Georgian Citizens Demand Better Childcare System
By Tea Mariamidze
Monday, January 28
Georgian citizens gathered at the governmental administration to express solidarity to the deceased 4-year old girl, after whose death the mother was accused of domestic violence. The protesters were asking for a better childcare system.
The rally organizers claim that the responsibility about the fact is on the state, adding corresponding agencies knew the child was the victim of the domestic violence.
The Facebook page of the protest rally reads that the neighbors of the girl’s family and the social workers confirm she was systematically abused at home, adding the Health Ministry is lying when they reject the minor’s family was violent.
“In this country children are most vulnerable. They are beaten and killed in their own families. The state ignores them. Childcare system fundamentally needs to be changed,” the rally organizers say.
The protesters call on the government to publicize case materials and punish all the responsible people who were working with the family and “did not properly fulfill their duties".
“We call on the state to launch fundamental reforms to protect the children,” the statement reads.
A 4-year girl died in Nadzaladevi district, Tbilisi on January 22. The exact cause of the death is unknown, however, the police launched an investigation into the case under article 116 of the Criminal Code, based upon death resulting from negligence.
Soon after the child’s death, the mother of the girl was arrested, and on January 24, Tbilisi City Court ordered her pre-trial imprisonment.
The neighbors of the family say the parents had been systematically abusing the child. According to them, the child was seriously injured after being beaten by the parents, due to which, she was hospitalized in early January.
The neighbors say they had repeatedly called the police and notified the district inspector as well, but the girl was still living together with her parents and three siblings.
However, the family of the deceased minor rejects the allegations. The stepfather of the girl says his wife has never beaten up the children. He claims the neighbors are lying.
The police had imposed a restraining order on the mother of the child after she was hospitalized in early January. But the Department of Care and Social Programs of the Social Service Agency says they had never noticed any signs of the violence on the girl, who was under their supervision as she was on foster care for three years.
