On 9 January 2022, WISG updated its shadow report submitted to the pre-sessional working group of the 81st Session of the Committee on the Elimination of Discrimination against Women (CEDAW) in 2021. The report has been updated for the 84th session of the Committee with the data identified through recent studies[1], and aims to provide the Committee with information on practices that are manifested in discrimination or violence against LBTI women and that have been overlooked by the National Report.

It is important to note the CEDAW Committee's 2014 concluding remarks, in which the Committee condemned the physical violence and harassment experienced by LBT women, as well as expressed its concerns about the barriers that trans people face to change their gender markers. Accordingly, the Committee's 2014 recommendations addressed both of these issues, although the State's 2020 report ignores some of the recommendations, as well as a number of issues advocated by WISG over the years - The 2020 National Report covers only hate crimes in the areas of sexual orientation and gender identity.

Accordingly, in the light of the shadow report submitted by the WISG on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination against Women, of the relevant articles of the Convention, its general recommendations and the Committee's final opinions, the Pre-Sessional Working Group draws attention to the rights and discrimination of LBTI women in Georgia; In particular, the report focuses on the violations of the articles of the Convention, which are manifested in homo/bi/transphobic crimes against LBTI women, in the non-regulation of the mechanism of Legal Gender Recognition, in the discriminatory arrangements in the fields of healthcare, education and employment, and in ignoring of the needs of LBTI women in the country's national strategic documents.

The English version of the updated shadow report submitted by Women's Initiatives Supporting Group (WISG) to CEDAW for consideration by the Committee at its 84th Session can be viewed at the link below.

WISG - UPDATED Shadow Report on Discrimination and violence against LBTI women (Georgia, January 9, 2023)

WISG is implementing this project with the support of the Promoting Rule of Law in Georgia Activity (PROLoG) carried by the East-West Management Institute with the United States Agency for International Development funding (USAID) funding.

[1] Refers to the recent studies conducted by WISG: 1. Impact of COVID-19 Pandemic on LGBT(Q)I Community in Georgia (2022), 2. From Prejudice to Equality. Vol. 2 | Study on Public Knowledge, Awareness and Attitudes Towards LGBT(Q)I Community and Legal Equality (2022).