Tbilisi. According to information released by the United Nations Children’s Fund, more than 1500 adolescents from 14 to 17 years of age from public schools across Georgia, their parents and teachers will benefit from a new initiative led by the organization in collaboration with “Gambling Research and Ludomania Prevention Center” as well as with the Ministry of Education and Science. "The purpose of the initiative is to prevent the onset of at-risk gambling behavior and maintain adolescents at the healthy end of the continuum through face to face training sessions, public events and social media”. Read more… Source: The website of the organization on a social network

Tbilisi. Transparency International Georgia publishes a blog post: Donations received by political parties: Statistics and cases containing corruption risks. “From January 1 through October 25, 2021, 25 political parties received donations in the total amount of GEL 23 227 322, of which 71% - GEL 16 585 660 went to Georgian Dream, the second was Lelo with the amount of GEL 2 330 556, while the third - United National Movement with the amount of GEL 2 212 912. Legal entities that are donors of the ruling party and companies associated with contributing individuals won state tenders worth approximately GEL 155 million and received simplified public procurement contracts of the GEL 6 million value in total in 2021. Within the same period, these companies and donors, directly or indirectly affiliated with them, contributed up to GEL 3 million in favor of Georgian Dream”, - is stated in the blog post. Read more… Source: transparency.ge

Tbilisi. ISFED has presented the fourth interim report on social media monitoring. “It describes activities of Facebook pages of political parties participating in the elections and mayoral candidates of municipalities, as well as results of observation on anonymous and open Facebook pages operating for political and elections purposes, and other important trends”. Read more… Source: isfed.ge

Tbilisi. With the assistance of “Rights Georgia”, Armenian citizen was granted the right to a permanent residence permit. The Public Service Development Agency issued an ID card (Permanent residence permit) on October 25. Read more… Source: The organization’s page on the social network

The web portal CsoGeorgia.org releases a weekly newsletter of grants competition, contests, vacancies, fellowships, and tenders for civil society organizations, and for any interested person. Newsletter...

Tbilisi. The Georgian Young Lawyers’ Association (GYLA) has prepared the 3rd interim report of the long-term observation mission for the 2021 local self-government elections. According to the report: “Allegedly politically motivated acts of violence, committed both before and after October 2, still remain a challenge. In the pre-election period of the second round, GYLA described two cases of interference into the pre-election campaign carried out by political parties. Within the reporting period, there were revealed facts of damage to agitation material of both the ruling party and the opposition”. Read more… Source: gyla.ge

Imereti. Local Democracy Agency Georgia, within the framework of the project "Civil Society Initiative", provided consultations to representatives of civil society and community organizations in Tkibuli municipalitiy. The meetings is being organized by LDA Georgia within the framework of the project "Civil Society Initiative", with the support of the European Union and the Konrad-Adenauer-Stiftung. Read more… Source: The organizations page on the social network

Tbilisi. Media Advocacy Coalition member organizations call on the Government of Georgia to provide explanations in regard to the refusal to let Ukrainian journalists enter Georgia. “According to information released on October 27, 2021, Dmitry Gordon, a Ukrainian journalist, and his wife Alecia Batsman, an editor, were not allowed to enter Georgia. Dmitri Gordon links the refusal to enter Georgia with his intention to meet Mikheil Saakashvili, former President of Georgia, who is currently in prison”. Read more... Source: The website of the Coalition on a social network

Tbilisi. The Public Defender of Georgia is deeply concerned about the obstruction of the entry of Ukrainian Ombudsman Liudmyla Denisova to Georgia on October 26, 2021. “According to Liudmyla Denisova, when crossing the state border of Georgia, she provided detailed information about her identity and purpose of her trip, as well as a diplomatic travel document, to the representative of the Ministry of Internal Affairs of Georgia. Despite this, she was delayed at the border for about 40 minutes, without being informed of the reason of delay. She was let in Georgia only after border guards obtained consent from their superiors. The Ombudsman of Ukraine also points to an unfriendly and cynical attitude by the law enforcement officials”. Read more… Source: ombudsman.ge

Tbilisi. The Social Justice Center, in collaboration with ILGA-Europe, an organization working on LGBTI rights, addressed the Committee of Ministers of the Council of Europe in writing and provided news about the situation related to fundamental rights of LGBT people. “The report critically describes attempts of the state to legitimatize violent acts committed by far-right radical groups and its vicious practice of ineffective investigation of particularly serious and high-profile homo/transphobic crimes, which facts create a sense of tolerance and impunity of such crimes within society”. Read more… Source: socialjustice.org.ge

