High-level meeting on empowering women human rights defenders in Georgia

Globally and in Georgia, women human rights defenders are at the forefront of the fight for human rights, gender equality and social justice. Their collective action is critical in driving the development and human rights agenda and ensuring that no one is left behind. Nevertheless, the women human rights defenders often lack recognition and resources, and their contribution goes unnoticed by the public at large. In Georgia, the situation has recently been exacerbated by the adoption of the legislation significantly curbing civil society freedoms and restricting spaces for civic engagement.

On 29 November 2024, in partnership with the Council of Europe and under the auspices of the Gender Thematic Group, UN Women organized the high-level meeting “Their Fight, Our Future: Empowering Women Human Rights Defenders in Georgia”. The meeting aimed at elevating the visibility of the role and contribution of women human rights defenders and fostering national dialogue about their protection and an enabling environment for their work.

The meeting was attended by up to 70 representatives of State agencies, development partners and civil society organizations. The discussions focused on recognizing the work of women human rights defenders and strategizing jointly about effective strategies to protect and promote the rights of women human rights defenders in Georgia.

"Women human rights defenders lead the fight for gender equality and social justice, advocating tirelessly for human rights for all,” said Didier Trebucq, UN Resident Coordinator in Georgia. “It is important that we honour their courage and support their essential work.”

H.E. Bergljot Hovland, Ambassador of Norway to Georgia, further noted in her welcoming remarks: “Women human rights defenders … are the advocates of gender equality and the architects of sustainable peace. I want to reaffirm Norway’s unwavering commitment to supporting women human rights defenders, here in Georgia and worldwide.”

The meeting participants committed to strengthening work and mobilizing resources around facilitating an enabling environment for the work of women human rights defenders and promoting spaces for civic engagement, especially in the context of shrinking civic space alongside the rise of assaults and a pattern of intimidation exercised against women human rights defenders and human rights defenders in Georgia.

Guided by the UN Charter, the Beijing Platform for Action, the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development, the UN Security Council resolutions on Women, Peace and Security and other applicable UN instruments and resolutions on gender equality and women’s empowerment, UN Women works to facilitate an enabling environment for the work on women’s human rights. Further, in a context where space for civil society is shrinking, the United Nations system has a responsibility to defend civic space and human rights defenders and to continue to build on existing efforts in this area.

The initiative is being implemented within the framework of the second phase of the “Good Governance for Gender Equality in Georgia” (GG4GEGII) project, implemented with generous support from the Norwegian Agency for Development Cooperation (Norad).