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Minority Rights Still Violated

November 16, 2011
On the International Day for Tolerance Georgian Young Lawyers’ Association (GYLA) speaks about violation of minority rights.

According to GYLA, despite constitutionally guaranteed basic rights, minority groups, particularly ethnic and religious, as well as sexual and gender minorities, still remain alienated. The majority still lives on stereotypes concerning minorities that are often detected in public statements of politicians, clergymen and various public figures. Several media outlets still continue encouragement of stereotypes about minority groups or simply multiply hate speech.

The GYLA states that in accordance to the UN Resolution # 51/95, civil society stands by tolerance. Through cooperation with the human rights organizations working on the issues of ethnic and religious minorities and LGBT community, the GYLA always contributed to the protection of basic rights of minority members of the society and thus supported establishment of tolerant environment in the country. The GYLA plans to take concrete steps in future too to ensure the equality in the society.

In 1996, the UN General Assembly (by resolution 51/95) established the International Day for Tolerance on 16 November. The document outlines that Tolerance is a tool to achieve goals envisaged under UN Statute, to avoid wars and to maintain peace. The principle of tolerance entitles the state to ensure basic rights and freedoms of a person regardless their racial, gender, language and religious belongings.

Article 14 of the Constitution of Georgia prohibits discrimination on racial, skin color, gender, religious and ethnic grounds as well as discrimination of a person whose distinguishing feature is not directly mentioned in the Constitution.

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