GEO/97/003
Total budget: USD 1,162,840
UNDP sector: Governance
Starting date: January 1999
Duration: 4 years

A core element of democracy is adherence to the concept of Human Rights and in most democratic states these rights are monitored and defended by an ombudsman institution. In November 1997 the Government of Georgia established the Public Defender’s Office as an independent institution for supervising the protection of Human Rights, thereby setting the framework for enforcing the law on the Public Defender adopted in 1996.

The problems of adherence to Human Rights in Georgia are inherited from its time as a Soviet republic, when Human Rights abuse was a very real issue not only in terms of actual violation or ignorance, but also in the sense of the concept being misused for political purposes. In the case of Georgia, the situation is further aggravated by civil war and regional conflicts in Abkhazia and South Ossetia. Considering the relative novelty of the concept of Human Rights in Georgia, the lack of awareness of its principles among professionals and the public, a lack of financial resources in the Government, and despite the Government having acknowledged the importance of the issue through the launching of complementary HR activities, there is a risk that the Public Defender’s Office will not be able to adequately pursue its liabilities and mandates in defending the Human Rights of the Georgian people.

The primary objective of the project is to assist in developing the Georgian Public Defender’s capacity to operate as a fully functional, independent national institution, working for the protection and promotion of Human Rights, able to inquire into and resolve violations of Human Rights, as well as provide high-level policy advice and increase public awareness on the issue of Humans Rights, thus ensuring Georgia’s capacity to respect the Human Rights of all residents.

The project is designed to focus on strengthening the Public Defender’s Office with an emphasis on building up internal capacities in three primary areas of responsibility: 1) Receiving, investigating and where appropriate, acting upon complaints of Human Rights violations; 2) Advice and assistance to the Government on Human Rights matters; and 3) Human Rights awareness raising and education.

The Public Defender’s Office has been established as the focal point for Human Rights matters in Georgia. For it to be successful, the Office will require the support of the society within which it is operating and the project thus envisages mechanisms for consultations and co-ordination through the establishment of advisory committees.

The success of the project depends to a great extent on the capabilities and visions of the management of the office and in this regard the project has been formulated to be enabling rather than prescriptive, the goal being to develop a programme which is sufficiently flexible to enable the Public Defender’s Office to set its own priorities and determine its own agenda.

The activities foreseen include support to building the operating capacity of the office, establishing a complaints handling and action cycle, developing monitoring structures, awareness raising, launching education programmes, strengthening the Human Rights advisory capacity of the office, supporting the Public Defenders role as a consultative and co-ordinating forum with external bodies and building capacity beyond the Public Defender’s Office.

1. Development of priorities for future activities of the Public Defender’s Office.

2. A system for receiving and acting upon complaints of Human Rights violations.

3. The general public will be informed about international human rights standards and documents and the role of the Public Defender in protecting these rights.

4. Establishment of an operational information and documentation centre with experience in education and training.

5. Internal capacity within the office to provide high level advice to government on matters relating to Human Rights.

6. A National Human Rights Plan.

7. A pool of Georgian expertise in all major areas of Human Rights, both within and outside the office.