Tbilisi. A publication of materials, a small selection of the papers presented by researchers and activists at the International Conference – Manifold Angles of Gender: Looking through a Magnifying Glass, organized and hosted by the South Caucasus Regional Office of the Heinrich Boell Foundation, is available at bookstores in Tbilisi and Batumi. Source:the organization's page in the social network

Tbilisi. Transparency International Georgia, GYLA and ISFED explain boycott of the MIA's torture video screening. "we find it would be more expedient for the meeting planned by the Ministry of Internal Affairs to be more business-oriented. In this respect, it would be better for the Ministry to present a justified analytical report on the course of investigation of the video images... In addition, prior to the launch of the meeting, it was important to receive relevant guarantees that the video images were sufficiently covered up and that there was zero possibility of identification. These guarantees became even more essential when the meeting attendees came with recording equipment which risked the privacy of these images". For full text  Source:transparency.ge

Tbilisi. The Georgian Charter of Journalistic Ethics is going to launch the monitoring on media reporting on children-related issues. In June, July, August 2013 the Charter’s researchers will be monitoring 25 media outlets including 10 televisions, eight online and seven print editions.  Speaking at the June 20 press conference the Charter’s Executive Director Tamar Rukhadze said any piece covering children will be under monitoring. The compliance with the Code of Conduct of Broadcasters, professional and ethical standards will observed. For full text  Source:media.ge

Tbilisi. On June 20 Courtyard Marriott Hotel hosted the round table on program document on hepatitis C prevention, diagnosis and treatment in correctional facilities. The program has been developed for correctional facilities by Georgian and foreign experts with the support from the Open Society Georgia Foundation (OSGF). At the meeting the document was discussed by health experts, representatives of the field of medicine, NGOs and pharmaceutical companies. The final version of the program document, which will be created based on the comments provided during the discussion, will be submitted to donors for funding. For full text  Source:osgf.ge

Tbilisi. Internews Georgia monitors have launched monitoring of newscasts of 12 Georgian radio-stations during Presidential pre-election period in Georgia. Both quantitative and qualitative research will be conducted during the period of 15 June to 15 November. For full text Source:media.ge

Tbilisi. The Institute for the Development of Freedom of Information has released information obtained  from  the  Competition and State Procurement Agency. The information posted on the web page includes the Bonuses, Current List of Employees and Remuneration,  Balance of the Organization, Purchases and Maintenance Expenses of Vehicles, Financed Cultural Events, Employees relieved of positions since October 20, 2012, Funded events, Official Visit Expenses, Biographical Data of the Public Officials Appointed Since October 20, 2012, Internal Audit Report. For full text Source:opendata.ge

The EU Culture Factory gears up. The first of its activities the Street Art Festival ArtActive is launched in Zugdidi on June the 16th. The festival aims at sharing the rich cultural heritage of the European cities, where public street art reveals the living soul and rhythm of each city. ArtActive will bring together the local Georgian population and European artists. The festival will introduce the best samples of street art from various countries of Europe, showing how dialogue and shared good feelings enable people to communicate and grow together beyond linguistic and cultural diversity. For full text Source:Delegation of the European Union to Georgia's web page

Tbilisi. The Institute for the Development of Freedom of Information has released information obtained  from  the  Business Ombudsman. The information posted on the web page includes the Bonuses, Current List of Employees and Remuneration,  Balance of the Organization, Purchases and Maintenance Expenses of Vehicles, Financed Cultural Events, Employees relieved of positions since October 20, 2012, Funded events, Official Visit Expenses, Biographical Data of the Public Officials Appointed Since October 20, 2012, Internal Audit Report. For full text Source:opendata.ge

Tbilisi. The Georgian Democracy Initiative (GDI), the Media Development Foundation (MDF), and the Human Rights Education and Monitoring Center (EMC), are responding to the draft Conclusion prepared by the Committee on Human Rights and Civil Integration of the Parliament of Georgia about the events of May 17. "We express our negative attitude to the contents of the aforementioned document and regard it as harmful for the protection of human rights. We consider it impermissible to adopt it with the presented contents, because it insults representatives of the LGBT community and encourages violence with xenophobic and homophobic motives in the society", says the statement. For full text Source:gdi.ge

Tbilisi. New research indicates that the credibility of Georgia's presidential election polls could be at risk if 2012 issues are repeated. The report, Making Public Polling Matter in Georgia, commissioned by the Open Society Georgia Foundation and the Open Society Think Tank Fund, in partnership with international researcher associations ESOMAR and WAPOR, highlights a combination of factors, which impaired the predictive ability of pre-election polls in Georgia's controversial 2012 parliamentary elections. These factors risk damaging the credibility of polls for Georgia's forthcoming presidential elections unless urgent steps are taken.Georgia's historic 2012 parliamentary elections involved an intense campaign between the government and a single opposition party. Elections polls differed widely from each other throughout the campaign and from the election's final results. In the wake of the election, polls were subject to intense criticism about their accuracy, their methodology, and the motives of those who conducted them. For full text Source:osgf.ge

