prison life. It is necessary that the state developed an appropriate strategic vision to address these problems and deal with the challenges. The following issues are also problematic: adequate rehabilitation of persons sentenced to life imprisonment;123 the restricted access of foreign prisoners to services due to linguistic barriers; the failure to take into consideration the needs of prisoners of various religious beliefs when preparing food; placing juveniles in penitentiary establishments for adults (establishments nos. 2 and 8); and placement of women prisoners within penitentiary establishments for men (establishment no. 2 where, unlike special penitentiary establishments, there are no appropriate services). According to these documents, one of the strategic objectives, considering the needs of vulnerable groups, is to improve the opportunities of employment, vocational studies, education and leisure activities for convicted persons, and creation of systems and infrastructure to this end. The Public Defender hopes that, in 2019, the ministry will study the needs of LGBT prisoners, prisoners doing household and cleaning jobs and will develop an action plan based on the identified needs. According to the Strategy and Action Plan on the Development of the Penitentiary and Crime Prevention Systems for 2019–2020 approved by the Minister, the separation plan will be ready by September 2019, which will aim at transferring juveniles from establishment no. 8 and by December 2020 there will be separate infrastructure arranged for juveniles in establishments nos. 2 and 11. The Public Defender and the Special Preventive Group welcome abolishing the juvenile wing in penitentiary establishment no. 8124 and express their hope that juvenile prisoners will have similar services accessible in penitentiary establishment no. 11. With regard to meeting the specific needs of vulnerable groups, in 2019, the approval of the Development Strategy for Penitentiary and Crime Prevention Systems and the Action Plan for 20192020 by the Minister of Justice of Georgia is commendable. According to the strategy, one of the strategic objectives, considering the needs of vulnerable groups, is to improve the opportunities of employment, vocational studies, education and leisure activities for convicted persons, and creation of systems and infrastructure to this end. The Public Defender hopes that, in 2019, the ministry will study the needs of LGBT prisoners, prisoners doing household and cleaning jobs and will develop an action plan based on the identified needs. 123 During 2018, 2 persons sentenced to life imprisonment did not participate in any rehabilitation activities and no rehabilitation activities were conducted at all in penitentiary establishments nos. 6 and 7. 124 According to the action plan, the separation plan is ready for September 2019, among others, the plan of transfers from penitentiary establishment no. 8. 43