On 26th of January, 51st Session of the Universal Periodic Review of Georgia was held, during which the human rights situation in Georgia over the past four years was assessed.

Women’s Initiatives Supporting Group (WISG), Tbilisi Pride, and Equality Movement (EM) in collaboration with ILGA World prepared a shadow report in the framework of the fourth Universal Periodic Review of Georgia.

We collected all the reviews for Georgia that particularly refer to LGBTQI+ and/or SOGIE issues. In total 23 recommendations were made by 21 countries. 

Those countries and recommendations:

Luxembourg

• Intensify efforts to combat discrimination, hate speech, and hate crimes against minorities and vulnerable groups, including persons with disabilities, migrants, LGBTQI+ persons, and internally displaced persons (Luxembourg #2);

Malta

• Rescind the anti-LGBTIQ+ provisions included in the “protecting family values and protection of minors” law (Malta #2);

Mexico

• Repeal the Law on Family Values and Child Protection and adopt measures to combat discrimination, stigmatization and violence against LGBTI+ persons (Mexico #2);

New Zealand

• Repeal the “Protection of Family Values and Minors” legislation that severely restricts rights for members of the LGBTQI+ community (New Zealand #3);

Norway

• Repeal the “Law on Family Values and Protection of Minors” and take measures to combat hate speech and violence against LGBT+ persons (Norway #4);

Spain

• Ensure the effective protection of LGBTI+ people, ensuring accountability for hate crimes (Spain #3);

Sweden

• Repeal legislation that restricts civil society and independent media, including the Law on Transparency of Foreign Influence and the Foreign Agents Registration Act, the legislative package on family values, and amendments to the Law on Grants and the Law on Broadcasting (Sweden #1);

Uruguay

• Strengthen its efforts to combat discrimination on the basis of sexual orientation and gender identity (Uruguay #2);

Australia

• Repeal anti-LGBTQIA+ legislation, including the Law on Family Values and the Protection of Minors (Australia #2);

Austria

• Continue strengthening and supporting institutions and services to effectively assist victims of gender-based violence, including adequate protection and assistance for LGBTI persons (Austria #4);

Belgium

• Increase efforts to end discrimination based on sexual orientations and gender identity and repeal the Law on the Protection of Family Values and Minors (Belgium #3);

Brazil

• Take concrete measures to protect LGBTQIA+ persons, including by revising the 2024 Law on the Protection of Family Values and Minors to prevent discrimination and by intensifying efforts to combat hate speech, stigmatization and discriminatory practices through the training of public officials (Brazil #2);

Canada

• Amend national laws, including the Law on Family Values and Protection of Minors, to explicitly prohibit discrimination based on sexual orientation, gender identity expression, and religion or belief (Canada #4);

Chile

• Repeal legislation that restricts freedom of expression, association, and peaceful assembly, including anti-LGBTI laws, and ensure the effective protection of journalists, human rights defenders, and civil society (Chile #2);

Colombia

• Repeal the “Georgia Law on the Protection of Family Values and Minors”, along with the 18 related amendments introduced into other Georgian laws (Colombia #3);

Estonia

• Repeal anti-LGBT rights amendments (Estonia #5);

Finland

• Repeal legislation that undermines the protection of human rights and the democratic system, in particular the Law on Transparency of Foreign Influence of 2024, the Foreign Agents Registration Act (FARA), and the Law on Family Values and Protection of Minors of 2024 (Finland #3);

France

• Combat all forms of violence and discrimination based on gender and sexual orientation and guarantee the fundamental freedoms and rights of LGBT+ persons (France #6);

Iceland

• Repeal discriminatory provisions in national legislation and ensure legal protection for persons of diverse sexual orientation, gender identity and expression, and sex characteristics (Iceland #5);
• Legalize same sex marriage of consenting adults (Iceland #6);
• Decriminalize gender-affirming medical care (Iceland #7);

Ireland

• Ensure that all citizens, including journalists, human rights defenders, LGBTIQ+ persons and opposition voices, can exercise the right to freedom of expression, including by guaranteeing that civil and criminal provisions do not suppress critical reporting (Ireland #1);

Latvia

• Take all necessary measures to combat discrimination, harassment and attacks based on sexual orientation or gender identity (Latvia #3);