11.03.2008 - Source: US Department of State

Reports of child abuse, particularly of street children, and Incidents of sexual exploitation of children; street children vulnerable to trafficking ("Country Report on Human Rights Practices 2007") [ID 22579]

"

There were some reports of child abuse, particularly of street children, although there was no societal pattern of such abuse. Incidents of sexual exploitation of children, particularly girls, were reported. Commercial sexual exploitation of children and pornography are punishable by up to three years' imprisonment. The Ministry of Internal Affairs sponsored a center for the rehabilitation of minors, which regularly provided medical and psychological assistance to child and adolescent victims before returning them to their guardians. Street children and children living in orphanages were reportedly particularly vulnerable to trafficking."

Document(s): Open document

31.01.2008 - Source: Human Rights Watch

Minimum age of criminal responsibility lowered from 14 to 12 for certain crimes ("World Report 2008") [ID 22287]

"  In May 2007 the government lowered the minimum age of criminal responsibility from 14 to 12 for certain crimes, further weakening the protection of children in conflict with the law. Although the decrease will come into effect in June 2008, Georgia has yet to build a juvenile justice system capable of rehabilitating young offenders."

Document(s): Open document

16.10.2007 - Source: World Organisation Against Torture

NGOs' report points out responsibility of state for lack of due diligence in cases where children are victims of violence at home or in schools: Out of hundreds of cases of child abuse recorded each year, none of them have led to prosecution ("NGOs call on government to protect children from violence") [ID 21397]

Document(s): Open document

14.08.2007 - Source: Civil Georgia

Tbilisi: At least twelve inmates and one guard of juvenile prison in outskirts of capital injured in fighting between inmates, officials say ("Dozen Injured in Juvenile Prison") [ID 20853]

Document(s): Open document

21.06.2007 - Source: Institute for War and Peace Reporting

Authorities lower age of criminal responsibility to 12 following wave of adolescent violence ("Teenage Crime Scourge") [ID 20388]

Document(s): Open document

15.06.2007 - Source: Civil Georgia

Human Rights Watch condemns Tbilisi's plans to lower minimum age of criminal responsibility from 14 to 12 years ("HRW Slams Lowering Age of Criminal Responsibility") [ID 20315]

Document(s): Open document

14.05.2007 - Source: Child Rights Information Network

Report on the juvenile justice system (international treaties, instruments, the criminal process for children aged 14-18, arrest and detention of juvenile offenders, pre-trial detention and sentencing) ("Analysis of the juvenile justice system in Georgia") [ID 19906]

Document(s): Open document

06.03.2007 - Source: US Department of State

There were some reports of child abuse, particularly of street children; incidents of sexual exploitation of children, particularly girls; street children vulnerable to trafficking ("Country Report on Human Rights Practices 2006") [ID 19332]

"There were some reports of child abuse, particularly of street children, although there was no societal pattern of such abuse.  

Incidents of sexual exploitation of children, particularly girls, were reported. Child prostitution and pornography are punishable by up to three years' imprisonment. The Ministry of Internal Affairs sponsored a center for the rehabilitation of minors, which regularly provided medical and psychological assistance to child and adolescent victims of prostitution before returning them to guardians.  

There were unconfirmed reports of trafficking in children (see section 5, Trafficking). Street children and children living in orphanages were reportedly particularly vulnerable to trafficking. "

Document(s): Open document

02.2007 - Source: Human Rights Center

Police do not take sufficient measures to stop sexual exploitation of juveniles; on Tbilisi central railway station anyone can purchase sexual favours from young males and females ("The Velvet Downfall; Human Rights Situation in Georgia in 2006") [ID 20420]

"In addition to forced labour, the survey dealt with the sexual exploitation of children. Although, there is a law banning the sexual exploitation of the children, it has not done enough to solve the problem. The survey said, Tbilisi police, particularly the police precinct that is in charge of the railway station district, do not take sufficient measures to stop the sexual exploitation of juveniles. Tbilisi central railway station is a place where anyone can purchase sexual favours from young males and females.  

According to the UNICEF office in Georgia, More than 50% of the Georgian population lives below the poverty level, of which 16% live in extreme poverty. It is only natural that the rights of the child are not paid close attention to in such a poor country."

