Georgia's Quality Assurance Unit: assessing the quality of the asylum process

The project in brief

Implemented by

Ministry of Internal Affairs of Georgia

Country

Georgia/Eastern Europe

Duration

Since 2016

Description

The Quality Assurance Unit is the structural sub-Unit of the International Protection Issues Division of Migration Department of Ministry of Internal Affairs of Georgia.

The Unit was established under the recommendations of the Third Progress Report from the Commission to the European Parliament and the Council on Georgia’s Implementation of the Action Plan on Visa Liberalization and is functioning since January 2016.

Project Aims

The Quality Assurance Tool builds the capacity of the Georgian asylum authority through enhancement of qualifications and advancement of the legislative framework.

Main activities of the Good Practice

The Unit is responsible for:

• Monitoring proper execution of asylum procedure in Georgia and identifying gaps, including: analyzing refugee status determination (RSD) procedure, provision of COI and decision on international protection, assessment their quality and compatibility with the Law of Georgia on International Protection and Asylum Procedure;
• Planning and conducting needs based capacity building activities (training, workshop, etc.) for responsible personnel in asylum procedure (Status Determination Specialists, COI Specialists), border guards, patrol police, NGOs, asylum legal counselors;
• Analyzing ECtHR, CJEU case law in the context of asylum; making case briefs; Conducting training and consulting asylum staff regarding the relevant case law;
• Drafting legislative acts regulating asylum issues, providing legal expertise, preparing legislative amendments regarding asylum issues; monitoring implementation of asylum legislation in Georgia, and identifying gaps.

Partners

• UNHCR
• IOM
• ICMPD

Challenges and how they were overcome

The Quality Assurance Unit is the structural unit of International Protection Issues Division of the Migration Department at the Ministry of Internal Affairs of Georgia. Thus, its functioning is supported with administrative resources.

The capacity-building activities conducted by the Unit is highly supported by UNHCR as well as IOM and ICMPD.

Results of the Good Practice 

The functioning of the Quality Assurance Unit have contributed in setting the following results:

• guaranteeing fair and efficient asylum procedure in Georgia;
• substantiation of RSD decisions are substantiated, considering the relevant case law; and
• enhancement of Georgian legal framework on asylum.