UN office: Introducing electoral gender quota mechanism was a long-standing recommendation of the UN Committee on the Elimination of Discrimination against Women - its abolition is a step backwards in achieving gender equality

UN office expresses concern over the use of an accelerated procedure by the parliament to cancel mandatory electoral gender quotas. As stated in the statement issued by the organization, the abolition of the temporary mechanism of electoral gender quotas is a step backwards in the achievement of gender equality.

"The United Nations expresses its concern that the Parliament of Georgia used an accelerated procedure to abolish mandatory electoral gender quotas. The introduction of a temporary electoral gender quota mechanism in Georgia was a long-standing recommendation of the United Nations Committee on the Elimination of Discrimination against Women, aimed at compensating for the systemic exclusion of women from the political decision-making process. Its cancellation is a step backwards in achieving gender equality.

We call on the government of Georgia to make every effort to prevent actions that will hinder the fulfillment of Georgia's international obligations and endanger the country's democratic development," the statement said.