Guria. Seminars on healthy lifestyle are delivered in the Guria Youth Resource Center for the probationers. 30 probationers are involved in Ozurgeti and Lanchkhuti. Topics of the seminars include adverse effect of alcohol, tobacco, drugs and gambling. Source: the organization's page in the social network.

Kvemo Kartli. A "one-stop-shop principle" working meeting was held on November25 in the Marneuli Municipality, which aimed at solving the urgent problems of residents of villages in the Marneuli Municipality, and especially the representatives of national minorities. Source: page of the Women's Information Center in the social network.

Tbilisi. Transparency International Georgia released a blog post - "New USD 6bn Georgian Co-Investment Fund: Transparency will play a role in its success”. "Former Prime Minister Bidzina Ivanishvili presented and launched a private investment vehicle... Alongside other private investors, Ivanishvili said that he will invest USD 1 billion of his personal wealth in the new Georgian Co-Investment Fund (GCF). 80% of these funds will be invested in the Georgian economy over the next five years, and 20% will be invested internationally. This appears to be the most important domestic economic policy initiative to have been launched since the Georgian Dream Coalition came to power almost one year ago, although it is funded by private investors, not the Georgian government", says the blog post. For full text Source:transparency.ge

Tbilisi. On 24 November participants of „Direction => EU", an event held in support of Georgia's integration to the European Union, gathered at the Deda Ena Garden.„Direction => EU" sent as a message both to the Georgian government and the EU institutions that the Georgian citizens opt for European integration. Representatives of international foundations working on European issues in Georgia also took part in the event. The Open Society Georgia Foundation (OSGF) unveiled EU related publications: „The Eastern Partnership", „The Path to the European Union" and „The Path to Open Europe". Campaign participants, holding Ukrainian flags also, supported current protest rallies in Kiev.T he event was organized by European Alumni Association and the European Youth Parliament - Georgia.  „Direction => EU" was held on the eve of the Vilnius summit scheduled for 28-29 November.  During the summit Georgia plans to initial the Association Agreement with the EU. Source:osgf.ge

Imereti. As part of the project, charity organization "First Step Georgia" has founded the "Advocacy Network for Persons with Disabilities" in Kutaisi. The organization aims to advocate and lobby the persons with disabilities. Manager of the organization's Kutaisi Branch Natia Gudava has expressed hope that this Network will be sustainable and will regularly provide the legislative body and respective agencies with information on the problems of persons with disabilities.

Tbilisi. In connection with the International Human Rights Day, an event will be organized in "Identity" on December 10. As part of the event, 5 speakers will deliver presentations and introduce their works to the audience. Topic of the presentation is – "What do human rights mean to me". Any interested person can attend the presentation either as a free attendee or as the speaker. Source:identoba.com

Kakheti. As part of the two-week campaign against violence, the discussion was organized in the Telavi Civic Engagement Center on "Empowering women for protection of their own rights". Discussion was led by the members of the Telavi "Women's Club" and the political rights of women and the importance of their involvement in various public activities was discussed. Further, the recording of Madeleine Albright's speech with Georgian sub-titles was shown.

Tbilisi. Transparency International - Georgia has released the November 26 audio podcast of parliamentary news. Topics of the edition are: "Parliament has approved the renewed cabinet of ministers and its governmental program; key areas and priorities of the program; initiative on amendments to the Law on Tbilisi – a step backwards in the self-government reform." Audio podcast of parliamentary news – November 26 (geo) Source: transparency.ge

Shida Kartli. The Gori Youth Center functioning with the Gori Club of the Disabled has involved in the campaign against gender violence. As part of the campaign, the Youth Center has organized the screening and discussion of the film "Violence is a Crime" together with the women's consultation center "House". A discussion was held led by the psychologist and specialists working on gender issues. The 16-day campaign aims to raise public awareness on issues of violence against women and enhance civil consolidation on the women's rights. Source: the organization's page in the social network.

Tbilisi. Institute for Development of Freedom of Information published a study - "Digital Broadcasting Switchover - Challenges and Problems in Georgia". Study  Source:idfi.ge

Guria. To celebrate the International Day for Elimination of Violence against Women, the members of the Youth Center operating under the "Union of Young Teachers" has delivered a peer training on November25 on the gender equality and staged a flash-mob on violence against women, which aimed to draw public attention to facts of violence against women. Its content reflected public attitude towards violence.