Document(s): Open document

22.09.2006 - Source: EurasiaNet

Harsh Sentence for Juvenile Offender Raises Questions about Georgia’s Justice System ("Harsh Sentence for Juvenile Offender Raises Questions about Georgia’s Justice System") [ID 18548]

Document(s): Open document

09.2006 - Source: World Organisation Against Torture

Ultimate sanction for maltreatment of children - extinction of parental rights - is rarely used; to attack a child is aggravated circumstance in cases of torture under Criminal Code; sexual exploitation of children is not addressed by legislation sufficiently ("Human Rights Violations in Georgia; Alternative Report to the United Nations Committee Against Torture") [ID 17918]

For examples of children maltreatment and methods of torture please refer to the original document

"The Constitution of Georgia advances certain children’s rights and guarantees the protection of these rights (Article 36 of the Constitution). [...] Moreover, the law of Georgia on general education has established that violence on a child, physical or psychological offences, are inadmissible; additionally school discipline must be conducted according to the methods that are based on respect for a child’s liberty and dignity. However, due to the absence of any State control over parents’ negligence and the lack of measures sanctioning this kind of behaviour, in practice, these provisions do not yield proper protection.   The Civil Code (articles 1205 and 1210) establishes child protection mechanisms against parents’ maltreatment and abuse such as the annulment and restraint of parental rights. The extinction of parental right is the ultimate sanction and can only be ordered by the court against parents if they do not respect their parental duties relating to their upbringing, i.e. if they mistreat their child(ren) or carry out immoral behaviour and exert a bad influence on their child(ren). The extinction of parental rights does not, however, liberate parents from the obligation of alimony (article 1205). Unfortunately, the guardianship bodies in Georgia do not implement responsibilities imposed upon them. Further, there are no qualified specialists (social workers) who are able to supervise parents in the period of restraint of parental rights to establish conclusions to be used by the courts in order to pronounce fair decisions. In practice, the extinction of parental rights is rarely pronounced, even less are criminal or administrative sanctions. Family members aware of abuse encourage impunity of abusers by not reporting to law enforcement agencies or by frequently withdrawing their own applications when abuse is reported. Therefore, there are no effective mechanisms of protection in Georgian legislation although there is currently a draft law on the protection of children’s rights, particularly in relation to domestic violence. If adopted, this law will set in motion mechanisms which ensure the isolation of the abuser and protection for the victim. As already mentioned, there is no specific definition of torture where the victim is a child, neither is there a trend to accept a broad interpretation of torture by the jurisdictions where the victim is a child. A definition of abuse and maltreatment is not yet considered under any act. However, the draft law on the Rights of the Child elaborated by NGOs particularly defines what should be considered as abuse and ill-treatment. Although different forms of abuse towards children are very frequent in Georgia, this issue seems to remain taboo and Georgian legislation does not actively create a safe environment for children, nor does it provide efficient protection against all forms of violence and abuse, especially when the perpetrators of abuse consist of parents or other caregivers. Child protection from violence is regulated mainly by civil and criminal legislation and also by the law of Georgia on the Protection of Minors from Harmful Effects, though most of these rights are not respected. In practice, the rights of the children will not be fulfilled if they are not strengthened by parents’ obligations with strict controls in monitoring these obligations by relevant State organs. To attack a child is considered an aggravated circumstance in cases of torture and cruel, inhuman or degrading treatment or punishment and other forms of violence. Severe sentences are provided for in cases where the victim is a child, according to article 131.2 (d) of the Criminal Code. […] The Criminal Code imposes liability for committing certain acts towards a child. Where liability is generally defined for such acts, it is stricter when the act is directed against children. For example, beating or other acts of abuse committed against minors provoking physical pain in the victim is regarded as an aggravated circumstance by criminal law; rape of a minor is also regarded as an aggravated circumstance, including sexual intercourse under violence, threat of violence or exploiting the vulnerability of a victim aged under 14 (Chapter 23 of Georgian Criminal Code and particularly article 142.3 (f )). According to the Criminal Code, other offences punished with aggravated circumstances are: transmission of a venereal disease to a minor; trafficking of minors, engaging minors in abusive acts such as alcohol abuse, begging, prostitution, gaming or the commission of antisocial acts, intoxicating minors, engaging in abuse of medical products for non-medical purposes, provoking an intoxicated state.   According to the Criminal Code, there is no separate qualification for the sexual exploitation of children within the family, the sexual exploitation of disabled, homeless, or refugee children and children in any other special conditions, as well as sexual exploitation during armed conflicts. The law of Georgia on Tourism and Holiday resorts does not ban sex tourism involving children. The problem of abduction of minors in the border zones for their sexual exploitation is not regulated properly. This should be included in the legislation as a type of trans-national organised crime in accordance with relevant international standards. Nor does Georgian legislation regulate the issue of psychological rehabilitation and social reintegration of victimised children of sexual exploitation."

