Imereti. Local Democracy Agency Georgia held an informational meeting with students from Tsereteli State University on October 30 to share more about our organization and our youth club, Erasmus+ and EVS exchange opportunities, why it can be fun to volunteer, and how to get involved in volunteer activities. Source: The web-page of the organization in a social network

Ajara. On 23-27 October 2017, CENN delivered open lessons on Climate Change and presented the young leaders and innovators competition "Me LEADER” at the high schools in Keda Municipality. The initiative is taking place in the framework of the EU-supported project "Optimizing the Potential of Local Assets for Rural Development” in Keda Municipality. The EU-funded project "Optimising the Potential of Local Assets for Rural Development of Keda Municipality” is implemented by Caucasus Environmental NGO Network (CENN) in partnership with the Center for Strategic Research and Development of Georgia (CSRDG), Institute of Democracy (IoD) and Austrian Institute for Regional Studies and Spatial Planning (ÖIR). The project aims at diversification of the local economic activities, improving investment climate, and empower competitive agricultural and environmental practices in Keda Municipality via bottom-up strategic planning of rural development. In full Source: The organization’s webpage

Tbilisi. On October 5, 2017, the Public Defender of Georgia addressed the Ministry of Labour, Health and Social Affairs of Georgia and the Social Service Agency of Georgia with a recommendation to take measures for the execution of the court judgment on the determination of the living place of the child and the child’s right to communicate with both parents. According to the Public Defender, in many cases, child’s best interests are insufficiently considered and child's right to communicate with both parents is restricted; in addition, cases of physical and psychological violence committed by family members against children are not properly detected. In full  Source: The organization’s webpage

Samtskhe-Javakheti. In order to protect the rights of Lola Z., a victim of violence, and her children, as witnesses of violence, the Akhaltsikhe District Court issued a restraining order against the offender on 24 October, 2017. Interests of victims in the court were represented by Georgian Democratic Initiative (GDI). Read more... Source:The website of the organization

Tbilisi. The organization "Partnership for Human Rights” (PHR) releases information, according to which the court, in order to safeguard a juvenile, has issued a protective order that prohibits any communication of the abusive parent with the child. The juvenile, whose rights were defended by PHR, indicated in the statement that the abuser was the parent who had alcohol related problems. The parent prohibited the child from spending time with friends, as well as committed mental and physical violence. Read more… Source: The website of the organization

Tbilisi. The Georgian Young Lawyers' Association publishes a list of those admitted to a course of civil law of the Legal Education Support Fund. Read more… Source: www.legaleducation.ge

Tbilisi. On October 17, the Public Defender of Georgia presented a special report on the situation of child abuse in general educational institutions. ''The report outlines the results of the monitoring conducted in general educational institutions by the Center for Child’s Rights of the Public Defender's Office within the framework of the UNICEF-supported project Strengthening the Center for Child’s Rights of the Public Defender's Office'', is noted in the statement. In full… Source: www.ombudsman.ge

Tbilisi. On October 16, 2017, Public Defender Ucha Nanuashvili held a conference on the theme: Safe Toy: Practices and Challenges. ''At the opening of the event, the Public Defender summed up the campaign's progress, briefly reviewed the current situation of toy safety on the Georgian market, the state policy, the EU Toy Safety Directive and importance of the establishment of market supervision mechanism'', is noted in the statement. In full… Source: www.ombudsman.ge

Tbilisi. The Public Defender addressed the Minister of Education and Science of Georgia with a recommendation for Protecting Child’s Rights at Samtredia Public School No 15. "The Public Defender considers that the Ministry of Education and Science should take all measures to change the current model of the school and carry out a reform there in order to fully protect the child’s best interests, provide appropriate social and physical environment, ensure their re-socialization, personal development and enjoyment of the right to fully show physical and mental capabilities; in particular, according to the Public Defender’s recommendation, for the purpose of satisfying the needs of the children of the mentioned school and their further integration with the society, it is necessary to develop standards of care and technical regulations for the services intended for the beneficiaries, on the basis of which, detailed, general and individual plans should be developed for the re-socialization of the beneficiaries. The plans should define specific cognitive, developmental, creative, sporting and other activities; in addition, prior to placing children in the boarding house, the necessity, reasonability and justification of application of extreme measures against them should be individually and thoroughly checked in each case; at the same time, children should be given the possibility of expressing opinion”, - said the Public Defender. In full  Source: The website of the organization

Tbilisi. Public Defender addressed the Minister of Education and Science of Georgia with a recommendation concerning the ineffectiveness of the response mechanism against child abuse in private schools. The recommendation includes an issue concerning alleged violence committed against a child by a teacher and a director in one of the private school. This issue was studied by the National Center for Educational Quality Enhancement (LEPL), but as the Public Defender mentioned the protocol of the authorization council meeting makes it clear that no deep or detailed discussion of the case of alleged violence was held. In addition, the protocol does not indicate whether the child had really been subjected to violence by the teacher or director, or what kind of disciplinary measures were to be taken in case of violence "Existence of high-standard safeguards against any form of child abuse is important both in public and private schools in order to protect the best interests and rights of the child. Consequently, according to this recommendation, it is necessary to define effective response mechanism against child abuse in private schools, which would specify the functions and procedures of a monitoring body in the process of investigation of child abuse; in addition, the rules and procedures of disciplinary proceedings against teachers of private school should be defined, which would ensure proper, proportionate and adequate response by the state to the violations of child rights in private schools”, - said the Public Defender. In full  Source: The website of the organization

