Definition of Youth

Youth is defined as those aged 14 to 29 in the 2014 Georgian National Youth Policy.

GEO

Marriageable Age

  • Opposite Sex
  • Same Sex
  • Without parental consent
  • with parental consent
  • Male
  • 18
  • 16
  • --
  • Female
  • 18
  • 16
  • --



    • No specific legislation for same-sex marriage. Homosexual acts legal. Source: UNSD, ILGA

Candidacy Age

Criminal Responsibility

14
Minimum Age
Source:  Criminal Code of Georgia
(2002)

Majority Age

18

Source: FOSIGRID

Voting Age

18


Source:  Inter-Parliamentary Union

Situation of Young People

Youth Development Index

0.69
60 out of 170 countries.

Literacy Rates

99.79%
Both sexes (15-24) %
  • 99.74% Male (15-24) %
  • 99.85% Female (15-24) %

Net Enrolment Rate

Secondary School
79.96%
Both sexes %
  • 84.43%Male %
  • 80.34% Female %

Situation of Young People

Prevalence of HIV

0.3%
Male (15-24) %
0.1%
Female (15-24) %

Tobacco Use

Consumed any smokeless or smoking tobacco product at least once 30 days prior to the survey.
8.60%
Both sexes (13-15) %
  • 15.20% Male (13-15) %
  • 2.80% Female (13-15) %
  • Year: 2010
  • Source: WHO

Policy & Legislation

Is there a national youth policy?
Yes

Georgia adopted its national youth policy in 2014. Its previous draft policy is from2011.

 

The Georgian Youth Policy was passed in April 2014 and aims to "encourage the establishment of the relevant environment for comprehensive youth development". Its overarching objectives include youth involvement in social, economic, cultural and political life, high quality education, employment and training opportunities, healthy lifestyles for youth, and the promotion of civil rights and duties.

It lists four strategic areas: Participation; Education, employment and mobility; Health; Special support and protection.

The policy also defines youth policy actors, including the Ministry of Sport and Youth Affairs, and mandates a Interagency Coordinating Council, a permanent mechanism that ensures the involvement of local authorities in the youth policy.

A 2014 country sheet details information such as statistics, legislation, and national policy programmes on youth.

Public Institutions

Is there a governmental authority
(ministry, department or office) that is primarily responsible for youth?
Yes
The Ministry of Sport and Youth Affairs has a Youth Affairs Department, headed by a deputy minister. Its structure includes a “[d]ivision on collaboration with youth organizations” and a “[y]outh programs division”. 2013 priorities were:
  • School to work transitions;
  • Sport & youth legislation;
  • Student self-government;
  • Special youth groups (diaspora, juvenile inmates, ethnic communities, occupied territories, special needs);
  • International cooperation;
  • Civil society & non-formal education;
  • Healthy lifestyles;
  • Cultural activities.

Youth and Representation

Does the country have a national youth organisation / association (council, platform, body)?
Yes
The National Council of Youth Organizations of Georgia (NCYOG) gathers over 45 children and youth NGOs working on the social, professional, educational and cultural interests of youth. Established in 1995, its main aims are: development of the non-governmental sector; coordination of activities of member organizations; fostering mutual cooperation among youth and children unions; fostering active involvement of youth organizations in social life; supporting youth initiatives and youth leaders. NCYOG is a full member of the European Youth Forum.

Budget & Spending

What is the budget allocated to the governmental authority (ministry, department or office) that is primarily responsible for youth and/or youth programming?
GEL 3.2 million
USD 1.8 million
The 2014 youth policy country sheet reports that for 2014, the Ministry of Sport and Youth Affairs allocated GEL 1.5 million (USD 855,733) at the national level, with approximately GEL 1.7 million (USD 969,885) allocated by local self-government at the regional level, for a total of approximately GEL 3.2 million (USD 1.8 million) that is allocated to youth in Georgia. According to the World Bank, Georgia spent 1.99% of its GDP on education in 2012, but does not calculate what this translates to in terms of percentage of government expenditure.
Total Expenditure on Education as a Percentage of Government Spending and GDP

  • % of GDP
  • % of gov. expenditure

Source: World Bank
Gaps indicate missing data from the original data source. (Accessed August 2013).

Additional Background

According to the Georgian National Youth Policy (2014):
Young Policy aims to encourage establishment of the relevant environment for the comprehensive youth development where youth will be able to fully realize their potential and be actively involved in any sphere of the social life.
In order to achieve this goal, youth policy ensures: 1. Possibility for youth to be involved in social, economic, cultural and political life; 2. Appropriate and high quality education, employment and professional growth opportunities for the youth; 3. Establishment of a healthy lifestyle and access to health services and improvement of its quality in the friendly environment for youth; 4. The raise of young people awareness on civil rights and duties, establishment of a safe and secure environment for young people, protection of their rights and support of young people with special needs.
  From Country Sheet on Youth Policy in Georgia (2014):
Georgian youth is one of the most valuable assets to ensure long-term democratic development and economic growth of the country. It is essential to have a common view on the needs, challenges and role of young people, based on which appropriate mechanisms and approaches will be established for full- fledged development of the young generation in Georgia.
It is very hard to face all challenges of young people if there is no cross-sectorial approach to youth and youth policy. It is important to establish permanent coordination body with participation of all ministries, local governments, youth organizations and groups, private sector, international organizations and donors. [...]

Unfortunately due to social-economical and general problems in the country, youth policy issues never became as one of the priority of state policy. Besides of this, territorial problems in Abkhazia and South Ossetia raised and as a result of armed confrontation this territories were occupied by Russian Government. The solution of this and other important problems are priority issues of the government. All these deprecated on all directions of the state policies and had negative influence on youth policy in Georgia.

Reviews on youth policies and youth work in the countries of South East Europe, Eastern Europe & Caucasus: Georgia  (2011) is an international review of Georgia’s youth policy situation conducted in cooperation between Georgian youth sector stakeholders and the partnership between the Council of Europe and the European Commission in the field of youth. It gives a mixed evaluation of the Georgian government’s success in working towards these aims:  
It’s clear that the lack of youth policy in previous years, has significantly impeded [the] development of this sphere and it rapidly brings back. If we compare it with other Eastern European, Caucasus and South-East [European] countries, [the] only document [of relevance] which Georgia developed was in 2001 – “State concept for supporting Georgian youth” – but unfortunately it has never been implemented. [Education] is the only field where the cross-sectional attitude...is very well visible. It [was] also [an] important step in educational system to [get involved] in [the] Bologna process and [come closer to European standards, [a measure] which supports youth mobility.