Document(s): Open document

18.07.2006 - Source: BBC News

UNICEF expresses concern with the case of 14 year-old sentenced by the Tbilisi City Court to 10 years in prison for attempted murder; decision of higher level court expected ("UNICEF Concerned over 10-Year Imprisonment for Juvenile") [ID 15723]

Document(s): Open document

08.03.2006 - Source: US Department of State

Incidents of sexual exploitation and trafficking of children were reported; NGOs say there are approximately 1,500 street children in the country, 1,200 of them in Tbilisi; cases of 2 maternity hospital employees on charges of child trafficking are under investigation ("Country Report on Human Rights Practices 2005") [#46144], [ID 5267]

"There were some reports of child abuse, particularly of street children, although there was no societal pattern of such abuse. Child abuse other than sexual abuse is not specifically criminalized.
Incidents of sexual exploitation of children, especially among girls, were reported. Child prostitution and pornography are punishable by up to three years' imprisonment. The MOIA sponsored a center for the rehabilitation of minors, which regularly provided medical and psychological assistance to child and adolescent victims of prostitution before returning them to guardians.
There were unconfirmed reports of trafficking in children. Street children and children living in orphanages were reportedly particularly vulnerable to trafficking.
Difficult economic conditions broke up some families and increased the number of street children. NGOs estimated that there were approximately 1,500 street children between 3 and 15 years old in the country, with 1,200 concentrated in Tbilisi, due to the inability of orphanages and the government to provide support. The private voluntary organization Child and Environment and the MOE each operated a shelter in Tbilisi; however, the two shelters could accommodate only a small number of street children. The government took little other action to assist street children. There were unconfirmed reports of police violence against street children, but the patrol police routinely transferred street children to a 24-hour care center or orphanage.
Orphanages were unable to provide adequate food, clothing, education, and medical care; facilities lacked heat, water, and electricity. Staff wages, which had been poor and often many months in arrears, were increased and paid on a more regular basis. Due to reported mismanagement of resources, staff members often diverted money and supplies provided to the orphanages for personal use.
In August the ombudsman's office reported that corrupt practices led to unsanitary conditions at the Gldani orphanage in Tbilisi. Management reportedly purchased inferior products and skimmed from employee salaries. Children lacked clothes, food, toothbrushes, blankets, and other necessities, and the first floor of the orphanage was flooded due to plumbing problems. By year's end the orphanage had been repaired, but reports of financial mismanagement persisted. [...]
During the year MOIA representatives from the Department for Combating Trafficking and Illegal Migration detained Ivlita Djavakhishvili and Nanuli Kendadze, a maternity hospital employee, on charges of child trafficking. In Kutaisi, MOIA representatives detained Laura Obladze, Liana Kovzadze, and Zaira Areladze--also employees of local maternity hospitals--on charges of child trafficking. Investigations by the general prosecutor's office in both cases were under way at year's end."

