Tbilisi. On September26, the "International Society for Fair Elections and Democracy" has staged the Parallel Vote Tabulation (PVT). PVT was carried out during one hour. 97 percent of observers have reported successfully. The organization will carry out PVT at the 2012 parliamentary elections, which includes the collection and analysis of qualitative and quantitative information from the randomly selected precincts on the polling day. The simulation was the part of ISFED's pre-election preparations and aimed at examining the observers, operators of the central office, data base and the communications system. For full text (Geo) Source: isfed.ge

Imereti. On September 25 the "Dialogue of Generations" has organized the meeting, at which the Lane Kirkland training program was presented. The Georgian consultant of the program has informed the interested persons about the phases and terms of the program. The Lane Kirkland Program gives the youngsters from the Post-Soviet states an opportunity to study in Poland. The Program is announced annually and all interested persons can study in any of the Polish higher education institutions. For full text Source: the organization's page in the social network

Kakheti. To inform the ethnic minority voters, the Analytical Center for Interethnic Cooperation and Consultations has held four public meetings. The meetings were held in the four municipalities of Kakheti: village Karajala (Telavi Municipality), village Arkhilostskaro (Dedoplistskaro Municipality), village Iormughanlo (Sagarejo Municipality) and village Kabali (Lagodekhi Municipality). At the meetings the organization's activists explained to the voters the importance of participation in the elections and called on them to be active. The second round of meetings in the Kakheti villages is planned on September 28-29, at which along with the organization's activists the prominent persons known well to the local population will call on the population to participate in the elections. For full text Source: acicc.ge

Tbilisi. The civil society organization "New Generation – New Initiative" delivers the trainings for observers since September 22 to September 29. The observers are getting familiar in details with the organization's principles, their rights and duties and the "Observer's Code of Behavior" developed by the organization. Training participants will receive the observer's certificate for the polling day. The project is implemented with the financial support of the "MATRA" program of the Dutch Embassy. For full text (Geo) Source: the organization's page in the social network.

Imereti. On September20 and 21, the training in "How to hold the pupils' self-government elections" was held for the students as part of the Civic Education and Teachers' Training Program. The freshmen, sophomores and juniors of the Kutaisi-based target schools have participated in the training. The participants got familiar with the laws on the pupils' self-government and practiced the procedures related to the pupils' self-government elections. 43 students have participated in the training. Based on the acquired experience the students will plan and hold in their schools the pupils' self-government elections, which will be monitored by the Kutaisi Education, Development and Employment Center. For full text (Geo) Source: kedec.ge

Tbilisi. 4 clubs have been established within the framework of the project "Young Women's Clubs". The project is implemented by the CSOs "Helping Hand" and the "Civil Society Development Center" (CSDC). The project is supported by the international foundation "Frida". Trainings were delivered as part of the project, which were attended by 30 participants, out of which 15 participants were from the conflict regions of Georgia. Guests who have arrived from Abkhazia were hosted by their Tbilisi-based peers. Project participants plan to implement the projects of their clubs in order to contribute to the protection of women's rights. For full text Source: the organization's page in the social network.

Adjara. On September 25, the coalition "Human Rights Protection in Healthcare" has met with the Georgian Bar members in the Batumi Civic Engagement Center. The coalition was built on the base of 8 NGOs and its main objective is to regulate the disputes between patients and physicians through mediation. The idea to create the network of advocates was proposed at the meeting. These advocates will specialize in a specific area, and in particular they will consult and advocate mainly persons having problems in the field of healthcare. These advocates will be trained in mediation. The project – "Human Rights Protection in Healthcare through Mediation" is implemented with the financial support of the "Open Society - Georgia" Foundation.

Tbilisi. On September 26 the "Union of Warriors with Disabilities and Spouses of Killed Warriors" has organized the conference "Gender Equality in Political Processes". Deputy Chair of the Parliament of Georgia RusudanKervalishvili and the Chief of Party of the International Foundation for Electoral Systems (IFES) in Georgia NerminNisic have opened the conference. In addition, the US Ambassador to Georgia Mr. Richard Norland has addressed the participants with a speech. The video clip of the project "Gender Equality in Political Processes" was shown to the delegates and the regional network of gender equality was presented. Network members have discussed at the conference the data on women's participation in politics in respect of their own regions. Representatives of the Mtskheta-Mtianeti, Imereti, Guria and other regions have delivered speeches at the conference. Further, the recommendations, strategy and action platform on the gender equality issues were presented at the conference, which were developed based on the stereotypes and attitudes identified during the round tables on gender issues held in 20 cities of Georgia. The event is held as part of the project – "Gender Equality in Political Processes", which is implemented by the "Union of Warriors with Disabilities and Spouses of Killed Warriors" with the financial support of the United States Agency for International Development (USAID), based on the grant issued by the International Foundation for Electoral Systems (IFES).

Tbilisi. The member NGOs and media organizations of the campaign "This Affects You Too" and the coalition "For Media Advocacy" have held the press-conference, at which they have urged the Central Election Commission to review once again the resolution adopted on September 24, which limits the photo-video recording at the election precincts on the polling day. Otherwise, the organizations will address the court. A joint statement was released at the press-conference. For full text Source: osgf.ge

Samtskhe-Javakheti. On September25, the representatives of the NGO sector met with the single-seat nominees for Akhaltsikhe of various parties in the Akhaltsikhe Civic Engagement Center. According to the format of the meeting, questions follow the presentations of the party agendas. The meeting was organized by the Civic Engagement Center. "We started preparing for the meeting several days ago, we notified various organizations in writing about the planned meeting and asked them to attend with questions of interest to them. The nominees have presented the pre-election agendas and responded to the questions asked", – the Director of the Civic Engagement Center AmaliaSarkisian has stated.

