GEO-97-002
Total Budget: USD 698.287
UNDP Sector: Social Development – Human Rights
Starting date: March 2001
Duration: 2 years

Georgian Government has elaborated a judicial reform program aiming at implementation of civilised standards of judiciary, and first of all, of the court system. From this standpoint, establishment of the Constitutional Court in 1996, should be considered as the first successful achievement of the ongoing legal reform in the country. In 1997-2000 UNDP and the Constitutional Court implemented first phase of the project "Assistance to the Constitutional Court". Within the project framework the Constitutional Court has significantly strengthened its capacity and achieved some results, especially in public awareness of the constitutional rights of citizens and improving professional skills of the personnel and judges. The Court already acquired a significant experience through resolution of important law suits dealing with adherence to the Constitution. It became obvious that there is a need to provide further technical and financial support to l the Constitutional Court in facilitating achievement of new objectives, especially in improvement of procedures and practices for law suits.

The project aims at strengthening capacity of the Constitutional Court, in particular improving instruments for law suits, providing judges of the Court and their administrative personnel with all means of support for their professional development, including training abroad, promotion of knowledge, divulging constitutional rights among the population, facilitation of protection of human rights in the Country.

To develop and launch new procedures and practices for law suits, facilitating in improvement of services for citizens applying to the Constitutional Court ;

To advance the professional level of the Constitutional Court by setting up study tours both for the judges of the Court and for the court's professional staff; organisation and expansion of the court's library; organisation of consecutive regional conferences of the Trans-Caucasian Constitutional Courts;

To popularise constitutional rights and activities of the Constitutional Court among the population by setting up seminars and educational meetings in various parts of Georgia, preparation and distribution free-of charge of written materials , magazines and special literature among the population, establishment or regular TV program.

Expected outcome:

Procedures and practices for law suits are significantly improved;

A substantial part of the population will become familiar with their constitutional rights;

Judges and personnel of the Court will be provided with necessary tools for their professional development.