Document(s): Open document

01.01.2006 - Source: Child Rights Information Network

5,204 children were placed in state institutions in 2005; most children stay there for a long time; government pursues deinstitutionalisation, but sometimes homes are closed down before finding substitute place ("Evaluation of Child Protection Projects in Georgia") [ID 17682]

"Since declaring independence from the USSR in 1991, Georgia has undergone a difficult transition from the Soviet system towards a market economy. [...] These issues and the complex social problems they have created have contributed to an increase in the rate of family breakdown, child and family separation, to a strong increase in the number of children being placed into institutional care, illness and mortality, as well as to the neglect and abuse of children. Children institutions are an inheritance from the Soviet era and, until 1999, represented the only state support available for vulnerable children and families. Children were readily placed in residential institutions for socio-economic reasons without any adequate assessment of the child’s needs. Although most families consider placement of a child into residential care only as a last resort and for a temporary period to support them during crisis, in most cases children stay in institutional care for long periods, often for their entire childhood. In 2005, an estimated total number of 5,204 children lived in 43 State funded institutions (including infant houses1), 2,591 of which were children with disabilities. An additional 1,600 children are known to be in municipal and private institutions. [...] The great majority (85 to 90%) of children and infants in institutions actually have parents. Besides poverty, an important reason for child abandonment is the negative attitude of society towards single mothers and disabled children, attitude that is particularly strong in the countryside. [...] All residential institutions in Georgia fall under the Ministry of Education and Science (MoES) authority, with the exception of infant houses that have the status of LTD (commercial entity) and have been until recently supervised by the Ministry of Labour, Health and Social Affairs (MLH&SA). [...] De-institutionalisation and establishment of alternative services for inclusion of children with disabilities are today key social sector priorities for both the MoES and MLH&SA.. [...] The government is sometimes moving too fast in the direction of closing down institutions, before a continuum of services has been established and alternatives are available for children deprived of parental care. This is due to the still insufficient awareness of the complexity of the deinstitutionalisation process. An example is the government’s decision to close down a boarding school in the Tianeti municipality that had been housing some 150 children, without a plan to reintegrate them. To avoid dire social consequences, EveryChild had to intervene and assist the MoES in placing children in alternative arrangements. [...]   The PIAD Mother and Infant Shelter in Tbilisi is an emergency transitional service for mothers at risk of abandoning their infants. It can accommodate 6 mothers with their babies. The shelter provides short term residential services to women who have not definitely decided to relinquish care of their infants, and women who may be under pressure from their family to abandon their infant, making it difficult for them to remain within the family home with their new-born. The shelter is also available to mothers who have decided to relinquish care of their child and need a residence during the six weeks before they may legally consent to adoption. This is a period during which many infants are abandoned.[...] The shelter is considered as a last resort to prevent abandonment after the mother and social worker have considered other options. During their stay mothers receive counselling, psychological support, training on life skills and childcare. [...] All mothers are assisted in finding a job by the Employment Services Centre, through job counselling, vocational training, and help in making contacts with local employers or, when appropriate, they receive small grants to start a small business. "

Document(s): Open document

01.2006 - Source: Human Rights Center

Needs of children are not sufficiently recognized and protected; arrangements to help homeless childress are ineffective; children often end up in sex industry, drug addicted or alcoholic ("Next Stop – Belarus?; Human Rights Report 2005; Georgia") [#43007], [ID 5268]

For documentation of individual cases please refer to the original document

"The principle of children’s rights does not yet seem to have invaded general consciousness. In fact, the specificity of their situation and their needs are not sufficiently recognized and protected. This even more concerns the extra vulnerable children who are homeless or brought up in extreme poverty. Arrangements that exist for their assistance are yet highly ineffective. Children often end up in criminal surroundings or get exploited in the sex industry. Also, they are likely to fall into drug addiction or alcoholism."

Document(s): Open document

28.02.2005 - Source: US Department of State

Government services for the protection of children's rights and welfare limited due to funding shortages ("Country Report on Human Rights Practices 2004") [#29503], [ID 5269]

"The law provides for the protection of children's rights and welfare; however, funding shortages limited government services. Primary and basic education is compulsory from age 6 or 7 to age 14, and provided up to age 16. Education was officially free through high school, and most children attended school; however, in some places schools did not function or functioned sporadically because teachers were not paid and facilities were inadequate, particularly in winter when some schools could not afford to heat buildings. Many schools lacked libraries or blackboards. Many parents were unable to afford books and school supplies, and most parents were obliged to pay some form of tuition or teachers' salaries; in some cases, students were forced to drop out due to an inability or unwillingness to pay. Bribery was endemic in the education system to ensure acceptances, recommendations, and good grades. Attendance in 2002 was assumed to be about 90 percent.

Free health care was available only for children over age 3.

