Tbilisi.NGOs have released an appeal to inmate torture victims and their family members. "We, NGOs, appeal to the tortured inmates, former inmates, probationers and their family members and call on them to initiate active measures aimed at restoring infringed rights and dignity. We, on our side, express readiness to render assistance in this or that form and support a fair decision of the  problem", says the statement. To secure effective investigation of facts of torture and ill-treatment, NGOs call on the inmate torture victims to address independent forensic expert examination in order timely describe and document the signs and traces of torture and violence. 8 NGOs have signed the appeal. For the full text. Source: gyla.ge

Tbilisi. The Institute for the Development of Freedom of Information has released the video for those are concerned with the capital's problem and have new ideas. Any citizen can register the initiative on the web page of online petitions of the Tbilisi City Hall and gain support, and after collecting the required number of votes the Tbilisi Government will be obligated to consider the given idea. The video aims to inform the citizens about online petitions initiated by the Tbilisi Mayor, for them to be more actively involved in the decision-making process and provide to the Tbilisi Government their own initiatives on the solution of individual problems in an electronic form. Source: idfi.ge

Kakheti. On February 23, at 12 pm the community union "Nukriani" will present the project "We Learn". The project aims to set up the community education center on the base of the culture house/library of village Nukriani and offer informal cultural-educational programs to the youth living in the Sighnaghi Municipality through the Community Education Center. The project is funded by the "Open Society - Georgia" Foundation.Source: the organization's page in the social network.

Tbilisi. The organization "Women's Fund in Georgia" has implemented the project –"Women's Rights – Art in Action”, which aimed at raising public awareness increasing the sensibility on women's issues. As part of the project, the organization has carried out street performances on February 14, 16 and 17: One Billion Rising, Break The Chain and the exhibition of works of Georgian women artists „Auto Nomos" on the topic of sexual rights and experiences. The project was implemented with the support of the Estonian Embassy. For the full text. Source: the organization's page in the social network.

Kakheti. A meeting with the local farmers was held in the Telavi State University, with assistance from the center for biological protection of plants "Bio-Agro".The meeting was also attended by the employees of the Agricultural Department of the Telavi Municipality, local farmers, bio-farmers, and NGO and media representatives.Experts have informed the audience about the development trends of production of ecologically clean agricultural goods in Georgia and Kakheti in particular.

Tbilisi. NGOs released a statement on dissemination of video materials by the televisions on February 19. "TV company Rustavi 2 and then other TV companies have disseminated video materials depicting the so-called special operation that occurred on 24 November 2004", says the statement, in which NGOs call on media outlets not to disseminate unchecked materials that infringe upon dignity and private life, by which they may foster the interests of concerned parties. "All television companies, which have disseminated these shots, have violated Paragraphs 20, 23 and 24 of Article 35 of the "Code of Behavior of Broadcasters". In particular, pursuant to Paragraph 23: "When using the archive materials depicting torture and anguish (including the crimes), a broadcaster shall try to minimize the potential trauma that this material may inflict on a person filmed therein and/or his/her relatives", says the statement. The statement issued on February 20 is signed by 9 NGOs. For the full text. Source: media.ge

Kakheti. The Soviet Past Research Laboratory will hold a preparatory workshop-training on February 21-22 for the project "Terror Topography - Soviet Telavi". Any interested persons can attend, who will continue working on the project throughout the whole year. At the meeting Irakli Khvadagiani will present the experience of the Soviet Past Research Laboratory in recording of oral stories and the archive work. As part of the project, it is planned to develop the Telavi City Tour: Terror Topography - Soviet Telavi.Address: Telavi, Media-Cafe (#4 Erekle II Street, cellar of the Art School).

Adjara. On February 19, IDP youngsters trained as part of the project "Social Enterprise: Accounting and Web-Design Center" have delivered a training in the office of NGO "Borjghali" to their peer IDPs. Training was delivered in "setting up and managing the blogs". In addition to major beneficiaries of the project, the training was attended by the members of volunteer club "Batusi" functioning with "Borjghali". Based on two-day training course the youngsters learned how to create and manage the blogs.The project – "Social Enterprise: Accounting and Web-Design Center" is funded by "Open Society - Georgia" Foundation.

