Tbilisi. USAID Georgia continues to help Georgian artisans earn higher revenues by selling their products on international markets. “In 2020, we helped 120 artisans register their businesses on ETSY, a U.S.-based e-commerce website. We also provided marketing support to help the highest-selling artisans promote their products with international customers. During 2021, these artisans earned total revenues of $110,000, money that they can use to expand their businesses and hire employees”. Read more… Source: The organization’s page on the social network

Tbilisi. European union supports the first VET school of social entrepreneurship in Georgia. “The opening of a vocational school of social entrepreneurship is very important. The project aims at provision of knowledge-based practice to beneficiaries aged 18 to 29, from Kakheti , Shida Kartli and Tbilisi, that will master their skills needed for future professional development and employment opportunities”. Read more… Source: eu4georgia.eu

Tbilisi. The EU has launched the Eastern Partnership Trade Helpdesk, a new tool that will help SMEs in Georgia identify new opportunities, potential partners and check necessary requirements and procedures. Find out more here... Source: eeas.europa.eu

Tbilisi. Discover a new resource - get information on the web page of the Eastern Partnership Summit. Find out how the EU cooperates with Georgia, the outcome of this cooperation so far, and what to expect in the future.  Video... Source: euneighbourseast.eu

Guria. According to the information of the “Young Pedagogues Union” the last module of job search skills course was held, organized by Learning and Employment support Centers of Chokhatauri and Ozurgeti. Read more… Source: The organization’s page on the social network

Tbilisi. Association "Anika" has been implementing the "Supported Employment and Well-being Program for Persons with Disabilities" with the financial support of the donor organization since 2017. “The purpose of the employment direction is to prepare participants for the market by developing the skills needed for employment, and helping them find long-term and paid jobs. If you want to take this opportunity, please, fill out the application form". Read more... Source: The organization’s page on the social network

Tbilisi. The Social Justice Center publishes an analytical document prepared by Tamar Keburia: “Informality before and after the pandemic”.  “The purpose of the document is to study anti-crisis measures and social policies applied by the state during the year 2020 in order to support those affected by the pandemic, in particular informal workers, and, thus, analyze how state institutions conceived and responded to informal employment before the pandemic, how the pandemic changed this vision and what opportunities are there in the future to transform the state policy towards informally employed people”.  Source: socialjustice.org.ge

Guria. The village of Laituri was visited by UN Resident Coordinator in Georgia Sabine Machl, UN Women Country Representative in Georgia Kaori Ishikawa and the writer Ekaterine Togonidze. “With the support of UN Women and the Government of Norway, local women opened the first bakery as well as a café and a mushroom enterprise in Laituri in 2018, bringing new life to their village. Now they already have a local NGO and are going to implement a number of initiatives for the benefit of the community. The initiative was realized as part of the UN Joint Programme for Gender Equality in Georgia, funded by the Government of Sweden”. Read more… Source: The organizations page on the social network

Tbilisi. According to the IDFI, in order to strengthen gender equality in Georgia's mining industry, active cooperation with relevant international organizations and initiatives and introduction of international standards at the national level are necessary.: Existence of appropriate policies at the central level; Implementation of relevant legislative changes; Raising local community awareness. Learn more… Source: idfi.ge

Guria. On November 9, Learning and Employment Support Centers of Chokhatauri and Ozurgeti started a job search skills course. Training topics: Interpersonal communication; Non-verbal communication; Assertive behavior; Time management and self-management; Business written communication, etc. Read more… Source: The organization’s page on the social network

Imereti. Social Justice Center publishes a new study: “Extractivism and economic participation of women in Tkibuli”. The study conducted by the organization reveals that Tkibuli women leave their homes due to poverty and travel to other cities and countries for work, which fact upsets the social fabric. “Apart from lacking social perspective, local women may also be at risk of domestic violence. According to one of the respondents, as long as working in mines is generally considered as a male activity and Tkibuli women act mostly as housewives, this lifestyle automatically implies financial as well as emotional dependence on others and it significantly reduces likelihood of avoiding violence. Extractivism and economic participation of women in Tkibuli... The study has been prepared within the framework of the “EU 4 Gender Equality: Together against Gender Stereotypes and Gender-Based Violence” program, jointly implemented by UN Women and the United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA) with the support of the European Union”. Read more… Source: socialjustice.org.ge

Tbilisi. The Institute for Development of Freedom of Information (IDFI) publishes a periodic overview of the economy of Georgia. “The current overview provides the state of GDP, trade, remittances, foreign direct investments, exchange rates, budget, debt for nine months in 2021 and forecasts for the coming years”. Read more… Source: idfi.ge

