On April 3, ISET hosted a knowledge-sharing event by ADB Regional Gender Consultant, Ketevan Chkheidze. The public lecture (which was entitled ‘Gender in Development: Practices, Challenges and Opportunities’) was dedicated to the issue of developing gender equality in the context of Georgia.

The study analyzes pecuniary economic costs and benefits associated with new policies on maternity, paternity, and parental leave in Georgia, using a state-of-the-art methodology utilized in EU member countries.

Despite substantial improvements in education, professional development, and political participation, women remain underrepresented in leadership positions in politics, and Georgia is no exception. In 2017, the country ranked in 94th place (out of 144), according to the Global Gender Gap Index (GGI), which indicates that Georgia is not performing well in closing the gender gap. The GGI serves as a comprehensive and consistent measure for gender equality, which can track a country’s progress over time.

The Georgian constitution has a guarantee of gender equality in the country. Accordingly, men and women have equal rights to land ownership, and the right to inherit land is the same for both sexes. However, in Georgia, as in many developing countries, land ownership issues are very much influenced by cultural values. Georgian traditions make it less likely that land will be inherited by the daughter.

On April 6, ISET hosted a seminary by World Bank Senior Director on Gender Ms. Caren Grown, on Gender Equality as a Smart Development Policy in Georgia. Ms. Caren Grown was invited as part of the anti-corruption course jointly organized by ISET and the NHH (the Norwegian School of Economics).