Child Protection

EU supported projects

Reform options for the penitentiary and probation systems for convicted child offenders in Georgia

European Union/UNICEF Partnership Project, 2009 -2010

About the Project

Georgia is a party of the UN Convention on the Rights of the Child (CRC). The Convention requires State Parties to develop and implement a comprehensive juvenile justice system in the “best interests of the child”. The importance of reforming the juvenile justice system was highly recommended by the UN Committee on the Rights of the Child in its recent Concluding Observations on the implementation of the Convention on the Rights of the Child in Georgia.

Reform of the juvenile justice system in Georgia is one of the key priorities of UNICEF and the Government of Georgia’s Programme of Cooperation. The aim is to establish a juvenile justice system that is focused on rehabilitation and reintegration of children in conflict with the law into society. It also aims at ensuring that children are not criminalized unnecessarily, there are programmes of prevention and diversion, and personnel dealing with juveniles are adequately trained. The Government of Georgia and UNICEF with the financial support of the European Union are implementing a two year project - Reform Options for the Penitentiary and Probation Systems for Convicted Child Offenders in Georgia.

Overall Objectives:

• To contribute to the reform of the juvenile justice system in Georgia and especially to the improvement of the penitentiary and probation systems for convicted child offenders.
• To introduce a reintegration-focused penitentiary and probation systems through developing individual reintegration planning and reintegration programmes so that child offenders move smoothly from the penitentiary system to the probation system.

The Main Objectives and Activities

1. Improving the penitentiary system for convicted child offenders in detention:
• making the system more child-sensitive and creating an environment where child rights are protected (right to information, right to participation, right to education, etc.).
• introducing reintegration programmes and activities (education/vocational training, sport activities, religion, constructive leisure time, social skill training, group conversation, legal support, individual psycho-social support).

2. Strengthening the probation system for child offenders:
• making the system more child-sensitive and creating an environment where child rights are protected (right to education, right to recreation, right to association with peers, etc.)
• introducing reintegration programmes and activities (constructive leisure time, relationship with parents, restorative programmes, individual psycho-social support, sport activities, life skills programmes, ‘my rights’ programmes, etc.)

3. Enhance collaboration between the penitentiary and probation systems in relation to the children in conflict with the law.
• adhere to systematic ‘application for conditional release’ or ‘application for change of conditional sentence’ at the earliest possible moment (Standing Commission of the Penitentiary Institution/ Court/ Parole Boards)

Achieving these objectives also implies:
• training of penitentiary staff (management, staff, individual reintegration coaches)
• training of probation officers (management, probation officers, individual probation coaches)
• training of NGOs and other local service providers (special programmes in detention and probation)
• training of members of the ‘Standing Commission of the Penitentiary Institution ‘ and Parole Boards (application for conditional release)

4. Promoting the necessary policy and legislative amendments and awareness raising about the juvenile justice issues.
• organizing roundtables about the juvenile justice reform and necessary legislative amendments.

Main Partners:

• Ministry of Corrections and Legal Assistance;
• Ministry of Justice;
• Ministry of Education and Science;
• Local and international organizations;
• Local services providers.

Building Stability with Children and Young People in Abkhazia

With the support of the European Union UNICEF Georgia is implementing 18-months long project aimed at strengthening the community support for children and young people in conflict-affected population in Abkhazia, Georgia.

The project has two components:
Component 1 – Child Protection & Education: to increase access to child protection and quality education for conflict-affected children in Abkhazia, with special emphasis on children living with disabilities.

Component 2 – Maternal & Child Primary Healthcare Services: to enhance access to and quality of primary health care for women and children in rural communities in Abkhazia.

In particular, the project will:
- establish community services for promotion of healthy lifestyles, including peer-group discussions and workshops, social events;
- renovate and repair of sport facilities and playgrounds as well as infrastructure of social community centers and targeted communities;
- establish and renovate three community based centers for children living with disabilities, including training of and support to parents and caregivers;
- conduct advocacy and information campaigns aiming at promotion and protection of rights of children living with disabilities;
- equip and supply primary health care units in Abkhazia and establish mobile preventive health teams;
- organise tailor-made training sessions for healthcare professionals on maternal and child healthcare services and preventive care.

The ongoing activities are implemented through the network of 16 Social Community Centers and three centers for children living with disabilities in partnership with World Vision and five local NGOs.

The project is reaching 3,500 children and youth.

Booklet on EU supported project on juvenile justice

Brief description of the EU supported project - Reform options for the penitentiary and probation systems for convicted child offenders in Georgia - in English and in Georgian.

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