Tbilisi. According to the UNIICEF, on July 20, the educational resource on positive parenting “Parents ABC” was released at the Dedaena Park as part of the communication for social change campaign “Be a Positive Parent” which has been carried out by UNICEF with the support from the European Union in Georgia. The publication provides useful tips to parents on how to handle challenges in relation with their children and how to build positive communication with them. Find out more… Source: www.unicef.org

Imereti. Within the framework of the Child-Friendly Cities Initiative, UNICEF helped the Child Protection and Support Department of the Kutaisi Municipality to equip a psychologist's office. Opening of the office was attended by UNICEF Representative in Georgia, Ghassan Khalil and the Mayor of Kutaisi, Ioseb Khakhaleishvili. The United Nations Children's Fund continues its active activities in Kutaisi municipality in the direction of child rights protection. Read more… Source: The organization’s page on the social network

Imereti. Local Democracy Agency Georgia held a meeting with the members of the Baghdati Youth Council. The purpose of the meeting was to identify the needs of local youth. Based on the initiatives of the council members, two municipal youth programs will be prepared, which will be submitted to the municipality for further consideration. The Baghdati Youth Council is being strengthened within the framework of the project “Civil Society STAR Initiative,” with the support of the European Union and the Konrad-Adenauer-Stiftung. Read more… Source: the organization’s page on the social network

Regions. From May 24 to June 13, 2022, the Public Defender’s Office held meetings with schoolchildren living in different regions of Georgia. The aim of the project was to raise children’s awareness of their rights and the mandate of the Public Defender, as well as to provide information about their rights in their relations with the police. Read more… Source: ombudsman.ge

Tbilisi. Over 30 young climate activists, aged 13 to 16 years, learn about climate change, networking and leadership in the Green Camp #ClimateAmbassadors. The Green Camp is organized by UNDP Georgia and the Environmental Information and Education Centre of Georgia’s Ministry of Environmental Protection and Agriculture. It’s part of a nationwide climate programme supported by the Green Climate Fund and the governments of Georgia, Sweden and Switzerland. Read more… Source: The organization’s page on the social network

Tbilisi. Taso Foundation and the Center for Psychoeducation and Counseling „Sivrcany” offer group and individual play and art therapy sessions to Ukrainian children. The project is open to anyone interested in participating and aims to help Ukrainian children and their families adapt to the new environment and better cope with different hardships. The project is implemented with the financial support of the Open Society Foundation. Read more… Source: The organization’s page on the social network

Tbilisi. According to the information of the UNICEF, See Every Colour campaign addressing the stigma around children with special education needs summarizes results. “Up to 600 schoolchildren, parents, and teachers participated in informational meetings and more than 280,000 social network users were reached as part of the campaign initiated by UNICEF. The campaign aimed at making formal and informal education continuously and equally accessible to all children despite their needs by reducing the stigma related to children with special educational needs. The project is supported by the Government of Norway. The concluding event of the campaign was organized on 14 June – the Day of People with Disabilities in Georgia. The campaign is being implemented with the financial support of the Government of Norway”. Read more… Source: www.unicef.org

Tbilisi. Taso Foundation and the Center for Psychoeducation and Counseling „Sivrcany” offer group and individual play and art therapy sessions to Ukrainian children. The project is open to anyone interested in participating and aims to help Ukrainian children and their families adapt to the new environment and better cope with different hardships. The project is implemented with the financial support of the Open Society Foundation. Read more… Source: The organization’s page on the social network

Adjara. UNICEF Representative in Georgia, Ghassan Khalil delivered a public lecture on “Children's Rights - An Imperative on the International Agenda” at Batumi Shota Rustaveli State University as part of the international conference “Early Education and Care”. Read more… Source: The organization’s page on the social network

Tbilisi. June 1 is International Children's Day, which has a special significance in the process of raising awareness of the rights of the child. According to the statement of the Public Defender of Georgia, in order to ensure proper protection of children’s rights in the country, it is necessary to: Increase the effectiveness of child welfare support programmes and services, develop additional targeted programmes and ensure their geographical accessibility; Ensure timely and effective management of the deinstitutionalization process, in order to provide each child with safe and family-like Read more... Source: ombudsman.ge

Regions. UNICEF in partnership with the National Association of Local Authorities and with the support of the European Union in Georgia, a local needs research methodology trainings were held for the representatives of Batumi, Kutaisi, Zugdidi, Orzurgeti, Ambrolauri, Akhaltsikhe, Kareli, Dusheti, Marneuli and Telavi municipalities. During the training, the representatives of the municipality got acquainted in detail with the needs research methodology and tools, research stages etc. The aim of the project is to assist municipalities in developing social programs tailored to the needs of the child. Read more… Source: The organization’s page on the social network

Guria. Ambassador Carl Hartzell travelled to Guria to highlight EU support to the region visiting alocal school and meeting the beneficiaries from EU-funded projects. Read more… Source: www.eeas.europa.eu

