Tbilisi. "Liberal" has released a video recording of discussion hosted by the Frontline Club: "What kind of citizen the school should raise". The discussion was held as part of the project "Discussions on the Children's Rights", implemented by Frontline Club and "Liberal" magazine with support of the UN Children's Fund. The discussion... Source: liberali.ge

Tbilisi. The Institute for the Development of Freedom of Information has released information on the servicemen killed and wounded in Afghanistan in 2013-2015 while participating in the International Security Assistance Force, based on information received from the Ministry of Defense. Information on financial aid rendered to their families is also provided. For the full text... Source: idfi.ge

Tbilisi. Transparency International – Georgia has released a blog: "In the aftermath of the June 13 tragedy: what should be done". The organization believes that after tragic events it is crucial to examine, on one hand, issues related to handling the crisis, and on the other hand, future actions. "Obviously, concrete in-depth recommendations cannot be developed without a detailed analysis of actions of state structures. Yet, we find it expedient to highlight several systemic recommendations in view of international practices", the web page states. For the full text... Source: transparency.ge

On June 22, 2015, the Public Defender of Georgia held a presentation - "Legal rights of persons with disabilities in accordance with the Public Defender of Georgia Parliamentary Report for 2014”.  "The Public Defender of Georgia believes that during 2014 issues of adequate implementation of positions of the Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities, and ratification of the Optional Protocol of the Convention remained as main challenges. Another problematic issue is inaccessible physical environment, transport and public objects that significantly hinders their ability to lead independent lives and often emerges as a ground for discrimination of persons with disabilities". For the full text... Source: www.ombudsman.ge

UN Children's Fund has released a global report on the children's rights. "Global community will lose millions of children unless it pays specials attention to the most vulnerable groups on the 15-year road of development", UNICEF's web page says. For the full text... Source: unicef.ge

Tbilisi. Transparency International - Georgia has released another podcast of parliamentary news. For the full text... Source: transparency.ge

Tbilisi. A draft law developed by the MPs was submitted to the Parliament of Georgia, aiming to amend the Local Self-Government Code and the Administrative Procedure Code. According to Transparency International, ''proposed draft law includes number of amendments that are clearly positive and should be hailed. In this respect, worth noting is the amendment, which specifies the procedure for approving statutes/regulations of private business law and non-commercial legal entities, appointing the managers, and controlling their activities. At the same time, we have concerns over provisions of the draft law, which relate to the Tbilisi City Hall's powers to alienate the municipality's property. ...''. For the full text... Source: the organization's web page in the social network.

Tbilisi. The Human Rights Education and Monitoring Center (EMC) has launched the series of trainings for representatives of religious minorities living in Georgia. Meeting participants will discuss current situation in Georgia in terms of religious freedom and protection of secularism. The project "Promoting Religious Freedom and Capacity Building of Religious Minority Groups" is funded as part of the Small Grants Program of the US Embassy's Commission for Democracy. For the full text... Source: the organization's web page in the social network.

Tbilisi. On June 22, the Georgian Young Lawyers' Association has presented the results of monitoring of the Batumi, Kutaisi and Tbilisi City and Appellate Courts. GYLA's seventh report covers the period from August 2014 through January 2015. GYLA's Judicial Monitoring Project aims to enhance transparency of criminal proceedings in Georgian courts through observing the trials in courtrooms and releasing relevant reports. For the full text... Source: gyla.ge

Tbilisi. The Association of Young Financiers and Businessmen - "AFBA" has commented on drafting of the Georgian State Electro-System's (GSE) 10-year development strategy and its impact on attraction of new investments and the field's development processes. For the full text... Source: the organization's web page in the social network.

Tbilisi. The Gender Equality Network (GEN) has organized a public discussion in the National Library hall on June 21 over: "Women's participation in political processes". Active leader women, youngsters, and representatives of various social groups and political parties have participated in the discussion. The discussion was held with support from the International Foundation for Electoral Systems (IFES) and the United States Agency for International Development (USAID). For the full text... Source: the organization's web page in the social network.

Imereti. GYLA's Kutaisi Branch has joined the initiative ''Hypo Market'', held to assist the affected of the Tbilisi disaster. The organization has put up for sale the works by beneficiaries of the Branch's independent project ''We are the children of one city''. During the event, any interested person could purchase items for sale. Money raised from the sales was fully transferred to the victims' fund. For the full text... Source: the organization's page in the social network.

