CRC/C/GEO/CO/4
United Nations
Convention on the
Rights of the Child
Distr.: General
9 March 2017
Original: English
Committee on the Rights of the Child
Concluding observations on the fourth periodic report of
Georgia*
I. Introduction
1.
The Committee considered the fourth periodic report of Georgia (CRC/C/GEO/4) at
its 2178th and 2179th meetings (see CRC/C/SR.2178 and 2179), held on 25 January 2017,
and adopted the present concluding observations at its 2193rd meeting, held on 3 February
2017.
2.
The Committee welcomes the submission of the fourth periodic report of the State
party and the written replies to the list of issues (CRC/C/GEO/Q/4/Add.1), which allowed
for a better understanding of the situation of children’s rights in the State party. The
Committee expresses appreciation for the constructive dialogue held with the high-level
and multisectoral delegation of the State party.
II. Follow-up measures taken and progress achieved by the State
party
3.
The Committee welcomes the progress achieved by the State party in numerous
areas, including the ratification of or accession to international instruments, in particular the
ratification of the Optional Protocol to the Convention on a communications procedure in
2016. It also welcomes the adoption of numerous legislative acts and institutional and
policy measures, including the revision of the social assistance system to make it more
child-sensitive and the adoption of the Juvenile Justice Code, both in June 2015, and the
revision of the Civil Code in December 2015, abolishing exceptions to the minimum age
for marriage, which is set at 18 years.
III. Factors and difficulties impeding the implementation of the
Convention
4.
The Committee notes that Abkhazia, Georgia and the Tskhinvali region/South
Ossetia, Georgia, remain outside the effective control of the State party, which is a serious
obstacle to the implementation of the Convention in those regions. The Committee
welcomes the efforts undertaken by the State party to support health and education services
in those regions. However, it is concerned about restrictions in those regions to freedom of
movement, the access to quality health-care services, the right to education in one’s native
* Adopted by the Committee at its seventy-fourth session (16 January-3 February 2017).
GE.17-03873(E)