There were some reports of abuse of children, particularly street children, although there was no societal pattern of such abuse.

Incidents of sexual exploitation of children were reported, especially among girls. Child prostitution and pornography are punishable by imprisonment for up to 3 years. There were unconfirmed reports of trafficking in children (see Section 5, Trafficking), street children and children living in orphanages were allegedly particularly vulnerable. The Ministry of Internal Affairs sponsored a Center for the Rehabilitation of Minors, which regularly provided medical and psychological assistance to child and adolescent victims of prostitution before returning them to guardians.

Difficult economic conditions broke up some families and increased the number of street children. A local NGO estimated that there were approximately 1,500 street children in the country, with 1,200 concentrated in Tbilisi, due to the inability of orphanages and the Government to provide support. The private voluntary organization Child and Environment and the Ministry of Education each operated a shelter; however, the two shelters could accommodate only a small number of street children. No facilities existed outside of Tbilisi. The Government took little other action to assist street children.

There were no confirmed reports of police violence against street children this year.

Orphanages were unable to provide adequate food, clothing, education, and medical care; facilities lacked heat, water, and electricity. The staff was paid poorly, and wages were many months in arrears. Staff members often diverted money and supplies provided to the orphanages for personal use. The Government offered education grants and tutoring, including the option of enrolling in military school, to some children who left orphanages."

Document(s): Open document

17.11.2004 - Source: Coalition to Stop the Use of Child Soldiers

Report focused on recruitment and use of child soldiers ("Child soldiers global report 2004") [#27146], [ID 5351]

Document(s): Open document

14.05.2004 - Source: UN Committee on the Elimination of Discrimination Against Women

Criminal Code was amended in trafficking in minors and imposed relevant sanctions for the crime; special hotlines were established to help victims of trafficking; following the measures Georgia was moved from "Tier 3" to "Tier 2" group by US State Department ("Consideration of reports submitted by States Parties under article 18 of the Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination against Women; Combined second and third periodic reports of States parties; Georgia [CEDAW/C/GEO/2-3]") [#48220], [ID 5270]

Please refer to the original document for information on other measures taken

"36. In accordance with the Criminal Code, the following acts are classified as crime: “Trafficking in persons” (Article 1431), “Trafficking in minors” (Article 1432), “Inveigling into prostitution” (Article 253), “Keeping of den or premises for prostitution” (Article 254), “Illegal production or distribution of pornographic materials or items” (Article 255), “Inveigling of a minor into illegal production or distribution of pornographic materials or items” (Article 2551) [...]
64. Lately the US State Department categorized Georgia as a “Tier 3” country that fails to meet minimum standards for combating trafficking in persons. It was a big surprise for Georgia because the country has been moved from “Tier 2” to “Tier 3” at the moment when the Government has begun taking very serious steps to combat trafficking. [...]
65. On January 29, the Anti-Trafficking Unit was established within the Ministry of Internal Affairs. Amendments to the Criminal Code criminalizing trafficking in persons and trafficking in minors, and imposing relevant sanctions for this crime (Article 1431 and Article 1432) were passed by the Parliament of Georgia. The Law entered into force on July 10, 2003.
66. In conformity with the above amendments, selling or buying of persons (minors), or subjecting them to other illegal deals, also recruiting, transporting, harbouring or taking them on for purposes of exploitation, with the use of force, blackmail or deception is punishable by imprisonment up to 12 years. The same offence, committed repeatedly, against two or more persons, against a pregnant woman, knowing about her pregnancy, with the abuse of official authority, by taking a victim abroad, with the use of life threatening or heath threatening violence, or threatening to use violence, knowingly, against a vulnerable person, or against a person, who is financially or otherwise dependant on the offender is punishable by imprisonment from 8 to 15 years. Offence, stipulated by first and second paragraphs of this
article committed by an organized group, which resulted in a death of a victim or caused other serious consequences, is punishable by imprisonment from up to 20 years or life imprisonment (in the case of minor victim).
67. In 2002, 471 criminal cases have been instituted against persons who were preparing false documents for leaving abroad. As a rule, the criminals promising citizens to arrange employment abroad extorted money from them.
68. Recently Anti-Trafficking Unit of the Ministry of Internal Affairs and Human Rights Department of the Prosecutor-General’s Office have established special hotlines. [...]
69. Thanks to all above-mentioned measures Georgia has been returned to the “Tier 2” group, which means that the State has succeeded to address the problem of trafficking and for the time being the situation in this field has become more manageable."

