Tbilisi. To tackle the impacts of COVID-19, Europe Foundation offered additional support to social enterprises previously awarded grants. Several organizations benefited from this support while dealing with the tasks facing them. “The COVID-19 pandemic weighed particularly heavily on social enterprises due, in large part, to the fact that many operate in the field of tourism or in tourism-related sectors, e.g., traditional crafts and handmade objects. Compounding this, the business models used by social enterprises focuses on employing vulnerable categories. Hence, a large part of their staff are persons with disabilities and are in COVID-19’s higher risk group. Further, social enterprises lack the skills needed to ensure digital transformations, which proved to be a key technical solution during the pandemic. Some social enterprises, however, remained flexible as they tried to navigate through the challenges. Their approaches were designed to respond effectively to the COVID-19 restrictions. Enterprises in the catering and tourism sectors, however, are still confronting insurmountable challenges”, - is mentioned in the information of the Europe Foundation, - “Below are stories on how social enterprises tackled the coronavirus crisis”. Read more  Source: The web-page of the organization

On July 21-22, within the framework of a field working meeting, an Open Government Permanent Parliamentary Council and members of an Advisory Group, operating under the Council, discussed submitted initiatives aiming to elaborate an Action Plan of the Open Parliament of Georgia for 2020-2021 years. The working meeting was conducted within the framework of the European Union (EU) and the United Nations Development Program (UNDP) project – “Consolidating Parliamentary Democracy in Georgia”. At the working meeting, recommendations and proposals in regard to commitments under the action plan were presented by representatives of the United Nations Development Program (UNDP), the Institute for Development of Freedom of Information (IDFI), USAID/GGI, the National Democratic Institute (NDI), the Georgian Young Lawyers’ Association (GYLA), Transparency International Georgia (TI) and Public Defender of Georgia. Proposed initiatives aim at enhancing openness of activities of the legislative body as well as increasing proactivity and transparency of lawmaking and oversight activities of the Parliament. Most of the recommendations ensure raise of accessibility to information through the website of the Parliament and support increase of a list of proactively publishable and easily editable data. Read more…  Source: https://idfi.ge

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...

IDFI reviewed position of Georgia in The UN E-Government Survey 2020.  “Georgia’s scores in terms of e-government and e-participation have slightly improved in the UN E-Government Survey 2020. Although the country has dropped by 5 positions in the e-government ranking, it advanced by 7 positions in the e-participation ranking. Comparing to other countries in the region, it becomes apparent that Georgia is losing momentum in this field, and is slowly losing the opportunity of becoming a leading nation in the region in terms of e-government reforms”, - is mentioned in the information published by the organization. Read more  Source: The web-page of the organization

Delegation of the European Union to Georgia published an interview with Carl Hartzell, Ambassador of the European Union to Georgia.  How the EU supports the development of different fields in Georgia and how this support helps the country overcome challenges – this are issues the EU Ambassador talks about.  Read more  Source: Page in the social network

Tbilisi. IDFI will provide the comprehensive analysis of the several dozens of documents about Georgia contained of Yeltsin Center. Today the organization offers the first part of the documents preserved in the Center, which refers to the period of Zviad Gamsakhurdia's presidency (1991).  “The activities of the Yeltsin Center in Russia are not unequivocally perceived. Influential public figure Nikita Mikhalkov protested against the center several times, also LDPR members organized protests in front of the center's building. In 2016, more than 6,000 activists signed a petition on change.org to shut down the Yeltsin Center because it distorted the history. The center's activities have been repeatedly hampered due to the fact that it has often given a space to liberals. Therefore, we believe that it is necessary to download documents related to Georgia and store them in another, more secure place, because it’s unclear when the center and its website will have a problem of functioning. Especially due to the reason that there have been a number of facts when the Russian archives have classified already published documents”, - is mentioned in the information published by IDFI.  Read more   Source: The web-page of the organization

