Although the promises made by the Georgian Republic in the aftermath of the Beijing conference are now starting to be fulfilled at a fast pace, after many years of inaction, much still remains to be done in order to advance womens rights and ensure gender equality in Georgia. Indeed recent measures have been taken with regard to domestic violence and trafficking in persons but they have not been extended to women victims of other types of violence (40 pages, .pdf, for historical reference).
The primary objectives of EMPATHY are the identification of torture victims; treatment and medical/psychosocial rehabilitation of torture victims; prevention of torture and persecution of torturers; research and training; consultations and education; information and mass media activities; investigating allegations of torture, providing independent expertise and monitoring prisons/detention facilities; and networking and facilitating activities with governmental, non-governmental, international and local institutions working in the field of human rights and rehabilitation.
Many conflict-affected persons in Georgia are still suffering mental health problems years after the conflicts. A number of specific coping strategies appear to be associated with better mental health and should be encouraged and supported where possible.
The Georgian Center for Psychosocial and Medical Rehabilitation of Torture Victims (GCRT) started functioning in October of 2003. It is non-profit, non-governmental organization, it offers multidisciplinary, professional mental and medical health services, also legal counselling to torture survivors in Georgia. GCRT contributes to the prevention of practice of torture and successful rehabilitation of torture survivors in Georgia, supports international and national initiatives, organizations and agencies directed against inhuman and cruel actions, supports formation of healthy nation and civic society in Georgia. GCRT also contributes to the rise of public awareness on the issues of torture and its consequences, detects and monitors the cases of torture, contributes to reduction of the cases of torture, empowers the protection of the rights of the torture survivors, supports the development of the sphere of psycho traumatology in Georgia.