Tbilisi. Green Step implements the project “WIN” and plans to involve in it more than 50 women struggling to establish themselves in the labor market. The project is funded by the Polish Ministry of Foreign Affairs Polish Aid - "Polska Pomoc Rozwojowa 2021". The aim of the project is to help them enhance their various business opportunities and connect to an international network. The main topics of the seminar series will be: - Labor market trends in Georgia; - Sources of business financing and ways to find them; - Create your own brand; - Compiling an effective resume, etc. For more information contact to the organization: greenstepngo@gmail.com or write on the Facebook page Women Innovation Network - WIN in Georgia Registration link… Source: The organization’s page on the social network

Tbilisi. Women entrepreneurs living in the region of Samegrelo shared their stories about their experiences and challenges in the PechaKucha format with an audience in Zugdidi. The world-famous platform PechaKucha Nights held in Zugdidi for the first time and dedicated to the International Day of Rural Women. Six women entrepreneurs participated in the event. Along with introducing their own businesses, they talked about the important role that rural women entrepreneurs play in the development of their communities and regions. Read more… Source: The organization’s page on the social network

Tbilisi. With the help of UN Women, Georgia has joined the Equal Pay International Coalition (EPIC) and once more has underlined the need for #equalpay for equal work. „It is noteworthy that with this step, the country reaffirmed its readiness to fulfil the obligation to eliminate the gender pay gap“. Read more… Source: georgia.unwomen.org

Tbilisi. On July 25, Georgian Cheese Fest took place in Mtatsmina Park, Tbilisi.  „The festival featured Georgia cheese, honey, tea verities from all over Georgia including USAID/Zrda target municipalities. The Cheese festival was organized through USAID/Zrda support by Georgian Cheese Makers Union and its founder Ana Mikadze“.                                                   Source: The organization’s page on the social network

Tbilisi. The European Union (EU), together with UNDP, kicked off the new Mayors for Economic Growth Facility #M4EG in Georgia. „The #M4EG Facility will focus on cities and municipal centres in the Eastern Partnership countries (Armenia, Azerbaijan, Belarus, Georgia, Moldova and Ukraine), assisting them to emerge from the pandemic crisis and discover new opportunities for sustainable growth and economic prosperity“. Read more… Source: eeas.europa.eu

Tbilisi. UN Women and the ISET Policy Institute release the research on the labor rights of employed mothers. “Only 3 per cent of the employed women in Georgia are legally entitled to enjoy fully compensated maternity leave. Exceptions occur when employers pay additional compensation voluntarily. The state compensation for maternity leave is GEL 167 per month, which is less than the minimum subsistence level. The results of the research show that Georgian labour legislation sets different standards for different groups of employees. Paid maternity leave is also unequally available to women and men, which is why most women give up their professional activities. Women are typically also responsible for family affairs, so during their childbearing years, they are seen as unproductive, less valued employees. In the long run, these circumstances negatively affect women’s participation in the labour force”. Read more… Source: georgia.unwomen.org

Tbilisi. Reading this informational blog post will let you find out how the EU facilitates Georgia in development of digital direction. “Transition to digital services has further increased a digital barrier and made it clear that despite development of digital infrastructure and skills, there are still a lot of underprivileged people within public who are unable to engage in digital economy and society. Therefore, both the EU and the Eastern Partnership countries need to pay more attention to support and empowerment of these people”. Read more… Source: eufordigital.eu

Tbilisi. EU awards grants to 12 youth start-up projects to promote social entrepreneurship in Georgia within the framework of the EU4Youth initiative project "Social Entrepreneurship in Armenia and Georgia". The grants signing ceremony with the first seven winning young social entrepreneurs took place at the venue of one of the winning project, the social café “Cafune” in Rustavi. The project aims to provide creative young people from Armenia and Georgia with the necessary knowledge and skills and a unique opportunity to develop existing or establish new sustainable business with a clear social mission. Read more… Source: eeas.europa.eu

Adjara. On June 15, the young volunteers, the members of the Youth Center established at the Independent Journalists’ House (IJH) participated in arrangement and implementation of the large-scale Job Fair in Batumi. “The volunteers successfully managed the flow of the job seekers, ensured that all Covid-19 regulations were followed and informed the participants about the fair. We would like to express our appreciation toward each volunteer for their contribution and wish them success in all of their future endeavors”. Read more… Source: edec.ge

Tbilisi. Social Justice Center (formerly EMC) publishes an analysis of possibility to export electricity generated by Namakhvani HPP. “While talking about benefits of Namakhvani HPP, representatives of state agencies, along with other issues, often underline importance of the project in strengthening energy independence of the country. This assertion of energy independence is another of loud statements, which is often voiced by government officials and is not backed up by the text of the agreement - the content of the agreement signed between the investor and the Government”. Read more… Source: socialjustice.org.ge