full support to the independence, sovereignty and territorial integrity of Georgia...
Judges and the staff of the Anti-corruption Bureau explore ways to improve monitoring of legality and transparency of political finance
Judges of the Georgian common courts and the staff of the Anti-corruption Bureau participated in the Bench-Bar workshop “Strengthening political finance oversight: challenges and steps forward”. The workshop provided an opportunity to exchange on practical steps on how to improve the oversight of...
