Samtskhe-Javakheti. On March 10, the Gender Equality Network has organized a public discussion in Samtskhe-Javakheti, Aspindza, on "Empowering women for participation in political processes". Representatives of local authorities, political parties, various social groups and active leader women have attended the public discussion. The Gender Equality Network has founded in Aspindza the club "For Democracy and Equality", which will focus on political empowerment of women in the region. The Gender Equality Network is carrying out the activities as part of the project "Women's Participation in Political Processes", supported by the LEPL "Center for Electoral Systems Development, Reforms and Training". Source: the organization's web page in the social network.

Tbilisi. CSO "JumpStart Georgia" has released another infograph: "A boy preferred in the South Caucasus" The infograph... Source: feradi.info

Tbilisi. Transparency International - Georgia has released another audio podcast of parliamentary news. The edition includes: debates on the draft Law "on the Business Ombudsman", draft law on the amendments to the Civil Code of Georgia, draft resolution of the Parliament of Georgia "on Premature Termination of Davit Sakvarelidze's Powers of Member of Parliament", as well as the initiative of the "National Movement" "on the legal status of aliens and stateless persons". For the full text (geo)... Source: transparency.ge

Tbilisi. On March 9, the Public Defender of Georgia has presented a special report "on the Right to Adequate Housing". The report discusses systemic and individual problems at legislative and practical levels, which the Public Defender's office has identified as a result of examined applications concerning the provision of housing to homeless persons. For the full text... Source: ombudsman.ge

Tbilisi. By the end of 2014 and in the beginning of 2015 the Executive Director of "Cida" Zviad Devdariani was participating in the activities of the Tbilisi City Hall's Contest-Certification Commission as its member. "Cida" has evaluate these activities. For the full text (geo)... Source: www.cida.ge

Imereti. ISFED's Kutaisi Office has hosted on March 5 a meeting between the Terjola Municipality Local Administration (Gamgeoba) and participants of contest announced for the vacant position in the Local Council (Sakrebulo). At the meeting, the organization's representatives have heard the concerns over activities of the Terjola Contest-Certification Commission. For the full text... Source: www.isfed.ge

Tbilisi. "Transparency International – Georgia" has probed into recruitment-dismissal of employees in the civil service for a long period of time and defends civil servants whose rights had been violated. As the organization's inquiries have shown, "staff policy in the civil service is often pursued in breach of transparency principles. For the most part, this is fostered by legislative gaps and improper regulation, which by itself enhances nepotism and patronage". For this reason, the organization proposes to "criminalize nepotism in the civil service". The organization has developed a draft bill for relevant amendments. For the full text... Source: transparency.ge

Adjara. CSO "Borjghali" has organized a meeting on March 7 with schoolchildren, hosted by the Batumi Civic Engagement Center. The meeting aimed to inform youngsters about the activities of CSOs operating in Adjara and to shape future cooperation prospects with them. As part of the project, the first meeting was organized with the youth organization "Art Way". The organizers have discussed the objectives of founding the organization and implemented projects. In addition, they have informed them about future plans and expressed desire to cooperate with them. As already noted, within the project framework this group will also meet with other CSOs operating in Batumi.

Tbilisi. To commemorate 9 March 1956 – to document the events of 59 years ago, in 2011, with support from the Boll Foundation and the Swiss Embassy, the Institute for the Development of Freedom of Information (IDFI) has collected archive materials released by the Institute last year. The archive... Source: idfi.ge

Tbilisi. Last week the Parliament of Georgia has adopted at the first hearing amendments to the Civil Code of Georgia. According to Transparency International – Georgia, "draft law launches a key reform related to re-conceptualization of the legal capacity institute...”. For the full text (geo)... Source: the organization's web page in the social network.