Imereti. EPF organized domestic networking workshop, where it brought together all Youth Bank Committee members (in total 119 youth) from across Georgia to share their experiences as young grantmakers and to recognize their achievements. The event was designed to support the beneficiary youth to develop a network of peers and to share their experiences gained through grantmaking at the local level. At the Closing ceremony representatives of Europe Foundation, USAID and SIDA addressed the Youth Bank members on this occasion and encouraged them to become more active members of their respective communities. In full  Source: The organization’s page in a social network

Tbilisi. Partnership for Human Rights (PHR) publishes a blog post: Let’s talk about mandatory vaccination of children. ''According to data of the United Nations Children's Fund, vaccination protects children not only from illnesses but also from death. With this blog I will try to provide you with a clear understanding of above mentioned questions that will help you in forming your substantive position about mandatory vaccination'' – is stated on the website of the organization. Read more... Source:phrgeorgia.wordpress.com

Kvemo Kartli. Ani Tsirdava and Mariam Todua – Zugdidi Youth Center’s (at the Association ''Atinati'') young volunteers visited Dmanisi within PITA’s Inter-regional Exchange Program. ''Together with their peers, they had an opportunity to work on civil society development, active citizenship, and volunteerism, and implement collaborative community and cultural initiatives. PITA’s Exchange Programs aims to generate sustainable and genuine youth exposure to diversity, promote tolerance building, facilitate volunteerism and build ties between ethnic majority and minority youth. 13 exchange programs are being implemented throughout June-September 2017 within PITA program, implemented by UNAG'', is noted in the statement. In full… Source: The organization’s web-page in a social network

Imereti. A training on ''Management of youth life'' was conducted for members of the Youth Center of Kutaisi. The purpose of the meeting was to form both professional and personal values of youth, to promote establishment of a healthy youth environment. Read more... Source:The website of the organization in a social network

Shida Kartli. Deputy Director of Information Center on NATO and EU Giorgi Pareshishvili held a meeting at the summer camp of ''Georgia Red Cross Society'' in Ateni gorge. ''35 young representatives from IDP settlements and collective centers of Gori region attended the meeting. Georgia’s European and Euro-Atlantic Integration process were discussed during the meeting'', is noted in the statement. In full… Source: The organization’s web-page in a social network

Kvemo Kartli. USAID’s PITA Marneuli Youth Center members Oksana Mamedova and Laida Imanova are delivering training in ''Georgia and EU'' in the villages of Marneuli. ''PITA’s 14 Youth Centers’ members are delivering similar trainings (140 in total) in 70 villages across 13 municipalities of Georgia. The major goal of this initiative is to raise public awareness on EU, Western values, and Georgia’s European aspirations'', is noted in the statement. In full… Source: The web-page of the organization is a social network

In frames of Fund's project ''Increasing Youth Participation in Georgia'', young grantmakers from Georgia, Abkhazia and Bosnia and Herzegovina met at the Leadership Conference in Sarajevo to discuss the results of the previous steps of the project and share experiences overseeing local initiatives. ''As part of the meeting, the participants also discussed the issues of highest concern to young people in their respective communities in order to identify common themes, which they can address with national or local authorities upon their return'', is noted in the statement. In full… Source: The organization’s web-page in a social network

Kakheti. On July 27-28, the Georgia Red Cross Society conducted orientation courses for Pankisi youth. The purpose of the meeting was to raise awareness of participants about the Red Cross and Red Crescent Movement, Emblems and Fundamental Principles, as well as volunteerism, communication and communication channels” – is stated on the website of the organization in a social network. Read more… Source:The website of the organization in a social network

Adjara. Joint meeting with representatives of municipalities and social workers is being held in Batumi. ''The meeting aimed to monitor the work on child abuse cases by the trained staff from all of the six municipalities of Adjara. UNICEF and European Union in Georgia are supporting municipalities of Adjara to enact child protection referral procedures'', is noted in the statement. In full… Source: The organization’s web-page in a social page

Kvemo Kartli. Tolerance and Diversity Institute (TDI) studies an issue of alleged violation of both the Law of Georgia on General Education and norms of professional ethics committed by a Director at the First Public School of the Dmanisi City. A lawyer of TDI interviewed 5 teachers, 3 parents and 2 pupils at the First Public School of the Dmanisi City. According to the organization, respondents talk about xenophobic attitudes of the Director and the use of hate speech towards non-Georgian schoolchildren. Read more... Source:The website of the organization

Mtskheta-Mtianeti. The Human Rights Academy of the Public Defender of Georgia organized training on the theme – "Promotion of Human Rights Education at the Level of General Education” in Gudauri on July 12-14, 2017. The aim of the training was to raise awareness of human rights among teachers at the level of general education and to elaborate recommendations for the purpose of improving civic education materials. In full… Source: www.ombudsman.ge

Tbilisi. The Union ''Sapari'' publishes advices of a psychologist on how to protect a child from violence. ''A girl should be taught that touching without her consent is violation of body boundaries, which should be protested by her. Materialization of a woman body starts from a very early age. Therefore, it is desirable to involve lowest age group of girls in the campaign condemning violence against women and sexual harassment. We have to work on what messages should necessarily be elaborated for this group'' – is stated on the website of the organization. Read more... Source:sapari.ge