Poverty continues to be one of the main systemic problems in Georgia, affecting children, families, and the elderly, the Public Defender’s annual report shows.
As of 2025, 379,957 children were registered in the “Unified Database of Socially Vulnerable Families,” including 23,322 registered for the first time. Of these, 278,639 children received a subsistence allowance, with 12,868 receiving it for the first time.
The report highlights that, despite efforts by central and local authorities, social programs fail to provide long-term support or help families function independently according to their needs. It also notes that the real scale and causes of child poverty have not been systematically assessed.
Poverty also affects the elderly, who remain one of the country’s most vulnerable groups due to high rates of social vulnerability and living below the poverty line.
The 428-page report covers a wide range of issues, including illegal arrests, impunity for violent law enforcement officers, mistreatment of detained activists, femicide, education problems, and other human rights concerns.
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