Tbilisi. The Georgian Young Lawyers' Association (GYLA) publishes a blog post: Lawsuit of Kamran Mamedov against the International Education Center has also been satisfied by the Supreme Court. In 2015, Kamran Mamedov was enrolled in the University of Malmö and applied to the International Education Center for financing. After passing all three steps of a competition, his points did not appear sufficient to obtain financing. On the second stage of the competition, one of the members of the commission gave him zero points in all components without justification. The court found the decision of the Center unlawful and ordered to re-examine the issue. Read more... Source:gyla.ge

Tbilisi. IDFI publishes an inpographic: expanses on public school infrastructure in Georgia 2014-2017. Infographic… Source: idfi.ge

Tbilisi. Representatives of ''Transparency International Georgia'' conducted a training for journalists, where during two days they were sharing with them practical knowledge of how open data can be used. This knowledge will help participants develop investigative journalism skills. Read more… Source:The website of the organization in a social network

Workshop about civic education for the representatives of media was held in the framework of ''Momavlis Taoba'' (MT) Program on March 10, 2018.  ''The results of MT program were presented by Marina Ushveridze, MT Chief of Party. Shalva Mekravishvili from the Ministry of Education and Science covered the importance of civics competencies development in students. Participants also visited village Chibati public school. Lado Apkhazava, an owner of the National Teacher Award, civic education teacher and his students portrayed to guests their projects which helped to resolve the needs of their school and community'', is noted in the statement. In full… Source: The webpage of the organization in a social network

Tbilisi. The Public Defender of Georgia got acquainted with the open letter of the twelfth-grader students of Iakob Gogebashvili School, in which students express concern about the aggression of the public following the Public Defender’s general proposal issued in relation to their school. ''First of all, the Public Defender would like to note that the proposal was related to a specific fact, namely, a scholarship announced for the eighth-grader boys of the school for the 2017-2018 academic years, and that it did not evaluate the general situation of equality at the school. In addition, it is important for the Public Defender not to harm child’s interests and calls on all parties to act in accordance with the best interests of the students'', is noted in the statement. Read more… Source: www.ombudsman.ge

Tbilisi. MAC Georgia supported Georgian National Wheel Chair Association (GNWDA) Project, ''The Girl with the Matches'' Georgian National Wheelchair Dance Sport Federation/სემსცეფ has been making headway in the first of its kind experimental dance theatre performance for the inclusion of people with disabilities. ''The whole play is expressed through movement, more precisely, dance – very little verbal communication is included only some words may be used as the part of the performance, but it is a non-verbal act. Its unique as it is also the first theatre performance in Georgia that integrates dancers with disabilities and professional non-disabled dancers. With an all-star cast including the main character will be played by disabled dancer Mariam Bandzeladze, 10 years old and over ten other amazing dancers that have been enduring 3 hour rehearsals 5 days a week at Shota Rustaveli Theater and Film University'', is noted in the statement. In full… Source: The webpage of the organization in a social network

Tbilisi. In partnership with the University of Nebraska - Lincoln (UNL) University of Nebraska-Lincoln MAC Georgia standardized the Test of Non-Verbal Intelligence (TONI-4) in support of Inclusive Education in Georgia. ''MAC legally got the permission to standardized TONI-4 from the test’s official publisher and this process was in align of all international standards. MAC Georgia has also been allocated to be the official publisher of the test for Georgia. TONI-4 is a unique test that gives opportunity for specialists to evaluate children with hearing and speech impairment as well as motor disabilities. MAC Georgia is happy to announce that on the 21st of February 2018, we donated 50 test kits to the Ministry of Education and Science - Multidisciplinary teams, who will be able to utilize the test'', is noted in the statement. In full… Source: The webpage of the organization in a social network

Tbilisi. Information Center on NATO and EU, supported by the Reserve Fund of the President, has prepared a new handbook – "Guide regarding NATO and EU” in Georgian. The electronic version of the book can be viewed here:http://infocenter.gov.ge/1725-gzamkvlevi-natosa-da-evrokavs… Read more… Source:The website of the organization in a social network

Georgia. The European Union in Georgia funded project "Civil Society Organizations Supporting Free Trade with EU" representatives of Samgrelo, Svaneti, Adjara and Imereti CSOs improved their theoretical knowledge and practical skills in advocacy. New knowledge and skills will help them to conduct goal-oriented advocacy campaigns and effectively advocate for various important issues of their municipality. In full  Source: The organization’s page

Tbilisi. The Club of World Religions of the Caucasus Institute for Peace, Democracy and Development continues a cycle of lectures on Christianity. The organization offers an audio recording of a lecture of Levan Gigineishvili, who talks about the way that the Christian theology passed before it divided, reasons which caused distinctions between them and issues around which they retain unity. Catholicism, Orthodoxy, Protestantism… Source:The website of the organization in a social network

Kakheti. How shall we protect juveniles from psychological impact the internet use, what mechanisms shall we use to monitor their engagement in similar activities of social networks? To address these issues, Telavi Center for Civic Engagement organized meetings with pupils of various public schools of the Telavi municipality. Read more… Source:The website of the organization in a social network

Tbilisi. The Women’s Fund in Georgia (WFG) launches the campaign "Beyond the Shelter” to support women living in the Anti-Violence Network of Georgia’s (www.avng.ge) Shelter for the Victims of Domestic Violence and in the Shelter/Crisis Center for Women and Children. With the funds mobilized through the event the kitchen of the shelter will be equipped and women will be involved in culinary course to gain professional skills necessary for employment in and beyond the shelter. Equipping the shelter kitchen relevantly will enable the organization to launch a social enterprise – catering service that will serve as skills development opportunity for women and additional income for the shelter sustainability. In full  Source: The organization’s page

