Tbilisi. October 15 is the International Day of Rural Women. In regard this day, the United Nations Development Program (UNDP) summed up results of a competition of business ideas of women entrepreneurs, in which more than 600 rural women participated. “Winning business ideas include concepts of production of solar water heaters, submitted from Martvili, development of eco-tourism, submitted from Natanebi, publication of fabric books for children, submitted from Rustavi, and 24 other projects that serve local economic development and participation of women. Each winner will receive up to GEL 5,000 as funding and consultation assistance to expand their economic activities and implement business projects”. Read more... Source: www.ge.undp.org Photo: Nana (Naku) Gamkrelidze

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. As Rondeli Foundation informs, exactly 100 years have passed since the signing of the Treaty of Kars. “In Georgia, the agreement has not infrequently become a subject of inspection and discussions and we often encounter deliberate speculations that aim at stirring up anti-Turkish and anti-Western sentiments within Georgian society. One of such speculations is concerning expiration of the Treaty. According to the myth, the Treaty of Kars expires in 100 years since its signing and then, so to speak, the issue of belonging of Adjara to Georgia becomes questionable. In reality, the agreement is not limited by any deadline. 100 years have passed today, however, neither the deadline is expired nor is the issue of belonging of Adjara raised”. Read more... Source: www.gfsis.org

Tbilisi. Social Justice Center presents an analytical document that has been prepared by employees of the organization on the basis of observation of election processes in Kvemo Kartli and Samtskhe-Javakheti regions during the pre-election period and on the day of the elections. “This document is an attempt to see those main challenges, problematic approaches and the “different” environment, in which citizens of Georgia, representing non-dominant ethnic groups, have to make their choice”. Read more… Source:socialjustice.org.ge

Tbilisi. With the help of "Rights Georgia", Iranian citizen persecuted based on religion will be granted refugee status in Georgia. “On October 8, 2021, the Tbilisi Court of Appeals annulled the decision of the Migration Department of the Ministry of Internal Affairs refusing international protection to a citizen of Islamic Republic of Iran B.V.H. and ordered the Department of Migration to grant him refugee status”. Read more… Source: rights.ge

Tbilisi. Rights Georgia, the Georgian Young Lawyers’ Association, Social Justice Center, Georgian Democracy Initiative and the Human Rights Center, with the support of the Open Society Georgia Foundation, implement a joint project – “Legal aid network for activists”. The goal of the project is to protect civil activists from repressive measures and unlawful persecution carried out by the state, as well as to provide legal support to them. Read more… Source: The website of the organization on a social network

Tbilisi. Social Justice Center publishes an article that contains a review of main trends, consequences, failures of a peace policy and their political explanation in times of governance of various authorities, as well as before the August war and during the period after it. Read more… Source: socialjustice.org.ge

Guria. Kaori Ishikawa, the UN Women Country Representative in Georgia, met in Ozurgeti with the representatives of the Association of Georgian Girl Scouts “Dia” and their partner organization in Guria. “With UN Women support, the Association of Georgian Girl Scouts Dia is implementing the training on violence in Guria, Kvemo Kartli and Tbilisi. The sessions are covering the issues of sexual abuse, bullying, early and forced marriage, family violence and more. In total, 400 girls and 200 boys will attend the training within the framework of the initiative”. Read more… Source: The organization’s page on the social network

Kvemo Kartli. The Georgia Red Cross Society with support of international Federation of the Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies opened a mass immunization center in Rustavi in the 4th public school. “Everyone willing to get vaccinated will be able to get a full vaccination service without any prior registration. We would like to kindly remind you that the Georgia Red Cross Society is being actively involved in the successful, effective and safe implementation of the vaccination process, a vivid example of which is a successful functioning of the Mtskheta and Mukhrani mass immunization centers”. Read more… Source: The organization’s page on the social network

The information meetings about COVID-19 vaccination continue. „This time we visited Zestaponi and Chiatura to meet with teachers. Prominent doctors - Allergologist, Bidzina Kulumbegov, Cardiologist Zviad Kipiani, Pediatrician Ivane Chkhaidze and Representative from the National Center for Disease Control and Public Health, Khatuna Zakhashvili briefed the participants about COVID-19 vaccination. An interesting discussion was held followed by a Q&A session“. Read more… Source: The organization’s page on the social network

Tbilisi. With the Assistance of “Rights Georgia”, Kazakh National Won a Dispute with the PSDA Concerning the Annulment of a Permanent Residence Permit. “Rights Georgia” represented the beneficiary to the Court of Appeals in the framework of the IOM-funded project “Establishment of the Network of CSOs tacking the migration issues and provision of legal assistance to foreign migrants in Georgia”. Read more… Source: rights.ge