Tbilisi. GYLA reacts on the draft conclusion of the Human Rights and Civil Integration Committee of the Parliament in terms of the May 17 developments.  "We anticipate that Human Rights and Civil Integration Committee will ensure effective participation of civil society representatives in examination of the conclusion of the May 17 events and the document will be brought in line with international human rights standards.  In addition, we thing reasonable to submit the issue at the plenary session and to adopt the document on the challenges faced in protection of LGBTs’ rights". For full text  Source:gyla.ge

Tbilisi. Transparency International - Georgia released a statement - "Charges should not have been dropped against Bedukadze". "Vladimer Bedukadze was charged with an action recognized as one of the gravest crimes under Georgian legislation and international legal acts. Article 2 of the UN Convention against Torture and Other Cruel, Inhuman or Degrading Treatment, clearly prohibits justification of torture in any form", says the statement. For full text Source:transparency.ge

Tbilisi. GYLA Presented Research about the Practice of Providing Bonuses in Public Service. While working on the research GYLA applied to Georgian ministries, the Government Chancellery of Georgia, the Presidential Administration and the Parliament of Georgia, requesting access to public information about applicable legal acts that regulate procedures for awarding bonuses within individual agencies. For full text Source:gyla.ge

Tbilisi. The Institute for the Development of Freedom of Information has released information obtained  from Sakpatenti - National Intellectual Property Center. The information posted on the web page includes the Bonuses of the Public Officials,  Bonuses of the Employees, CurrentList of Employees and Remuneration , Balance of the Organization , Purchases and Maintenance Expenses of Vehicles, Employees Dismissed on the Basis of Their Own Statement, Employees Dismissed by the Administration, Financed Cultural Events , Official Visit Expenses. For full text Source:opendata.ge

Tbilisi.  U.S. Embassy Tbilisi hosted an exhibition by the Union of the Blind. The exhibition provided members of the Union with the opportunity to tour the embassy and showcase their talents in an exhibit that included hand-made crafts, artwork, and musical performances. Among the art were works by artists who have been visually impaired their entire lives. The primary goals of the Union of the Blind in Georgia are to protect visually impaired people’s rights, to facilitate their integration into society, to raise awareness of issues facing blind people in Georgia, and to produce more opportunities for blind people. Source:U.S Embassy's page in the social network

The website http://www.mastersdegreeonline.org/ provides tons of information to current and prospective graduate students. It features resources and tips on how to obtain a master’s degree online for over 100 subjects, as well as a comprehensive and informative directory that systematically sort out the available master’s degree programs according to their preferences. This is free to use and will remain open to all users. Source:crrc.ge

Tbilisi. In CIPDD resource centre you have an opportunity to find two new books published by The Regional Centre for Research and Promotion of Constitutionalism. Source:participate.ge

Selected EWMI G-PAC grantees from the regions of Georgia participated in a study tour in the Czech Republic. Representatives from six Georgian organizations visited Czech CSOs, government institutions, and businesses to exchange ideas, learn from their experience, and explore avenues for further cooperation. EWMI G-PAC organized the study tour in partnership with the Open Society Fund – Prague. Source:ewmi-gpac.org

Tbilisi. Human Rights House Tbilisi launched Legal Aid Center, which will provide socially vulnerable, impoverished people with free legal aid. The project is implemented by HRHT member organizations – Human Rights Center (HRIDC) and Article 42 of Constitution. For full text Source:humanrights.ge

Tbilisi. Transparency International - Georgia released Mathias Huter's blog post - "Time to act: 2 years until the full switch to digital terrestrial TV".  "In 2 years from today, on June 17, 2015, the analogue television signal that everybody can receive through an antenna should be switched off and replaced with a digital signal. However, the government needs to make important decisions now, if the country wants to meet the deadline it has committed to in an international agreement, as have the neighboring countries. This switchover to digital TV is mandated by an international agreement between Georgia, its neighbors and the ITU, the global organization governing the use of frequencies", says the blog post. For full text  Source:transparency.ge

Tbilisi. The Institute for the Development of Freedom of Information has released information obtained  from National Statistics Office of Georgia and Financial Monitoring Service of Georgia. The information posted on the web page includes the Bonuses, Current List of Employees and Remuneration,  Balance of the Organization, Purchases and Maintenance Expenses of Vehicles, Internal Audit Report, Official Visit Expenses, Reports on Release of Public Information, Financed Cultural Events, Funded events, 10th December report, Employees relieved of positions since October 20, 2012 . Information from National Statistics Office of Georgia Information from Financial Monitoring Servise of Georgia Source:opendata.ge

Tbilisi. Zaza Daraselia’s Fund, that has received GEL 200,000 from the President’s Fund, named the winners of the contests, among which is the electronic library lib.ge,  project "the Deportation of the Tavrian Doukhobors to Georgia and Their Identity” and etc. For full text  Source:media.ge