Adjara. Training Center of the Batumi State Marine Academy has hosted a discussion on June 18 over ''Myths and reality on the EU''. Meeting participants have discussed the following topics: what we know and should know about relations with the EU, how the Russian propaganda works in Georgia, and what are the threats of an aggressive information campaign from the Kremlin. The discussion was organized as part of the ''Popularization of Democratic Ideas among Youth'' project of the "Independent Journalists' House", moderated by the coordinator of ''Transparency International - Georgia's'' Batumi Branch, Malkhaz Chkadua. For the full text... Source: page of "Transparency International - Georgia" in the social network.

Shida Kartli. The draft law on citizen participation was examined on June 19 in the Gori Civic Engagement Center hall, attended by the local self-government, public and media organizations. Discussion was moderated by the Director of ''International Center for Civil Culture'', Konstantine Kandelaki. He has provided a brief overview of current legislative base, its positive and negative aspects and presented initiatives, introduction of which would have activated citizen participation process in the exercise of self-government. Special focus was made on holding the settlement assemblies, their powers, and drafting of petitions. Discussion has triggered vast interest among the audience engaged in an hour-long active debates. The meeting was organized with support from the ''Open Society - Georgia'' Foundation.

Tbilisi. Civil movement "Guerilla Gardening" has released a public appeal. "Because the previous organization group of volunteers was closed down and its administrators are still working to restore it, the volunteers ... are left without attention and it is necessary to communicate with them and supply them with food, water and other necessary inventory. Therefore, we found it necessary to set up a group ... We would like to stress that this organization group is temporary, until the previous group's – June 13 – volunteer union is restored", the web page of "Guerilla Gardening" in the social network states. For the full text... Source: the movement's web page in the social network.

On June 19 and 20, representatives of Transparency International, GYLA and the Human Rights Education and Monitoring Center will attend the Venice Commission sessions, at which planned amendments to the Law ''on the Prosecutor's Office'' will be discussed. The draft bill was initiated by the Government of Georgia. Observations drafted by over 30 CSOs as part of the ''Coalition for an Independent and Transparent Judiciary'' will be submitted at the Venice Commission session. Coalition's Views on the Prosecutor's Office Reform... Source: transparency.ge

Tbilisi. CSO Caucasus Environmental NGO Network (CENN) has released a brief overview and analysis in relation to a catastrophic flooding in the River Vere ravine on 13 June 2015 in Tbilisi. For the full text... Source: cenn.org

Tbilisi. The Association of Young Financiers and Businessmen believes the functions of the Crises Management Council in Georgia must change radically. ''This institute was established in the context of certain political confrontations, and therefore its role was not comprehended thoroughly. June 13 events have also attested to this. The Council's coordination function has to be enhanced, it must give orders, collect all information, and it itself must be the only source for informing the public. Further, the hierarchical system must be organized as well. The Council cannot replace the ministries and city halls, but at the time of disasters one of the minister's deputies should automatically participate in the Council's activities and thus ensure maximum involvement of various agencies'', the statement says. For the full text... Source: afba.ge

Tbilisi. The Ministry of Interior has launched investigation into cancellation of pages of volunteer group ''June 13'' and administrators in the social network. For the full text... Source: www.media.ge

Tbilisi. By referring to the Ministry of Justice, ''Netgazeti'' reports that the group blocked in the social network - ''June 13 – Union of Volunteers'' - will be restored soon. ''... We updated them and informed the administrators of blocked pages as to what kind of communication they should have with the social network administration, so that these pages are restored'', - Irakli Gvenetadze, Chairman of the Data Exchange Agency of the Ministry of Justice of Georgia. For the full text... Source: netgazeti.ge

Tbilisi. The Human Rights Education and Monitoring Center (EMC) has presented a new study on June 18: "Invisible power policy – law-enforcement system analysis". The study provides a large-scale analysis of law-enforcement system and examines all major institutional gaps found within the systems of the Ministry of Interior, Prosecutor's Office and penitentiary institutions. The study was produced with financial support of the "Open Society – Georgia" Foundation. The study... Source: emc.org.ge

Tbilisi. To ratify the Istanbul Convention ''on Preventing and Combating Violence against Women and Domestic Violence'', the Ministry of Justice has developed a package of legislative amendments. The bill affects up to 20 laws. According to the Ministry of Justice, the bill aims to effectively combat domestic violence, protect women's rights, and prevent violent offences against women. In addition, the bill provides for new approaches towards the protection and rehabilitation of victims. For the full text... Source: ginsc.net