Georgia

A country in the Caucasus region of Eurasia, near the Black Sea, Georgia was originally formed in 1000 B.C.E. and reached the height of its power during its Golden Age in the 12th and 13th centuries. Throughout its history, it has repeatedly been invaded by larger empires, from Rome to Russia. Georgia was part of the Soviet Union from 1921 to 1990, and when the Soviet Union collapsed, the country became the Republic of Georgia. It created a constitution and became a democratic republic. However, like many countries of the former Soviet bloc, Georgia has suffered from political instability, financial crisis, corruption, and internal strife. The lack of a stable infrastructure has prevented any serious attention to the status of women. While Georgian women are guaranteed equal rights under the Constitution, there is no practical enforcement to protect their rights. Women have equal access to education, and are well represented in universities, both as students and professors. However, instability and the economic crisis have undermined women's rights, as sexual discrimination and violence against women have escalated.

The Georgian Constitution asserts that every person is “free and equal.” Yet, those guarantees are not implemented. There is no state initiative to address the status of women. Women face increasing problems in the workforce, as sexual harassment has become more of a problem. There are no laws regarding gender equity in the workplace, and a lack of education on sexual harassment issues.

As the country has faced crisis and upheaval, domestic violence against women has sharply risen. There are also no laws regarding spousal abuse, although spousal rape is outlawed. There are no shelters for women who want to leave a dangerous relationship, and no governmental systems in place to address the problem. Kidnapping a woman to marry her, especially in rural areas, continues to be a problem that the government ignores. Laws against prostitution do not exist, which has skyrocketed during the crises. Not only is organized prostitution on the rise, so too is sex trafficking.

A health advocate teaches young women how to examine their breasts at a Walk to Save Lives in Kutaisi, Georgia.

With their constitutional guarantees, women do exercise their right to vote. Women comprise 63 percent of the members of the various political parties. However, the have no substantial representation in elected or nonelected governmental positions. There are several different women's organizations in Georgia that are fighting to bring attention to women's rights, such as Women for Democracy, the Women's Center, and the Georgian Young Lawyers Association.

Like many women in countries developing since the collapse of the Soviet Union, Georgian women suffer from the economic, political, and social upheaval caused by the reorganization. Their Constitution guarantees them basic equal rights, but Georgia has no [Page 614]specific laws to address gender equity or discrimination. As the country suffers from the world economic downturn, women face increasing domestic violence and workplace harassment.