Document(s): State report
Concluding observations of 25 August 2006 [CEDAW/C/GEO/CO/3]

10.2003 - Source: Human Rights Center

00.10.2003 - HRIDC: Three juveniles detained ("Monthly Bulletin 10 (56), October 2003") [#17235], [ID 5271]

"Media News was informed by the Tbilisi state agency that three adolescents: 17 year-old Vakhtang Aitsuradze, 16 year-old David Tsverianov and 16 year-old Kakha Kapanadze, were detained by police on the charge of robbery. Kapanadze was already wanted by Ozurgeti police for robbery. These juveniles are blamed for stealing a bag containing 180 lari from Sofia Demetradze in the Nadzaladevi district of Tbilisi. The case is being investigated by the Gldani-Nadzaladevi police in Tbilisi."

Document(s): Open document

14.08.2003 - Source: Human Rights Center

Rising tendency of street children considered to be consequences of social-economic problems ("Monthly Bulletin 6-7 (52-53), July 2003") [#15071], [ID 5272]

"Mr Levan Maisuradze, Head of Tbilisi State Agency of the Internal Affairs Department, talked about the
crimes committed by the juvenile offenders in 2003. Maisuradze mentioned that the rising tendency of street
children is alarming and the reason for it, he considered, is identified as the social-economic problems."

Document(s): Open document

22.07.2003 - Source: Austrian Centre for Country of Origin and Asylum Research and Documentation

Statements of interview partners with regard to the situation of children ("Reisebericht Georgien 18. - 25. Mai 2003") [#14436], [ID 5273]

"Während es in der Vergangenheit keine Straßenkinder gegeben habe, hätte sich dieses
Problem in den letzten fünf bis sieben Jahren sukzessive ausgeweitet. Schätzungen der
verschiedenen Gesprächspartner über ihre Anzahl laufen weit auseinander. Während HRIDC
von offiziell circa 4.000-5.000 Straßenkindern allein in Tbilisi ausgehe, und die tatsächliche
Zahl sogar noch höher schätzt, liege die Zahl nach Ansicht des Georgischen Roten Kreuzes
zwischen 1.000 und 2.000; detaillierte Angaben wären allerdings nicht möglich.35
Viele der Straßenkinder würden mit der Zeit drogenabhängig werden, Klebstoff schnüffeln
oder in die Prostitution getrieben werden. Vor allem kirchliche Einrichtungen würden
versuchen, in den verschiedenen Regionen Georgiens Einrichtungen für diese Kinder zu
schaffen.
Das Georgische Rote Kreuz habe in der Vergangenheit in Guria ein Waisenhaus betrieben.
Aufgrund fehlender finanzieller Mittel könne der Betrieb allerdings nicht mehr
aufrechterhalten werden. Bis Ende Mai 2003 sollte die Finanzierung des Heims nach
Angaben der Präsidentin des Georgischen Roten Kreuzes noch gesichert gewesen sein, bis
spätestens Ende September müssten jedoch alle Kinder, die bei Verwandten unterkommen
könnten, das Internat verlassen. Was mit den Kindern geschehe, die keinerlei Anlaufstelle
mehr hätten, wisse man noch nicht."

Document(s): Open document

31.03.2003 - Source: US Department of State

US State Department: Number of street children increased ("Country Reports on Human Rights Practices - 2002") [#11848], [ID 5274]

"Government services for children were extremely limited. While education officially was free through high school, many parents were unable to afford books and school supplies, and most parents were forced to pay some form of tuition or teachers' salaries. Most children of school age attended school; however, in some places schools did not function or functioned sporadically because teachers were not paid and facilities were inadequate, especially in winter when some schools could not afford to heat buildings. Many schools lacked libraries or even blackboards. Free health care was available only for children over the age of 3 years.