Shida Kartli. On May 21, 2022, within the framework of the EU-supported "Civil Society STAR Initiative" project, Education Development and Employment Center (EDEC) and Shida Kartli Regional HUB – Society “Biliki” organised the Regional Forum for Youth and Voluntary Development. The event was held at Gori State Teaching University. The forum was attended by the young people (high school pupils, students), volunteers, teachers, representatives of local civil society organisations (CSOs) and community-based organisations, self-government, media, and various groups of the community. The goal of the forum was to involve the youth of Shida Kartli region in decision-making process of the local community, to promote a culture of volunteering, to support the communication between the host volunteering organisations and volunteers. Moreover, it aimed to promote the role and activities of Youth Councils, to raise the awareness on regional community organisations, to inform the population about the implemented projects, and to increase the trust towards CSOs. During the forum, the young people with the facilitators worked in small groups to draft the project ideas. At the exhibition, Shida Kartli Municipal Youth Council introduced its work to the audience, aimed at promoting the role and activities of the Youth Councils. Stephan Malerius, Head of Regional Programme Political Dialogue South Caucasus, also addressed the audience. Within the forum, the panel discussion was organised on the topic - "Civic Activism and Volunteering", where Zaza Chipashvili, Gori School of Democracy, Lika Kiladze, Chairman of the Board (EDEC), Nino Samsonidze, Civil Society Institute (CSI), Dimitri Gogiashvili, Head of Youth Service of Gori Municipality delivered their speeches. The forum was organised within the framework of the European Union (EU) and Konrad-Adenauer-Stiftung (KAS) funded project “Civil Society STAR Initiative“. Read more… Source: Project page on the social network

Peace Corps Georgia, with USAID Small Project Assistance funding, holds series of trainings in the regions of Georgia (Borjomi, Kutaisi, Batumi and Tbilisi) throughout May and June. To this training Peace Corps invites students and beneficiaries of partner schools and organizations, namely youth ages 16-22 who are interested in job search, employment or educational opportunities. Read more… Source: The organization’s page on the social network

Imereti. UNICEF and Kant's Academy continue the project "Act for Health", which is supported by USAID Georgia. Meetings with young people on modern understanding and importance of a healthy lifestyle and personal hygiene are being held in 5 regions of Georgia. This time the meeting was held in Chiatura, and was attended by 35 participants.  Similar trainings are planned within the project in Gori, Akhmeta, Marneuli and Akhaltsikhe municipalities. Up to 150 participants will attend the trainings. Learn more… Source: www.unicef.org

Imereti. According to the information of UNICEF, the organization in collaboration with the National Association of Local Authorities of Georgia (NALAG), has developed a methodology and tools for local research of the needs of children and families with children. “Within the framework of the initiative, a training for the representatives of Kutaisi City Hall and the social service staff has been held in Kutaisi City Hall on the implementation and introduction of the methodology for assessing the social needs of children and families with children. The training was attended by the UNICEF Representative in Georgia, Ghassan Khalil. After the training, a needs assessment will be launched in the pilot municipalities using the developed methodology. UNICEF and NALAG will assist municipalities in implementing a full cycle of social programs”. The project is being implemented with the support of European Union in Georgia. Read more… Source: The organization’s page on the social network

Shida Kartli. On May 13, IDFI representatives met with local students in Gori. “Celebration of May 9 has a significant meaning for Gori and for several groups, this day is associated with Stalin and his personal victory. However, it is noteworthy that youth is interested in asking new questions and conducting a discussion of the symbolic meaning of May 9”. Read more… Source: idfi.ge

Tbilisi. The EU and CENN brought together local, national and international organisations today to discuss youth challenges and opportunities in Georgia. Read more… Source: www.eeas.europa.eu

Tskaltubo. On May 4-5, a two-day working meeting was held in Tskaltubo dedicated to teaching children's rights at universities. The event was organized within the framework of the program focusing on the professional development of higher education teachers in terms of children's rights. Read more… Source: The organization’s page on the social network

Adjara. Today, on May 5, a multi-institutional regional meeting on juvenile referral system was organized in Batumi by UNICEF and Prevention For Progress organization with the support of the European Union in Georgia. Read more… Source: The organization’s page on the social network

Imereti. Within the UNICEF and Helping Hand project supported by USAID Georgia, adolescents have established youth clubs in 63 municipalities of Georgia with the main goal of promoting hygiene issues and volunteering in local communities, as well as prevention of COVID-19 among adolescents.  On May 2, an educational event and exhibition was held in Kutaisi, the aim of which was to show the activities of the hygiene clubs established within the project. Read more… Source: The organization’s page on the social network

Tbilisi. Meet Ozzy, a cute hamster who cares for the environment, and the face of a new campaign to help children save energy. The awareness-raising campaign, organised by EU4Energy in collaboration with EU NEIGHBOURS east, will run between 28 April and 8 May 2022, and revolves around Ozzy the Hamster, one of the main characters of a new comic book on energy efficiency entitled ‘Lightbulb’. The comic focuses on increasing younger generations’ understanding of energy efficiency and simple energy-saving measures – like switching off unused devices or turning down the heating – as well as of the negative impact of wasting energy on nature and the environment. ‘Lightbulb’ tells the story of four friends and their pets who discover an old cabin in the woods, where animals help Professor Slate find alternative methods of generating energy to avoid inflicting damage to the environment. Professor Slate shows the children the horrible things that could happen to the planet and its population if humans do not start using energy efficiently. United in the idea of saving the planet by cutting down on energy waste, the children – together with Ozzy the hamster – manage to transform the life of one town. To reinforce the energy saving tips highlighted in the comic book, EU NEIGHBOURS east is launching a social media campaign featuring Ozzy the Hamster, targeting children via different social media platforms and through school activities. The comic book was developed in the framework of the EU4Energy Programme Phase II – Promoting the Clean Energy Transition in the Eastern Partnership Countries, which is funded by the European Union and aims to contribute to the development of sound legislative and regulatory frameworks for energy, to support the region’s transition to clean energy and the liberalisation of its energy markets. Read more… Source: euneighbourseast.eu