Ombudsman: Number of families with children enrolled in the socially vulnerable base increased by 28%
By Natalia Kochiashvili
Thursday, June 2, 2022
The Public Defender of Georgia issued a statement on June 1, International Children’s day, assessing the current situation in the country in terms of children's rights.
The ombudsman emphasizes that no child should have to test the tragic consequences of the war on themselves. The ongoing hostilities in Ukraine have claimed the lives of hundreds of children, left many injured, lost parents, had to leave their homes, and, for more than 3 months, have been dealing with war trauma.
“Consequently, it is particularly important this year to take effective steps to support children affected by the Ukraine war and internally displaced persons in Georgia, to provide a safe environment and to strengthen their families,” the ombudsman said.
According to the Public Defender, the problems of child poverty, violence against children, lack of rehabilitation, support services, and the lack of a child-friendly environment have been acute in Georgia for years, requiring fundamental changes and coordinated action by the state.
Ombudsman named the rising rate of child poverty as one of the main challenges for the country. Compared to the previous year, the number of families with children enrolled in the ‘Unified Database of Socially Vulnerable Families’ increased by 28% and the number of minors involved in the program reached 235,252.
However, according to the ombudsman, the existing programs in the country still do not provide long-term support to families living in poverty and increase their social function. The statement emphasized that at the state level, there is still no effective strategy and mechanism for reducing child poverty and child labor.
“Also, although the implementation of state child care in large residential institutions is fundamentally contrary to the fundamental principles of the rights of the child and has a devastating effect on adolescents, there are 3 such institutions in the country and no concrete plan for their deinstitutionalization has been approved yet.”
Public defender says that it is important to raise public awareness on the one hand and to provide timely and coordinated action by government agencies, which, with an individual approach tailored to the best interests of the child, provide for those with different needs, including those living in poverty.
For the sake of ensuring proper protection of the rights of the child in the country, Ombudsman called the state to increase the effectiveness of child welfare support programs and services, develop additional targeted programs and ensure their geographical accessibility, and ensure timely and effective management of the deinstitutionalization process, within the framework of which each child will be provided with the closest and safest environment to the family.