There was no societal pattern of abuse of children, but difficult economic conditions broke up some families and increased the number of street children. A local NGO estimated that there were approximately 1,500 street children in the country, with 1,200 concentrated in Tbilisi, due to the inability of orphanages and the Government to provide support. The private voluntary organization Child and Environment and the Ministry of Education each operated a shelter; however, the two shelters could accommodate only a small number of street children. No facilities existed outside of Tbilisi. Street children often survived by turning to criminal activity, narcotics, and prostitution. Police increasingly harassed and abused street children with impunity. The Government took little other action to assist street children.

The Isolator detention facility for street children in Gldani was overcrowded, and children frequently were abused by other children and guards. There were no confirmed reports of police violence against street children this year.

The lack of resources affected orphanages as well. Children received inadequate food, clothing, education, and medical care; facilities lacked heat, water, and electricity. The staff was paid poorly, and wages were many months in arrears. Staff members often diverted money and supplies provided to the orphanages for personal use. Orphaned children in government institutions were not eligible for foreign adoption.

The Criminal Code states that child prostitution and pornography are punishable by imprisonment for up to 3 years."

Document(s): Open document

04.06.2002 - Source: Council of Europe - Parliamentary Assembly

Council of Europe: The total number of refugee children and children of displaced persons is over 70 000; they are facing increasing isolation ("Situation of refugees and displaced persons in Armenia, Azerbaijan and Georgia [Doc. 9480]") [#7836], [ID 5275]

"70. The total number of refugee children and children of displaced persons in Georgia is over 70 000. Enrolment figures at all levels of education are similar for IDPs and the local population. However, lack of adequate clothing and education materials remain an obstacle to many displaced children.

71. Regions have different approaches to the issue of access to schools by displaced children, ranging from the total integration of the children into the regular system to the creation of a separate education system. However, experience in Zugdidi, where most displaced children go to separate schools run by displaced teachers, shows increasing isolation of the displaced children."

Document(s): Open document

07.2001 - Source: Caucasus Institute for Peace, Democracy and Development

CIPDD: National legislation on the protection of children's rights ("Georgia's Membership in the Council of Europe, Achievements and Failures") [#10549], [ID 5276]

"In June 1997, the president signed a decree “On Strengthening Measures of
Protection of Children’s Rights”. Under the decree, an inter-agency commission was set up chaired by the deputy secretary of the National Security Council in human rights issues. On March 10, 2001 the president signed a resolution “On the Elaboration of the Unified National Program to Assist Children”, creating a national commission that shall submit by the end of 2001 measures to protect children’s rights in Georgia in accordance with UN Declaration of the Rights of the Child. However, there is no single coordinating or monitoring
government agency that would be responsible for carrying out these policies in the country. The Declaration is taught in secondary schools. However, most of Georgia’s population does not know about it and is not informed about Georgian legislation on the protection of children’s rights.
On July 9, 1999 the Parliament passed a law Concerning the Adoption of Orphans and Children Lacking Parents' Care . This law instituted the practice of adopting children by foster parents on the basis of a contract between the state and the family. For this purpose, the state can use funds that would be otherwise be expended for institutional care, and encourage families to adopt children. The law, however, does not contain clear provisions for the event of break of contract between the state and foster parents.
According to a February 18, 1998 law On Refugees, the government takes responsibility for helping refugee children to get education through putting them to state child-care institutions such as kindergarten and
schools. The 1996 Georgian law on the Forcibly Displaced and Persecuted Persons obliged the Ministry for Refugees and Settlement and other government agencies to provide free medication and education to the disabled, elderly, children and those families that have lost main incomes, as well as displaced persons.
The state has not developed a system of protection of the so-called “street children”. In 1998, the Ministry of Internal Affairs of Georgia registered about 2000 “street children” in Tbilisi, while the municipality of Kutaisi, the second largest town in Tbilisi, registered 400 such children. Some of them have fled unbearable conditions of state orphanages, others had been sent by poor families to beg and steal in streets.
The disabled – children as well as grown-ups – are another vulnerable group that rarely gets any serious assistance from the state. The disabled children are isolated from their healthy peers in specialized institutions. According to the data from the Ministry of Education, there exist 20 state-funded educational institutions under the ministry for children with physical and mental disabilities, where 2460 children between ages of 7 and 18 live and study. These children come from all regions of Georgia and belong to different
nationalities."

Document(s): cipdd-geo.pdf