Tbilisi. Member organizations of the campaign "This Affects You Too" have released the statement on September 7. They responded to the official statements of the "Ambassadors' Working Group, Eastern Partnership Georgian National Platform and the coalition "For Media Advocacy" made about the need to continue the "must carry" and "must offer" principles after the polling day and the restrictions on the dissemination of diverse information existing in the country". According to the statement, although the enactment of the described initiatives has played an important role in the availability of diverse information, receipt of information is still restricted for a certain group of citizens. Member organizations of "This Affects You Too" demand guarantees for continuing the "must carry" and "must offer" principles until transition to digital broadcasting, as well as to lift the arrest from the satellite antennas belonging to media outlets, and for the authorities to apply relevant monitoring mechanisms instead of the arrest of property.

Tbilisi. To identify the election needs of persons with disabilities, the coalition "For Independent Life" is carrying out the study Georgia-wide. This activity will facilitate the creation of accessible and equal electoral environment for the persons with disabilities. For full text (Geo) Source: disability.ge

Imereti. The Kutaisi Education, Development and Employment Center has organized the training on August 23-27 for the members of the Coordination Council formed by the organizations working on the persons with disabilities. The training has focused on the improvement of the Council's work and the advocacy and lobbying skills. 15 persons from local self-government, NGOs, media, Social Service Agency, etc. have attended the training. At the end of the training the participants have drafted the Council's regulations and signed the agreement on the establishment of the Council. For full text Source: kedec.ge

Adjara. The civil society organization "Young Lawyers” have held the briefing on August 24 in the Batumi Civil Engagement Center, where they have presented the joint appeal of seven non-governmental organizations: "Human Rights Center”, "Human Rights Priority”, "Article 42 of the Constitution”, "Civic Development Institute”, "Union of Human Rights Defenders”, "Civil Society for Human Rights” and "Young Lawyers”. The appeal concerns the dismissal of the Deputy by the Director of one of the Kobuleti-based colleges, and the organizations address the Ministry of Education and Science of Georgia for due reaction.

Tbilisi. "Walk on Feet” – is the name of organization that promotes the pedestrians in the cities and tries to protect the rights of pedestrians. The organization has already held the event in support of the pedestrians.

Adjara. On August 20, the civil society organization "Young Lawyers” held the news briefing in the Batumi Civic Engagement Center about Tamar Kaikatsishvili, the teacher dismissed from the Kobuleti Public College. As alleged by her lawyer, the teacher’s civil and political rights have been violated. As the organizers of the press-conference have noted, the Tbilisi Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights has also expressed its concern with respect to this fact. The "Young Lawyers” do not exclude submitting the complaint in Geneva with the UN Human Rights Committee.

Guria. Students of the leadership school of the "Young Pedagogues' Union" have filmed the documentary "I would like to be my own doctor". The film is about the life of a 5-year-old boy living with the aunt's family. At the moment of filming the family faced several problems. Namely, their state allowance was cancelled, the child required urgent operation and the child needed the formal status of a person with disability. In addition, the family had difficulties in becoming the part of the Relatives' foster care program. Students of the leadership school are advocating for the family's problems. At this point the family has received the rating scores and the policy of socially unprotected family that covers the costs of operation. As for the inclusion in the foster care program, the boy's aunt has re-addressed the Ozurgeti Social Service Agency and now awaits its decision.

Tbilisi. On August 9 the "Caucasian House" hosted the presentation of the new civil society organization "Union of Human Rights Advocates". The new CSO was founded by the members of the Georgian Bar Association and it aims to raise the population's legal awareness and protect the human rights and freedoms safeguarded under the Constitution of Georgia. The organization plans to offer to the population free of charge legal consultations and protection of their rights in the administrative agencies.

Tbilisi. The Gypsy Ensemble of Kobuleti has performed for the audience along with other participants at the 2012 "Art-Gen" festival. Since 2011 the "Open Society - Georgia" Foundation supports the personal, social and cultural development of the gypsy communities living in Georgia, their economic and civil integration and the maintenance of unique Gypsy culture. In 2011 the European Center of Minority Issues with the financial support of OSGF has implemented the project "Support and Development of Gypsy Communities in Georgia", which aimed at their economic and civil integration, equipping them with professional skills, and maintaining their unique culture. With the project framework the gypsy festival was organized in the spring of 2011. In addition, up to 60 project participants have advanced their skills in math and the Georgian language, etc. Another project - "We Are the Children of One City" was implemented with the financial support of the "Open Society - Georgia" Foundation. Within the project framework, the needs of children of the gypsy community living in Kutaisi were protected by the lawyers of the Georgian Young Lawyers' Association. Free legal consultations were delivered and the Sunday school was functioning with the Kutaisi Office of GYLA.  For full text Source: osgf.ge