Imereti. Kutaisi-based NGOs call on the Kutaisi self-government to work in coordination. In relation to this fact the NGO sector has informed public in the Civic Engagement Center about its joint statement. "Having maintained full political neutrality, we call on each party engaged in the political processes to observe the legislation of Georgia and international obligations undertaken by our country, to respect each other and the entire society and to conduct political processes in a peaceful and instructive environment", - says the statement.NGOs demand that the Kutaisi self-government publishes detailed information on expenses borne from the reserve fund of the City Hall on a monthly basis, as well as for it to justify any expense borne from the local budget. NGOs also demand that the work on the local budget of 2014 starts soon, which, in their opinion, will contribute to the formulation of objectives and tasks of each program within the budget.

Samegrelo. Prospects of Georgia – EU cooperation and participation of the civil sector representatives in the Euro-integration process - these were the issues discussed at the meeting held in Zugdidi on February 19. Expert of the Kutaisi Education, Development and Employment Center Givi Mikanadze has informed NGOs about the objectives of "Eastern Partnership" and the activities of Georgia's national platform, which implies the participation of the civil sector in the cooperation process. According to the expert, already enacted platform enables the NGOs to express their comments and contribute to monitoring and the advocacy process. The expert said that the process of affiliation of Georgia in the EU should be carried out consistently and stage by stage. Crating a sound and competitive environment is one of the key conditions for this. According to him, Georgia possesses a real opportunity and potential to come close and integrate to the EU in various areas, however, stating and specifying clear timelines today would be extremely difficult.

Kakheti. A meeting was held in the Telavi Office of the Georgian Young Lawyers' Association concerning the mass dismissal of public servants from offices.According to the Head of the Telavi Office MarekhMgaloblishvili, the newly appointed officials abuse their authority and ignore the requirements of the law. NGOs call on the citizens to publicize the facts of pressure, while they urge the authorities to probe into the qualification of their cadres and the lawfulness of their activities.

Guria. A training in project drafting was delivered in the office of the "Union of Young Teachers" for the representatives of schoolchildren's self-governments of the organization's partner schools.At the training, the stages of working on the project were discussed in detail: how should the priority problems be identified, how should the concrete ideas be processed and the key outline of the project designed.Throughout the training the adolescents have developed several project ideas that will be transformed into projects and will be submitted to the micro-grants competition of the "Union of Young Teachers".The organization has announced the competition for the schoolchildren's self-governments of partner schools this month.

Samegrelo. "A minor and a crime" was the topic discussed by the police and NGO representatives on February 19 in the Samegrelo-Zemo Svaneti Chief Department of the Ministry of Internal Affairs. According to the Deputy Head of the Chief Department KobaTsertsvadze, to prevent crime among the minors, public participation in the preventive measures along with the police officers should increase. The psychologist of association "Atinati" MakaGogokhia believes that more complex work is required for reducing the juvenile delinquency. "Similar meetings are necessary, but everyone should do much more in this respect. Even doing a small thing may become so important for these juveniles", - the psychologist said.

Kakheti. On February 19, the international association "Georgian Women for Peace and Life" has presented wheelchairs to 27 citizens with disabilities based in Gurjaani.According to the Director of NGO Day Center GulikoRostoshvili, beneficiaries were having extremely difficult times and in fact could not go out without assistance: "Wheelchairs are of crucial importance for our beneficiaries, as they will be able to go outside and contact the society, as well as to visit our Center. Thanks to those who took care of them and provided such significant assistance."