Civil Society Organizations (CSO) and the Parliament are establishing a new standard of cooperation - Civil Society Organizations’ Day at the Parliament of Georgia, which will be held every year in order to deepen dialogue between CSOs and the Parliament. Together with the Parliament and CSOs will discuss important issues and problems facing the country, as well as potential public policy solutions. Civil Society Organizations’ Day at the Parliament of Georgia will be established under a new Memorandum of Cooperation between the Parliament and CSOs. The Memorandum will be signed at a ceremony during the first Civil Society Organizations’ Day. The ceremony will be held on December 12, 2013, at 13:00, and will be followed by a discussion between the Speaker of the Parliament and CSO representatives at the Parliament of Georgia in Kutaisi. Please see the enclosed Agenda and text of the Memorandum for more information. Agenda Memorandum

Tbilisi. Transparency International Georgia released a blog post - "New buses for Tbilisi: The largest electronic tender of the year”. "Tbilisi City Hall is currently in the process of making the largest publicly tendered government purchase of this year: Tbilisi is planning to buy 100 new passenger buses for up to GEL 55 million – GEL 550,000 per bus. This is the biggest electronically procured tender since Georgia introduced e-procurement in the beginning of 2011. The tender was published on November 4, the 5-day bidding period ends on November 25 at 16:00", says the blog post. For full text Source:transparency.ge 

Tbilisi. UNDP has presented  results of the study of Public Perceptions on Gender Equality in Politics and Business. The main aim of this research project is to study Georgian public attitudes toward gender equality with a special focus on women’s participation in politics and business.  Both qualitative and quantitative research methodologies were used in the study. A total of 1760 face-to-face interviews were conducted throughout Georgia in the scope of the quantitative study. Qualitative research included 16 focus group discussions with women from various cities and villages - eight focus group discussions were conducted in Samegrelo and eight in Kakheti.  The study commissioned by UNDP was conducted by the Georgian research agency ACT. Public Perceptions on Gender Equality in Politics and Business Source:www.ge.undp.org

Tbilisi. Economic Policy Research Center published policy brief on - "Threats of Eurasian Customs Union on The way To European Integration" Georgian Perspective. New Publication Source: eprc.ge

Samtskhe-Javakheti. CSO "Borjghali" has organized the opening of the Eco-Migrants' Integration Center on November 25 in Tsalka in partnership with the Caucasus Environmental NGO Network (CENN), key mission of which is to reduce alienation between the newly settled eco-migrants and local communities residing in the Tsalka Municipality and stimulate the integration processes.

Samegrelo. The Youth Center "Ortus" of CSO "Atinati" has organized a bicycle race on November 24 in Zugdidi, with participation of female representatives only. This event was dedicated to the week for elimination of violence held on November 20-25 in the Zugdidi Youth Center as part of the "Advancing National Integration in Georgia" project, implemented by the UN Association of Georgia with financial support of the United States Agency for International Development.9 contestants have participated in the event dedicated to the week for elimination of violence against women. The bicycle race aimed at condemning violence against women, activating the girls and popularizing the healthy lifestyle. Source: the organization's page in the social network.

Tbilisi. Transparency International Georgia released Nana Sajaia's blog post -  "Broadcasters’ new disclosure adds little transparency”.  "Financial reporting submitted by broadcasters to the Georgian National Communications Commission (GNCC) does not provide enough information on the sources of financing”, says the blog post. For full text  Source:transparency.ge

Tbilisi. The Human Rights Education and Monitoring Center has released a new blog-post" "Child an Invisible Hand" (author VatoJorkoshvili). It concerns the civil education of the youth. "Timely introduction of civil values among the youth is a precondition of the society's democratic development. As MerabMamardashvili himself used to say, he dreamed of being an ordinary teacher at school, because he believed that free consciousness is formed during the school age. If one is not already, it is impossible to transform an adult into a free individual," says the publication. For the full text Source:emc.org.ge

Adjara. The Citizens' Advisory Council and the Batumi Sakrebulo have organized an open door day on November 22 in the Sakrebulo's Assembly Hall, where the draft 2014 budget of the self-governing city Batumi was discussed. Sakrebulo members and representatives of local CSOs and public assemblies have attended the meeting. The city's budget is a key document for the city and active citizen participation is extremely important throughout its planning process. Accordingly, attending audience has raised number of issues and made comments and recommendations on the spot. The Sakrebulo ensures the receipt of the citizens' comments and recommendations, and no later than November 25 the Chairman of the Sakrebulo will return the draft budget to the City Hall. Before 10th of December, the City Hall will submit the revised (or the same) draft to the Chairman of the Sakrebulo for approval.

Tbilisi. AYEG has held the trainings in "Entrepreneurship” from November 9th till 24th for the Tbilisi school pupils from 9th, 10th, 11th and 12th classes. The aim of the training is to develop the knowledge and skills of schools students in entrepreneurship, through piloting the entrepreneurship education on the level of secondary education in Georgia and introducing best approaches of entrepreneurship spirit development. Together with the theoretical materials the training consists of business simulation, discussions and practical group works. The project "Piloting Entrepreneurship Education in Public Schools of Georgia” is being implemented with the financial support of the U.S. EMBASSY. During the implementation of the project AYEG was actively cooperating with the Ministry of Education and Science of Georgia and with the administrations of the secondary schools. Source: economists.ge

Tbilisi. The Women's Fund introduces the "Kato Mikeladze Prize" in connection with the International Women Human Rights Defenders Day on November 29. The organization will award the prize annually to one women human rights defender activist, who will be nominated from the grant recipients of the grant programs of the Women's Fund. The Directors of the Women's Fund and members of the Board of Advisors will reveal the winner by a majority vote. Source: the organization's page in the social network.