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Representatives of the Human Rights House Tbilisi Visited Homeless Families

December 11, 2013
 
Nino Devidze

On December 10, International Human Rights Day, representative of the Human Rights House Tbilisi visited homeless families sheltering the former building of the Railway Hospital. The main purpose of the visit was to issue free legal aid on the homeless people. Besides that, information booklet “Procedures to Provide Homeless People with Shelter” was produced and disseminated among beneficiaries on the place.

About 55 homeless families live in the former building of the Railway Hospital. Socially indigent people voluntarily occupied the building that is state property, and now they expect eviction every day.

There are grave living conditions in the former Railway Hospital. The building is not supplied with natural gas; majority of rooms do not have toilets.

Lawyer of the Article 42 of the Constitution Sopiko Aleksidze said the current legislation does not oblige the state to supply citizens with electricity and natural gas in the premises, where they voluntarily lodge in. “Our organization issued legal consultation on socially indigent families. We clarified to them how they should apply to local self-governments, and Tbilisi City Hall to get a shelter.”

A socially indigent person Kakhaber Odisharidze said they have applied to the government for help but in vain. “We petitioned to the Parliament of Georgia, to allocate lands like they did in Karaleti and Gori. It will not be expensive for the state to give cottages to us; we are ready to accept all their offers.”

Representatives of the HRHT said lack of shelter is one of the most acute problems of socially indigent and impoverished people. The situation is further deteriorated by the fact that local self-governmental bodies do not implement their responsibilities to provide homeless citizens with accommodations who are compelled to voluntarily occupy old buildings. Similar acts often result into conflict between the citizens and the state that often ends up in repressive actions (eviction, fine, etc).

HRHT Board Chairman Aleko Tskitishvili said it is urgently necessary to envisage funds in the state budget for the construction or arrangement of shelters. “HRHT visited former Railway Hospital’s building, where homeless families live. They have many problems and need support from the state. Besides that, the state is responsible to satisfy homeless citizens with shelter. Government officials do not have right to evict people from the shelters unless they receive alternative accommodation. We think it is high time to envisage funds for temporary shelters in the state budget.”

Socially indigent population hopes the government will provide them with shelters and will not stay in the street in winter. 

The project –Free Legal Aid for Indigent Population of Georgia is implemented by the HRHT member organizations Article 42 of the Constitution and Human Rights Center. The project is implemented with the assistance of the Eurasian Partnership Foundation program “Civil Initiative for an Independent Judiciary”. The project is funded by the United States Agency for International Development (USAID) and East-West Management Institute (EWMI). 

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