Imereti. NGO Coalition "Transparency for Self-Government" demands the resignation of the Kutaisi Mayor. According to the Coalition, their monitoring and the public information obtained from the City Hall has revealed number of violations in the self-government: employment of persons in the City Hall according to the party interests, increase of number of personnel, non-targeted expenses. In case of ignoring the demands of the Coalition, participants of the initiative plan to organize permanent rallies starting from February 21. The Coalition "Transparency for Self-Government" unites 20 Kutaisi-based NGOs.

Kakheti.On February 19, the Association of Providers of Municipal Services has held the public hearing in the Civic Engagement Center on the improvement plan of the waste management services in the Telavi Municipality.Representatives of the local self-government of the Telavi Municipality, NGOs and media and other interested persons have attended the meeting.Collecting the information for an analysis of situation in the waste management field became possible through the statistical data existing locally and the organizational records. In addition, youth groups have interviewed the local population.The improvement plan of the waste management service in the Telavi Municipality was developed as part of the "Local Self-Government Component of the Good Governance in Georgia" Program of the USAID, with assistance of the Association of Providers of Municipal Services.

Tbilisi. "Transparency International – Georgia" has released another weekly audio podcast. Topics of the issue are: NGO conference "100 days in power: rule of law and human rights", Koba Davitashvili may leave the majority, principle of unconditional adding up of sentences is to be revoked, reorganization in the government – Natural Resources Agency will be detached from the Ministry of Energy and moved back to the Ministry for Environmental Protection. Podcast of parliamentary news: 19 February Source: transparency.ge

Kakheti.NGO "Media Center Kakheti" has hosted the field event of the Charter of Journalistic Ethics in the Telavi Media Cafe on February 18. Local media and civil sector representatives have attended the meeting.According to the Chairman of the Charter's Board Giorgi Mgeladze, meetings with the regional media representatives and citizens started from Telavi and will continue in other municipalities as well:"This informative meeting covered issues concerning the principles of the Charter of Ethics. In addition, we informed the audience about the recent novelties planned by the Charter. We held the first field visit in Telavi and we plan to hold similar field events in other municipalities as well", – said Giorgi Mgeladze.

Samegrelo. Representatives of NGOs and the authorities have discussed the regional development strategy on February 19 at the coordination meeting held in the Samegrelo-Zemo Svaneti Regional Administration. The Coordination Council has established working groups, which will work on the regional development strategy. According to the UNDP Program Manager Florian Delon, experts of their organization are actively involved in the elaboration of the regional development strategy. According to the Head of the Regional Service of the Regional Administration Gela Svirava, groups of the Council should finish working on the strategy by May of the current year.

Kakheti. As part of the UN joint program – "For Promoting Gender Equality in Georgia", an information meeting was held with the Kakheti-based NGOs in the Telavi Civic Engagement Center.The meeting mainly aimed to present the priorities and directions under the joint program to the Kakheti-based NGOs.Soso Mokeladze, Director of "Business Center Kakheti": "I think similar meetings facilitate the partnership between the UN joint program and Kakheti-based NGOs, as well as the implementation of future joint projects."The meeting ended with a discussion over creation of favorable environment for gender equality in the Kakheti Region – challenges and priorities.

Tbilisi. With the support of "Open Society – Georgia" Foundation and the Georgian Harm Reduction Network, the Studio "Idealist" and the Association of Young Psychologists and Physicians "Xenon" will organize the exhibition titled "Fathom My Condition", which will open up in one ordinary brick house. Each room will depict the life of one lady. Photos taken by 4 anonymous females addicted to drugs, their personal items, letters, etc. will be presented at the event.The exhibition will open on February 20, at 19:00 in Tbilisi, #9 Mtskheta Street, and will run including February 22. Source: osfg.ge

Tbilisi. The "Liberty Camp" announces admission to the liberty camp on the topic "idea of liberty today". During six days the participants will work on topics such as civic education and its need, fundamental human rights, significance of education in the current society. Participants will receive information on international organizations and their importance. Apart from the lectures, the Liberty Club offers to the participants the discussions, debates and educational-interactive games. For the full text. Source: the organization's page in the social network.