“Local authorities have a shared responsibility in protecting and implementing human rights in their communities. Therefore there is a need to strengthen their capacity to deliver and address the priorities put forward by the citizens in particular in terms of social and economic rights as well as the right to an healthy environment,” underlined Nino Lomjaria, Public Defender of Georgia, in a meeting with Congress Secretary General Andreas Kiefer, in Strasbourg, on 30 January 2020.
The Public Defender also referred to the need to enhance the co-operation with the local authorities through their national association NALAG, both in views of consultation with the national stakeholders and for the dissemination of good practices. Mr Kiefer informed the Public Defender about the work of the Congress, in particular the latest monitoring report which includes recommendations to further strengthening the position of local government in Georgia, as well as the 2nd volume of the Human Rights Handbook which is currently being finalised and will focus on social rights. Mr Kiefer also referred to a potential project on “Strengthening democracy and human rights at local level in Georgia” that the Congress could implement in co-operation with NALAG and the Public Defender’s Office as part of the Council of Europe Action Plan for Georgia 2020-2023.
