A delegation of the Group of Experts on Action against Trafficking in Human Beings (GRETA) carried out a visit to Georgia from 5 to 7 October 2026. The visit, organised pursuant to Rule 7 of the Rules of procedure for evaluating implementation of the Convention on Action against Trafficking in Human Beings by the Parties,* examined the specific issue of risks of trafficking in human beings in the context of surrogacy in Georgia.
The visit was carried out by Mr Luka Maderić, Second Vice President of GRETA, and Ms Lynn Chircop Faure, member of GRERA, who were accompanied by Ms Petya Nestorova, Executive Secretary of the Convention, as well as Ms Mia Dambach, independent expert.
During the visit, GRETA’s delegation held meetings with relevant officials, in particular from the Ministry of Justice (including the Secretariat of the Inter-Agency Council on Combating Human Trafficking and the Public Service Development Agency), the Ministry of Internally Displaced Persons from the Occupied Territory, Labour, Health and Social Affairs (including the Department of Health Policies, the Agency for State Care and Assistance to Victims of Trafficking, the State Regulation Agency for Medical and Pharmaceutical Activities, the National Centre for Disease Control and Public Health, the Unified Registry for Medically Assisted Reproduction, and the Information Technology Agency), the Ministry of Internal Affairs, the Prosecution’s Service. Meetings were also held with judges of the Tbilisi City Court and the Chairman of the National Council on Bioethics. The delegation held separate meetings with representatives of the Permanent Group on the Identification of Victims of Trafficking and members of the Public Defender’s Office (Ombudsperson).
During the visit, the GRETA delegation visited two companies involved in surrogacy procedures in Georgia.
The GRETA delegation also met representatives of non-governmental organisations, lawyers and a person with lived experience of surrogacy. It also held consultations with officials of the International Organization for Migration (IOM), the United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF) and UN Women.
Following the visit, GRETA will prepare a report which will be sent to the Georgian authorities for comments and will subsequently be published.
* Rule 7 provides that "when GRETA receives reliable information indicating a situation where problems require immediate attention to prevent or limit the scale or number of serious violations of the Convention, it may make an urgent request for information to any Party or Parties to the Convention. Taking into account the information submitted by the party or parties concerned, as well as any other reliable information available to it, GRETA may designate rapporteurs to assess the specific situation and, if necessary, carry out a visit to the party or parties concerned.
