Access to Targeted Social Assistance System and Mechanisms for Protecting the Rights of People Living in Poverty

This study on Georgia’s Targeted Social Assistance (TSA) program provides critical insights into the systemic barriers that limit access to social protection, particularly during score re-evaluation and appeals. From a gender perspective, the report highlights structural inequalities that disproportionately affect women — especially single mothers, older women, and women in rural areas — who are more likely to rely on TSA due to limited income-generating opportunities and traditional caregiving responsibilities. The complexity of the appeals mechanism, lack of accessible legal aid, and insufficient consideration of unpaid care work in the Proxy Means Testing (PMT) methodology exacerbate gendered vulnerabilities. Women facing multiple forms of disadvantage (e.g., disability, displacement, or minority status) often lack the information, digital access, or institutional support to navigate re-evaluation and appeal procedures effectively. This study underlines the need for a gender-sensitive review of TSA policies and procedures, including integrating care-related indicators into PMT and strengthening legal empowerment tools for women to claim their entitlements. Doing so would contribute to advancing social justice and fulfilling Georgia’s gender equality commitments under both national and international frameworks.