Members of the ninth convocation of the Parliament, who started fulfilling their duties two months ago, are getting informed about activity of Legal Aid Service – organization which is accountable before the Parliament.
On January 18, at the parliamentary session, members of the Human Rights Committee discussed previously made and planned reforms in legal aid field together with the management of the Service. The meeting was attended by the members of the supervisory body of the Service – Legal Aid Council, the director and the deputy director of the Service, as well as the representatives of the partner international organizations of the Service. The meeting was held with support of the USAID project PROLoG.
At the meeting, the focus was made on the institutional changes, as a result of which state funded Legal Aid Service left the executive branch and became an independent organization accountable before the Parliament. Besides, they touched upon the issues of accessibility of legal aid to the various groups of the society and provision of the quality service, as well as raising public awareness regarding free legal assistance. The US Agency for International Development, the European Union and the UN Development Program support the reforms planned in the field.
The chairwoman of the Human Rights Committee, Sophio Kiladze promised to support Legal Aid Service and ensure active involvement of the Parliament in the planned reforms.
The Parliament of Georgia annually hears the activity report of Legal Aid Service which is presented by the director not later than March 1.