MINELRES: HRIDC report: Roma Rights in Georgia

[MINELRES moderator]

Original sender: Ucha Nanuashvili <hridc@internet.ge>


Dear All,
  
Attached please find our report on Roma rights in Georgia.
  
Best wishes,
  
Ucha Nanuashvili
Executive Director
The Human Rights Information and Documentation Center
  
89/24 Agmashenebeli Ave., 12th floor
Tbilisi, 0102 Georgia
Tel./Fax: (995 32) 95 10 03
Mobile: (995 99) 50 80 36
Email: hridc@internet.ge
Web-Site: http://www.hridc.org

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People without Rights: 
Roma Rights in Georgia

Report

Prepared by 
The Human Rights Information and Documentation Center (HRIDC)
Financial support by the World Bank Small Grants Program

Researched and written by: 
George Janiashvili, Nino Gvedashvili, David Chikashua, Irma Mamasakhlisi

Project Director: 
Ucha Nanuashvili

Tbilisi, Georgia
2003


Foreword

It has been 12 years since Georgia became independent and the building
of democratic and independent society is still in process. Hardship and
contradiction in moving to the market economy and strengthening the
democracy is still active. Georgia has faced a great deal of problems
and difficulties along the way as its population has learned to deal
with the inherent economic difficulties. Some progress, however, has
been seen in the field of education and reforms of the education system. 

Despite this, it would be naive to look at the existing situation
indifferently and with satisfaction. There are many unsolved problems,
such as inter-ethnic relations and the defending of the rights of
national minorities.

It is worrying that groups of national minorities still exist in
Georgia, mainly the Roma people, who do not know how to read and write,
let alone have a  civil education and the knowledge of the defense of
their rights.

The situation is more difficult regarding the defense of Roma right to
employment, life and health, mostly because they do not have financial
opportunity for medical care. 

It is regrettable that nothing has been done to help solve the Roma
problems in the period following  Georgia's independence. Even moreso, a
census of Roma population has still not been undertaken. 

The following report demonstrates the first steps taken by us in
studying Roma situation in Georgia.

It should be mentioned that without the financial support from World
Bank, it would be impossible to do all the activities mentioned in this
report.

We hope that the co-operation with the above mentioned organisation
together with the other donors will continue and we will have the
opportunity to continue the research process and solve the problems
facing national minorities, namely Roma people.

.......................

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>From MINELRES moderator: The full text of the report (150 Kb in .doc
file) can be obtained either from HRIDC or from MINELRES by request. 
Boris
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