Tbilisi. MAC's OT team conducted a three day training for participants of the project "Establishing Sustainable Resource and Support in Local Communities for Parents of Children with Disabilities”. Over the course of three days, participants were introduced to the importance of occupational therapy, positioning, feeding, bedsore management, independent living skills, and adaptive materials/technology. In full  Source: The organization’s page

Georgia. A non-governmental organization "Civic Integration Foundation” (CIF) launches a new project titled - "Let's speak Georgian!” The project aims to: popularize the Georgian language among representatives of ethnic minorities; facilitate overcoming of language barriers by participants; remove complexes related to Georgian language, promote confident communication; establish informal environment and conduct conversations on diverse topics in Georgian; carry out debates, discussions, group works and other similar interactive meetings; organize external meetings, movie sessions and their review. Read more… Source:The website of the organization in social network

Shida Kartli. Two days training was organized by the Danish Refugee Council in the South Caucasus on "Project cycle management” for 20 representatives from East Georgia IDP settlements in Gori. Training was conducted in the framework of the project "Towards a Fairer Society” (TaFS), implemented by the DRC SC in cooperation with CHCA and LAG Consortium, funded by the Eastern Neighborhood Civil Society Fund CISU. In full Source: The organization’s page

Ajara. Following a firm belief in cultivating awareness on the importance of gender equality in an early age, IFES and JNGE continues facilitating gender talks among school students. Some of the key objectives of such gender talks are to inform students on gender and women’s participation, so that they can pave their paths as gender advocates and change makers. In the frames of this project, JNGE gathered students from the village of Tkhilnari, Khelvachauri municipality. Guranda Dolidze, member of Khelvachauri’s sakrebulo and chairperson of gender equality council was an invited speaker, who highlighted the importance of introducing mandatory gender quotas and implementing gender sensitive policy in the region. In full  Source: The organization’s page

Tbilisi. ”Young Pedagogues’ Union”, in partnership with the "Institute of Social Studies and Analysis”, conducted a study in 2017 on "Socialization and needs of youth when ending foster care". Taking into consideration results of the study, the organization has prepared recommendations that are meant to strengthen foster care institute (service) and biological families, prepare youth, raised in foster care, for independent living, as well as develop professional skills of social workers. Read more… Source:The website of the organization in a social network

Tbilisi. On January 3, 2018, Public Defender Nino Lomjaria addressed the Ministry of Education and Science of Georgia with a proposal concerning the education rights of children with disabilities who are left beyond the educational system. ''The Public Defender called on the Ministry of Education and Science to collect and maintain statistics and create database on children with disabilities who are involved in or left beyond the educational system, develop a strategy to prevent school children from dropping out of school and a mechanism for detecting provoking factors, eliminate the risks of leaving children with disabilities beyond the school education and improve the referral mechanism'', is noted in the statement. In full… Source: ombudsman.ge

Tbilisi. The Public Defender of Georgia addressed the Ministry of Education and Science of Georgia with a recommendation concerning indirect discrimination on the ground of health. A student with special educational needs often had to change schools and classes due to his/her hyperactivity. This fact complicated both the process of education and the process of adaptation. The child’s situation worsened due to the fact that no specialist had been permanently working with him/her. As a result, he/she damaged another child first and then tried to inflict self-injuries. In full  Source: The organization’s webpage

Tbilisi. On December 7, 2017, the Public Defender of Georgia addressed Ivane Javakhishvili Tbilisi State University with a general proposal to develop regulations for the prohibition of expression of discriminatory opinions by teachers during lectures. ''According to the civil platform No Phobia, one of the university professors used a textbook of homophobic content and expressed homophobic opinions at the lecture. Since the equality of the LGBT+ community remains one of the major challenges in terms of fight against discrimination in Georgia and since the professor's audience is students, the Public Defender considers that interference with freedom of expression is justified if the professor’s statements encourage discrimination'', is noted in the statement. In full… Source: ombudsman.ge

Kakheti. On December 11, TDI held screening of the videos, Hurie, Bible in Sign Language and Polish Priest from Samtskhe in the framework of Images of Diversity. The event was hosted by Knowledge Café in Tsnori, the town in Kakheti region. Students of public schools of Tsnori attended the event. ''Videos tell the stories of Muslim girl, Hurie from highland Adjara, Jehovah's Witnesses who learn the Bible in sign language, Polish priest who has been living in Samtskhe for three years, meanwhile has learnt Georgian and now he is preaching in this language. The screenings were followed by the discussion with participation of students, video protagonist, Hurie Abashidze and the director, Beso Gvenetadze'', is noted in the statement. In full… Source: The webpage of the organization in a social network

Tbilisi. ISFED is pleased to announce the release of its newest policy paper: Digital Economy: New Opportunity for a Greater Integration with European Union. ''After securing visa-liberalization, plans on Georgia’s agenda for further development of relations with the EU have become more far-reaching and ambitious. The ultimate goal of the country is to become a member of the Union. In the meantime, it is important that both sides identify untapped potentials for cooperation, ensure mutual benefit and further deepen the level of integration. Development of digital economy in Georgia and its harmonization with EU’s digital single market is one of such potentials'', is noted in the statement. In full… Source: www.isfed.ge