Deputy Chief of Mission Bridget Brink joined Supreme Court Chairman Konstantine Kublashvili and Minister of Justice Tea Tulukiani, to open a first-of-its-kind conference entitled Gender in the Court: Working Toward a More Inclusive Court System.  The conference was supported by USAID through its implementer, the Judicial Independence and Legal Empowerment Project in Georgia (JILEP). 

The aim of the conference was to foster the development of a court system that encourages women to play a greater role in the running of courts and the development of the justice system.  The conference featured both Georgian and international women speakers representing the major branches of the legal profession.  The speakers included Georgian and international judges, lawyers, prosecutors, and gender experts who spoke on such topics as, “Strengthening Diversity in the Judicial System;” “The Georgian Reality: Women’s Rights Issues in the Courtroom and How Women Leaders Can Make a Difference;” and “A View From the Other Side of the Bench:  Why Women Should Play a Greater Role in Developing the Justice System.”

The conference and JILEP are supported by the U.S. Government as a part of its ongoing initiatives to support democracy and the rule of law in Georgia through USAID.