Poll Results Show Georgians Concerned About Labor Rights

Based on information released by The European Union for Georgia.

The number of Georgians who think that their rights are protected has doubled in the last ten years. Nevertheless, every second Georgian feels insecure about the privacy of their personal data. Almost a third of respondents (27 percent on average, 36 percent in Tbilisi) see labor rights as the most frequently abused human rights in Georgia. Over half think that the rights of national/ethnic (57 percent) and religious (59 percent) minorities are violated.

These form part of the findings of a nationwide audit commissioned by the European Union (EU) and United Nations Development Program (UNDP) to examine public perceptions and awareness about human rights and access to justice in Georgia.

The results of the survey were released on July 26, at a public presentation attended by representatives of the Georgian Government, Parliament, human rights institutions, international organizations, diplomatic missions, civil society and the media.

“Human rights are at the very heart of the EU’s relations with Georgia. We assist the government to develop consistent policies and effective protection mechanisms, and we also work to open up the discussion space for civil society and people,” said Vincent Rey, Head of the Cooperation Section of the Delegation of the EU to Georgia.

The EU/UNDP research provides a comprehensive picture of public perceptions related to human rights and access to justice in Georgia, and assesses human rights awareness in Georgian society.

“The findings of this study will assist the government, civil society and human rights institutions, as well as the international partners of Georgia, in our joint efforts to promote the respect for human rights and achieve just, peaceful and sustainable development for all,” said Shombi Sharp, Acting Head of UNDP in Georgia.

The research “Human Rights and Access to Justice in Georgia: Public Perceptions and Awareness” is based on the results of 5,000 face-to-face interviews in four regions of Georgia, 14 focus group discussions and 29 in-depth interviews with representatives of four target groups: public sector, business, non-governmental organizations and the LGBT community. Wherever possible, the results are compared with the findings of the previous study commissioned by the UNDP in 2012.