In Georgia, there is now a law that bans same-sex marriages, adoptions by same-sex couples, and public endorsement and depictions of LGBTQ+ relations and people in the media. It also bans gender-affirming care and changing gender designations in official documents.
Earlier, the Georgian President Salome Zourabichvili refused to sign the proposed bill, so after the veto, it was returned to parliament. There, the speaker of the Georgian parliament, Shalva Papuashvili, signed it into law with the backing of the parliament, claiming that the legislation does “not reflect current, temporary, changing ideas and ideologies, but is based on common sense, historical experience and centuries-old Christian, Georgian and European values… This law protects the rights of all citizens, including freedom of expression, so that the rights of others are not violated, which is the essence and idea of true democracy.”
Georgia, a South Caucasus nation of 3.7 million, applied to join the European Union in 2022, after Russia’s involvement Ukraine, but the bloc halted its accession in response to the “foreign influence” law and froze some of its financial support.
In a statement, UNAIDS expressed “deep concern over the recently adopted anti-LGBTQ+ legislation in Georgia, which poses serious risks to public health and human rights.” For the UN agency, such laws will “impose discriminatory restrictions on education, public discussion, and gatherings related to sexual orientation and gender identity. These discriminatory laws violate fundamental rights to autonomy, dignity, and equality, exacerbating stigma and hindering LGBTQ+ people’s access to essential health services. This undermines Georgia’s efforts to end AIDS and combat other infectious diseases.”
UNAIDS reiterated that laws discriminating against LGBTQ+ individuals have no place in modern society. “They lead to harassment, discrimination, violence and social exclusion, jeopardizing efforts to end the HIV epidemic. We call on Georgian authorities to repeal these harmful laws, as they will further isolate marginalized communities and worsen public health outcomes. Stigma kills, but solidarity saves lives. Upholding the rights of LGBTQ+ people is crucial to advancing public health, social cohesion, and equality for all.”
