Around 30 representatives of Georgian government agencies, public bodies and civil society met in Tbilisi on 25 April 2023 to discuss the implementation of the Council of Europe Anti-Trafficking Convention, on the basis of the third evaluation report issued by the Group of Experts on Action against Trafficking in Human Beings (GRETA).
The meeting, organised jointly by the Anti-Trafficking Division of the Council of Europe and the Ministry of Justice of Georgia, was opened by Ms Ketevan Sarajishvili, Head of International Relations and Legal Cooperation Department of the Ministry of Justice. “Combatting trafficking in human beings remains a priority for the Government of Georgia, which employ a strategy based on prevention of human trafficking, protection of its victims, prosecution of perpetrators and partnerships in fighting that crime”, she said.
“Access to justice and effective remedies by victims of trafficking is essential for their rehabilitation and the reinstatement of their rights. It also reflects a victim-centred and human-rights based approach to the fight against this serious crime”, underlined Mr Jan van Dijk, former First Vice-President of GRETA, who moderated the round-table discussions. The participants paid special attention to the issues of compensation to victims, the criminal justice response to human trafficking, and improving the identification of victims. The new National Anti-Trafficking Action Plan for 2023-2024 was also discussed.
Georgia is expected to report to the Committee of the Parties to the Convention on the measures taken to comply with its recommendation issued by it on the basis of GRETA’s report by 4 June 2023.
After the round-table discussion Ms Ia Dadunashvili, member of GRETA, presented the new Recommendation of the Committee of Ministers to member States on preventing and combating trafficking in human beings for the purpose of labour exploitation.
See also:
Action against trafficking in Human Beings | Country monitoring: Georgia
The Group of Experts on Action against Trafficking in Human Beings (GRETA) is an independent body which monitors the way countries implement the Council of Europe Convention on Action against Trafficking in Human Beings. All member states of the Council of Europe are bound by the Convention, as well as non-member states Belarus and Israel.