Tbilisi. Green Step implements the project “WIN” and plans to involve in it more than 50 women struggling to establish themselves in the labor market. The project is funded by the Polish Ministry of Foreign Affairs Polish Aid - "Polska Pomoc Rozwojowa 2021". The aim of the project is to help them enhance their various business opportunities and connect to an international network. The main topics of the seminar series will be: - Labor market trends in Georgia; - Sources of business financing and ways to find them; - Create your own brand; - Compiling an effective resume, etc. For more information contact to the organization: greenstepngo@gmail.com or write on the Facebook page Women Innovation Network - WIN in Georgia Registration link… Source: The organization’s page on the social network

Tbilisi. Green Alternative and the Social Justice Center submit an administrative complaint to the Ministry of Economy and Sustainable Development, demanding annulment of licenses for mining of minerals issued to extract manganese in the village of Shkmeri in Oni Municipality. Read more… Source: socialjustice.org.ge

Tbilisi. The Center for Strategic Research and Development of Georgia (CSRDG) presents “Crowdfunding Events Guide”, published by the organization. “The publication incorporates information about crowdfunding models and its concept. Online version of the guide... The guide has been published by the CSRDG within the framework of the “Civil Society Initiative” project with the support of the European Union and the Konrad Adenauer Foundation”. Read more… Source: The website of the organization on a social network

Tbilisi. The Institute for Development of Freedom of Information (IDFI) presents an analysis of administrative expenditures envisaged by the 2022 draft budget, which reveals that there are no significant changes intended in terms of bureaucratic expenditures in 2022. “It is noteworthy that, despite the annual increase in labor costs, provision of a fair and competitive remuneration system for civil servants remains a significant problem”. Read more… Source: idfi.ge

Tbilisi. Part of civil society organizations in Georgia respond to developments occurred in regard to hospitalization of Mikheil Saakashvili, the third President. “We call on the authorities to take full account of the conclusion and recommendations of the multifunctional group of doctors and the Public Defender of Georgia when discussing the issue of hospitalization of Mikheil Saakashvili, the third President of Georgia, and to make a decision on hospitalization while making sure that all risks to his life and health, as well as security are completely excluded”. Read more… Source:socialjustice.org.ge

Imereti. According to information released by the Georgian Young Lawyers’ Association (GYLA), a judge of the Kutaisi Court of Appeals wrote an important distinctive opinion on an electoral dispute of GYLA. The organization considers that arguments incorporated in the distinctive opinion set an important precedent for proper resolution of electoral disputes and need to be taken into account by election administrations and courts. Read more… Source: gyla.ge

Tbilisi. On October 24, 2021, Public Defender’s representatives checked the readiness of Medical Facility No. 18 for the possible admission of the third President of Georgia, Mikheil Saakashvili. “The inspection revealed that the situation in the facility, in terms of medical care, does not fully comply with the report or recommendations issued by a multifunctional group of doctors on October 23, 2021, and there are also some safety risks”. Read more… Source: The organization’s page on the social network

Tbilisi. Temi Qedeli’s products will be presented and sold in Shota Rustaveli Boutique Hotel. Organization expresses gratitude for supporting enterprises and increasing their visibility. Read more… Source: Organization’s page on the social network

Tbilisi. Up to 30 people with hearing impairments got vaccines after just one information meeting at the Union of Deaf. Read more… Source: The organization’s page on the social network

Tbilisi. The Georgian Young Lawyers’ Association and the Social Justice Center consider that planned amendments to the Law of Georgia on Police unjustifiably increase the authority of police officers during identification of a person and create risks of unreasonable, disproportionate interference into private life of people. The organizations call on the Parliament of Georgia to avoid adoption of the discussed bill in the proposed form and legalization of vicious police practices. Read more… Source: gyla.ge

Tbilisi. IDFI Informs that the organization became a member NGO of PWYP network. “IDFI aims to actively use the PWYP platform to promote the introduction of beneficial ownership and extractive industry transparency principles in Georgia”. Read more… Source: idfi.ge

Tbilisi. ISFED has presented the third interim report on social media monitoring. According to the report: “The website of Ana Dolidze was the most active among those of Tbilisi mayoral candidates. Interaction with posts shared on anti-opposition websites is almost 4 times higher than with those published on pages that act against the Georgian Dream. The highest amount for advertisements, about 127 thousand US dollars, was paid by the Georgian Dream. It is followed by the United National Movement (approximately 68 thousand US dollars) and Lelo (up to 36 thousand US dollars). Most of the ads on anonymous sites (188) were uploaded on pages that discredit opposition and costs for such activities vary from 2 520 to 2 619 US dollars”. Read more… Source:isfed.ge