Tbilisi. CSO "Young Barristers” has released monitoring results of activities of the Georgian National Communications Commission, according to which, "the regulatory Commission is the richest state authority in Georgia not funded from the state budget. ... it raises funds from persons paying regulatory fees in the communications and broadcasting sector, which, under incomplete data of 2014 constituted 4,815,534.00 GEL”, the organization’s web page states. For the full text (geo)... Source: barristers.ge

Tbilisi. As part of the civil platform, the Human Rights Education and Monitoring Center has posted in the social network a video recording of Ana Diakonidze’s public lecture "Labor in digital economy”. The video (geo)...     Source: the organization's web page in the social network.

Tbilisi. Public Defender has released a statement in relation to the International Women’s Day. For the full text... Source: ombudsman.ge

At the initiative of the Women’s Movement, a rally-march was organized in all large cities of Georgia on March 8, aimed at promoting women’s political activities. A march took off in 25 cities simultaneously. According to the Movement, women constitute 53% of the population of Georgia, but are represented in the Parliament by 12%. Out of 59 Gamgebelis (local governor), only two are women. The Movement’s members and supporters believe a woman’s voice is not heard in Georgia today. Source: the Movement's web page in the social network.

Tbilisi. An annual exhibition on volunteerism was held on March 7 in the "Courtyard Marriott”. The event presented organizations serving persons with disabilities, uncared-for and homeless children, IDPs and persons with various needs. Each organization had a display stand for its activities, providing relevant information to interested persons. In addition, all interested persons could register to get involved in volunteer activities. Exhibition was organized by CSO "Helping Hand”. For the full text (geo)... Source: tavisupali.ge

Samtskhe-Javakheti. "Let’s live, work, act together” – the Akhaltsikhe Civic Engagement Center has hosted a project presentation. The project aims to protect and advocate the rights of persons with disabilities, promote social inclusion of persons with disabilities living in Akhaltsikhe, and raise public awareness. The project funded by the Swiss Embassy – "Let’s live, work, act together” – was launched on February 1 and is implemented by the Samtskhe-Javakheti based CSO "Tolerant”.

Tbilisi. Coalition "For Independent and Transparent Judiciary" has met with the nominee for Chairperson of the Supreme Court of Georgia, Nino Gvenetadze on March 6 in the "Radisson Blu Iveria" Hotel. A question-and-answer format meeting aimed to exchange opinions on key issues of the legal reform. Source: GYLA's web page in the social network.

Tbilisi. The Public Defender's office has released a manual on response to facts of domestic violence. The manual is intended for all organizations or persons working on the topic of domestic violence. The manual (geo)... Source: www.ombudsman.ge

Tbilisi. The Institute for the Development of Freedom of Information has released a statement concerning the Director of its Azerbaijani partner organization, "Institute for Reporters' Freedom and Safety" (IRFS). For the full text (geo)... Source: idfi.ge

Tbilisi. With support from the UN Children's Fund, the Georgian Charter of Journalistic Ethics is launching a new project to promote ethical coverage of children's issues by the Georgian media. The project includes several areas: media monitoring, seminars for journalists in the Georgian regions (Batumi, Gori, Telavi), identification of in-depth works on children's issues, and advocacy aimed at activating the consideration of applications on children's issues submitted with the self-regulatory bodies of broadcasters. For the full text (geo)... Source: qartia.org.ge

Tbilisi. The Council of the Charter of Journalistic Ethics has reacted to incident on the Roses Square, when at the protest rally photo reporter of "Interpressnews", Irakli Gedenidze was physically assaulted. "The Council of the Charter of Journalistic Ethics appeals to law-enforcement agencies to investigate the assault on Irakli Gedenidze in a speedy manner, act within the scope of law and react adequately. In addition, the Council appeals to law-enforcers and organizers of demonstrations to protect and ensure as much as possible a free movement and work of media representatives at similar protest rallies", the statement says. For the full text (geo)... Source: www.media.ge

Tbilisi. The Media Development Fund condemns physical assault exercised against photo reporter of "Interpressnews", Irakli Gedenidze. The institute urges law-enforcement agencies to react adequately to this fact. In addition, it calls on the organizers of "Slap in the Face" rally to isolate themselves from this fact and condemn violence. For the full text (geo)... Source: media.ge