Training for Assistant Judges in Georgia

Sixteen assistant judges came together on July 20-21 in Kasbeki, Georgia to learn how international labour standards can be used in resolving labour disputes in domestic courts. The training was organized within the framework of the ILO Project “Inclusive Labour Markets for Job Creation in Georgia”, funded by the Government of Denmark.

News | 22 July 2018

For a number of years, the ILO has worked together with the High School of Justice of Georgia to train judges in the judicial use of international labour standards. As part of this collaboration, a manual on the judicial use of international labour standards was adapted to include Georgian law, as well as cases where the Georgian judiciary has applied international labour standards.

Assistant judges play an important role in the judicial system of Georgia as they undertake legal research and draft decisions further to instructions by judges. It was therefore considered important to expand the training provided to include assistant judges to ensure the proper understanding and use of international labour law throughout Georgia’s judiciary system.

During the training, the assistant judges were introduced to the sources of international labour law and the different ways in which they can be used in domestic courts. Specific issues discussed included the right to strike, termination of employment, paid holidays, and the prohibition of discrimination, using both international and national examples.

The training was moderated by Ketevan Meskhishvili, Justice of the Court of Appeals of Georgia, Zakaria Shvelidze, National Expert, and Lejo Sibbel, Sr. Specialist on International Labour Standards and Labour Law of the ILO DWT/CO Moscow.