Tbilisi. Part of civil society organizations in Georgia respond to the fact of detention of Mikheil Saakashvili, the third President of Georgia. “On the background of the fact that the judiciary is characterized by clan governance, loyalty to the Government and implementation of defective justice, as well as that confidence in this institution is on a dramatically low mark, it is doubtful, in such circumstances, to ensure the right of Mikheil Saakashvili to a fair trial is protected. In turn, the responsibility for all the above lies with the current Government, which encourages such a practice through its own political decisions and legal mechanisms. We call on the Government and the President of Georgia to use legislative mechanisms at their disposal to prevent administration of political justice against Mikheil Saakashvili”, - is noted in the joint statement. Read more… Source: www.gdi.ge

Tbilisi. According to the Institute for Development of Freedom of Information (IDFI), the number of people receiving subsistence allowance in Georgia has increased by 44.12% since the beginning of the COVID-19 pandemic. “Elections affect determining the number of socially vulnerable people in a certain way for years. For example, in the run up to the 2021 local elections, in the month of June alone, the number of people receiving subsistence allowance increased by about 70 thousands”. Read more... Source: idfi.ge

Tbilisi. GCSD has launched a new project - "Talk, Research and Discover NATO". “The project aims to introduce students, and different groups of society, NATO-related actual topics and foster discussion on them”. Read more… Source: The organization’s page on the social network

Tbilisi. On January 2, 2015, there took place an accident near the village of Marani in Abasha Municipality - a passenger train collided with a minibus crossing an unprotected railway junction. The accident claimed 3 people, while the others received various injuries. “Tbilisi City Court basically considered arguments of plaintiffs and, by its decision of October 7, 2021, ordered defendants JSC Georgian Railway, the Ministry of Internal Affairs and Abasha Municipality City Hall to pay reimbursement of material (compensation, medical expenses, funeral expenses) and moral damages in favor of plaintiffs". In the court, interests of those affected were defended by The Georgian Young Lawyers’ Association. Read more… Source: gyla.ge

Tbilisi. The Human Rights Center has published an interim report: “Monitoring of trials of allegedly politically motivated cases”. “The interim report reflects results of monitoring of trials of allegedly politically motivated criminal and administrative cases that took place from February 1 to August 10, 2021. The report also incorporates results of monitoring of court hearings on the fact of attack on a media representative due to his professional activities (allegedly on political grounds)". Read more… Source:www.hrc.ge

Mtskheta-Mtianeti. On October 9 at Château Mukhrani the Rondeli Foundation organized a training session on negotiations for the public servants enrolled in the Program Capacity-Building of the Georgian Leadership Community for Improved Decision-making and Negotiation Skillls (CBGL). Read more… Source: The organization’s page on the social network

Tbilisi. On October 11, the Office of the Public Defender of Georgia, with the support of the United Nations Development Program (UNDP), organized an online conference dedicated to the World Mental Health Day. The subject of the conference was – “Provision of mental health services during the COVID-19 pandemic”. “There was discussed at the conference the quality of provision of psychiatric inpatient and community outpatient services during the pandemic. Besides, participants of the conference also talked about mental health and impact of COVID-19 on people with mental health problems”. Read more… Source: ombudsman.ge

Tbilisi. The British Embassy Tbilisi and UNDP are launching a new stage of their support to the public administration reform. “This fundamental transformation has been initiated by the Government of Georgia to modernise governance systems and build stronger democratic institutions”. Read more… Source: www.ge.undp.org Photo: Nino Zedginidze/UNDP

Tbilisi. Partnership for Human Rights (PHR) publishes an article about sexual and reproductive health and rights of people with intellectual disabilities. “Restriction of sexuality, sexual self-expression and reproductive rights of people with disabilities has a long history. Nowadays, there are restrictive views about sexual life of people with disabilities remaining within society. According to these views, people with disabilities, and especially people with intellectual disabilities are perceived as “permanent children” who have no sexual desire. One of the best ways to change these views is to conduct public discussion of conclusions that are part of scientific sources and touch upon sexual as well as reproductive rights of people with disabilities”. Read more… Source: phr.ge

Tbilisi. Public Defender expresses sorrow over the Batumi tragedy and offers her condolences to the families of the deceased. „The horrible incident showed the importance of civil responsibility, as well as the tightening of state regulations, elimination and supervision of illegal constructions. The causes of this great tragedy, which may be caused by seemingly insignificant negligence, are yet unknown. That is why it is the duty of every citizen to be careful and not to act only in their own interests, which may put them and others around them at risk“. Read more… Source: www.ombudsman.ge

Adjara. Social Justice Center responds to the tragedy occurred in Batumi and extends its condolences to families of those deceased and their relatives. The organization considers that at the initial stage it is important to provide legal and social support to the affected families, as well as to seek fair and decent ways necessary for compensation of material and moral damage. "Collapse of a five-story residential building in Batumi is likely to be a consequence of poor construction regulation and technical supervision. While improper fulfilment of their obligations by agencies responsible for agreement of construction permit conditions is a systemic problem”, - is noted in the statement released by the organization. Read more… Source: socialjustice.org.ge Photo: Batumelebi.ge