Tbilisi. The organization "Identoba” (Identity) has filed a claim in the Constitutional Court. Five persons are the claimants, while the Ministry of Health, Labor and Social Welfare of Georgia is the respondent. Link Source: idenotba.ge

Tbilisi. The Memorandum of Mutual Cooperation was executed on July 18 between the Georgian Association of Social Workers and the Public Defender of Georgia. The cooperation aims to support the development of the social work profession for protecting the human rights and freedoms. To this end, the parties will jointly plan certain activities, as well as the inter-sector seminars, trainings, and other activities will be carried out within the framework of the Memorandum, thus popularizing the social work as the human rights profession. In addition, the Association of Social Workers ensures the delivery of methodological consultations throughout the process of monitoring over the protection of human rights and freedoms.

Samtskhe-Javakheti. On July 14, the Head of the Tolerance Center functioning with the Public Defender’s Office Beka Mindiashvili has presented the web page – tolerantoba.ge – in Akhaltsikhe. The event was held in the conference hall of the organization "Union of Democrat Meskhetians” and it hosted the Akhaltsikhe-based youth and representatives of local CSOs, press and television. The web page aims to provide the informative, educational and legal support to the culture of tolerance in Georgia. The site, which was developed with the support of the UN Development Program, includes the information on the religious and ethnic minorities, as well as the racial issues and the photo, audio, video, and textual materials depicting the life of the minorities. In the end, the Head of the Tolerance Center met with the members of the youth organization of the Union of Democrat Meskhetians.

Samtskhe-Javakheti. With the support of international organizations (USAID, UNAG, ANI, ECMI, UNDP), the Akhalkalaki Office of the Public Defender of Georgia hosted a round table on the topic: "System of provision of information on ongoing developments in the country to national minorities living in Samtskhe-Javakheti and the coverage of national minority issues in the Georgian media”. The representatives of central and regional media and non-governmental and human rights organizations have participated in the meeting-discussion. At the end of a round table the recommendations on improvement of the process of informing national minorities were developed. The necessity of cooperation between the central and local media was particularly emphasized.

Imereti. The training is being delivered in the Kutaisi Office of the Public Defender on human rights and their internal state protection mechanisms. The training is delivered by the Public Defender's staff with the EU funding. Giorgi Mshvenieradze and BesarionBokhashvili are the trainers. Students from the law faculty of the AkakiTsereteli State University are the main audience. Public Defender Giorgi Tughushi will join the training in the second half of the day.

Adjara. On July 10, the Batumi Press-Cafe has hosted the discussion on the topic - "persons with disabilities on the way of a social and political career: resources and problems", organized by the Heinrich Boll Foundation. NGO representatives, journalists and students have discussed the social state of persons with disabilities, employment and reasons preventing their integration in the society. These debates were organized within the framework of the EU-funded project – "Addressing Hate Speech in Georgia: A Litmus Test for Human Rights and Social Tolerance".

Samtskhe-Javakheti.On 6 July, lawyers of the Union of Democrat Meskhetians held the field consultation meeting with the residents of village Tskruti of the Akhaltsikhe Municipality. The meeting was organized within the framework of "Right to Protect Your Right" project. Lawyers of the Union of Democrat Meskhetians hold periodic meetings with the population of the Akhaltsikhe, Akhalkalaki, and Ninotsminda Municipalities and provide them with legal consultations on the ground.

Mtskheta-Mtianeti. On July 2, the "Civil Solidarity Campaign" held the rally at the Ksani prison. Participants of the rally expressed solidarity to 700 prisoners, who have addressed the Public Defender with the application, emphasizing the facts of physical or verbal insult against them. The "Civil Solidarity Campaign" joins the demands of the Georgian Young Lawyers' Association. For more details please see – http://gyla.ge/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=1363%3A-q-q-&catid=1%3Alatest-news&Itemid=177&lang=ka Source – www.gyla.ge

Imereti. On July 3, the Kutaisi Office of the Public Defender of Georgia has hosted the first meeting of network of organizations focused on the persons with disabilities and operating in western Georgia. The network was set up within the framework of "Equal Opportunities for the Persons with Disabilities" project initiated by the Kutaisi Education, Development, and Employment Branch. The meeting started by presenting the participant organizations. Afterwards the report on their activities was heard, identified advocacy cases were examined, and the purpose of setting up the network was discussed. The project aims to support the persons with disabilities, and to protect, propagate, and monitor their rights.