Imereti. NGO "New Generation – New Initiative” has delivered the training in the Civic Engagement Center concerning the pre-election polling day procedures. Observers positioned in various districts were familiarized with their rights and obligations and the "Observers’ Code of Conduct” developed by the organization. This Code is the unity of principles and standards, which should warrant the actions of each observer and ensure the fulfillment of their competent powers. In addition, the organization will carry out the parallel count of votes in the parliamentary elections.

Kakheti. The Analytical Center for Interethnic Cooperation and Consultations implements during the pre-election period the project "Your Voice Is Your Power: Information Campaign for Minorities Living in the Kakheti Region”. The project aims to facilitate the awareness of ethnic minorities living in the Kakheti Region (in particular, the Azerbaijani population) and their participation in the elections. Within the project framework, the organization’s representatives will hold meetings in the villages, where the ethnic minorities are presented in majorities and urge them to participate in the elections. It is also planned to disseminate the information materials. On the day before the polling the organization will hold the second round of public meetings, where well-known persons will meet with the population and emphasize the importance of their participation in the elections. The project is funded by the US Agency for International Development (USAID) and the International Foundation for Electoral Systems. For full text Source: acicc.ge

Samegrelo. On September 24, the Association "Atinati” has organized the open door day in the Poti Public School #2 about the small grants competition as part of the "Civic Education and Teachers’ Training Program”. 21 persons have attended the event, and in particular the civics’ teachers and active students from the partner schools of the Samegrelo-Zemo Svaneti Region. For full text Source: civics.ge

Imereti. The civil society and media representatives in Kutaisi carry on with the rally – "Stop the Act”. Participants of the event state that they once again protest against facts of degrading treatment towards inmates. In addition, they demand that the media representatives are allowed in the Kutaisi Prison for getting familiar with the current conditions of inmates.

Tbilisi. The „Institute for Development of Freedom of Information has monitored in the social network Facebook the official pages of 19 state agencies, 10 political entities and 6 media outlets. Since July, subject to monitoring was the daily information uploaded on the pages in the social network. The study includes various types of statistical data, key trends and problems in relation to the "posts” shared on the social network including August 31. The study was carried out by the "Institute for Development of Freedom of Information” (IDFI), as part of the program of the East-West Management Institute (EWMI) – "Policy, Advocacy and Civil Society Development in Georgia” (G-PAC). The Study (Geo) Source: idfi.ge

Adjara. On October 1st the international community celebrates the International Day of Older Persons. In Georgia, the association of the elderly women "Deserving Old Age” will organize the special week in relation to this Day. First event of the week is held currently. On September 25, the discussion was held at 3 pm in the Social Center for the Elderly on the topic: "Generations and Their Values”. Persons of all generations were invited: children, parents and grandparents. On September 26, under the aegis of the organization the meeting will be held with the veteran sportsmen and young chess players in the rapid chess. In addition, the visit to the museum is planned on September 27, while the charity event will be held on September 28 in the Social Center for the Elderly to assist the single older persons. For full text Source: awa.org.ge

Tbilisi. "New Generation – New Initiative” (NGNI) will observe the 1 October 2012 parliamentary and the Adjara Supreme Council elections during the pre-election, polling day and post-election period in the 73 election districts of Georgia. The observer mission consisting of 1,200 persons is involved in the project, which is implemented with the financial support of the Dutch Embassy in Georgia. For full text (Geo)

Tbilisi. The procedures for participation in the grant programs of G-PAC of the East-West Management Institute (EWMI) have changed. To participate in the grant competitions it is necessary to fill in the on-line form. Applications submitted in any other form will be rejected. The change does not affect only the paid internship grant program. For full text (Geo) Source: ewmi-gpac.org

Tbilisi. With the support of the "Open Society – Georgia” Foundation, the media center was launched on September 24. NGOs funded by the Foundation will inform media through the media center about the pre-election environment, monitoring of the polling day, the vote count process and the post-election period. Immediately after the launch of the media center, the campaign "This Affects You Too” and the Coalition "For Media Advocacy” have held the press-conference. For full text Source: osgf.ge

Tbilisi. On September 24, the Georgian Young Lawyers’ Association has presented the second interim report on the monitoring of the pre-election period. The report includes the monitoring results for the period of April-July 2012. During the four-month period, GYLA has monitored the pre-election processes in Tbilisi and seven regions of Georgia (Kakheti, Shida Kartli, Kvemo Kartli, Mtskheta-Mtianeti, Imereti, Adjara and Ozurgeti) through its monitors. The Georgian Young Lawyers’ Association has carried out the pre-election monitoring as part of the project supported by the "National Endowment for Democracy” – "Monitoring of Pre-Election Process for the 2012 Parliamentary Elections of Georgia”. For full text Source: gyla.ge

Imereti. The Research-Intellectual Club "Dialogue of Generations" invites interested students, graduates and youngsters to the meeting with the consultant of the Lane Kirkland Training Program, where the possibility of participation in this Program will be discussed. The Lane Kirkland Program gives the youth in the Post-Soviet countries to study in Poland. It is announced annually and all interested persons can study in any Polish higher education institution. The meeting will be held on September 25, at 6 pm, in the Kutaisi Civic Engagement Center. For full text (Geo) Source: Organization Page in Social Network

Kakheti. As part of the project "For Business Start", the participants have already submitted their projects. 59 projects were submitted, out of which the special commission will select and fund 20 initiatives. The program is supported by the Polish Foreign Affairs Ministry and implemented in partnership with the Polish NGO "Association B4". Decision of the commission will be announced at the end of September. For full text (Geo) Source: Organization Page in Social Network