Tbilisi. Today, Human Rights Education and Monitoring Center (EMC) is going to presents to the public a study – “Needs of ethnic minorities, Public Broadcaster and the pandemic”. “On March 23, 2020, Marneuli and Bolnisi, two regions densely populated with ethnic minorities, were closed due to internal spread of the new coronavirus (Radio Liberty, 2020). A light panic that followed the threat of uncontrolled spread of the virus in the country, soon transitioned into another wave of xenophobia and nationalism, which fact was most clearly reflected in comments of users in a social network Facebook (Kevanishvili, 2020). During the following days, population, locked up in regions declared as “red zones”, had to simultaneously fight against the coronavirus, the fear of economic poverty and ethno-nationalism. Instead of spending efforts of local activists on dissemination of information related to the coronavirus, prevention of the virus and avoiding economic complications, they had to launch an internet campaign, main message of which was – “I am a citizen of Georgia”, - is stated in the introduction to the study. Read more… Source: The website of the organization

Within the framework of a social campaign “This Country Is Yours”, the Civil Society Institute has started public meetings with young people in regions of Georgia... At meetings, attended by popular people, youngsters are informed about civil society, civic values and activities of civil society organizations; participants of meetings are going to receive an almanac, which is prepared within the framework of the campaign and brings together thoughts of the best sons of Georgia in regard to freedom, justice and democracy, as well as physical maps of the world, Europe, region and Georgia, including important information printed on them, promotional products of the campaign. There will also be conducted an award ceremony for winners of a youth competition of the “This Country Is Yours” campaign at public meetings. This competition was carried out all over the country and about 150 teams of senior schoolchildren participated in it. Winners – schoolchildren and their curator teachers - who were identified by a jury, consisting of teachers and representatives of civil society organizations, are going to be given notebooks as a gift. The first public meeting and the first award ceremony of winners were held today, in Gori. Until August 15, the team of the Civil Society Institute will conduct 15 more such meetings in Shida Kartli, Kakheti, Samtskhe-Javakheti, Kvemo Kartli, Mtskheta-Mtianeti, Racha-Lechkhumi-Kvemo Svaneti, Imereti, Adjara, Guria and Samegrelo. The purpose of the “This Country Is Yours” social campaign is to facilitate enhancement of civil society in Georgia and increase awareness of civil society organizations; to convey values and functions of civil society organizations, as well as the essence of their activities to population properly and demonstrate the importance of civic activism. The campaign is carried out within the framework of the “Civil Society Sustainability Initiative” project. The “Civil Society Sustainability Initiative” project is implemented by the Konrad Adenauer Foundation (KAS) in collaboration with the Civil Society Institute (CSI), the Center for Training Consultancy (CTC), the Center for Strategic Research and Development of Georgia (CSRDG) and the Education Development and Employment Center (EDEC). The project is funded by the European Union and the Konrad Adenauer Foundation.

Imereti. Local Democracy Agency Georgia held consultations in the Chiatura municipalities with civil servants responsible for CSO relations as well other public servants. The consultations were conducted as part of the project "Civil Society Development Initiative".  The meeting focused on the challenges posed by COVID19 and identified topics in which civil society organizations continue to work actively.  The Project ”Georgian Civil Society Sustainability Initiative” was developed and is implemented by the consortium led by the Konrad ¬Adenauer¬ Stiftung in cooperation with four Georgian Civil Society Organizations: Civil Society Institute (CSI), Center for Training and Consultancy (CTC), Center for Strategic Research and Development of Georgia (CSRDG) and Education Development and Employment Center (EDEC).The project is funded by the European Union and co-funded by the Konrad Adenauer Stiftung.  Read more  Source: The page in the social network

From August 2020, Facebook will make authorization for election and political advertisements in Georgia mandatory.  It is stated in a letter , which Gabriella Cseh, Facebook Public Policy Director for Central and Eastern Europe, sent to Georgian non-governmental organizations and media in response.  Read more…  Source: www.humanrights.ge

Tbilisi. International Society for Fair Elections and Democracy (ISFED) publishes a policy document – “Postponed summit of Eastern Partnership (EaP) – Appraisal of expectations and outcomes of Georgia”. “The sixth summit of Eastern Partnership (EaP) was scheduled for June 18, 2020 in Brussels, however, due to the COVID-19 pandemic, the summit is going to physically take place in March 2021”, - is stated in the document, - “postponement of the summit may become an opportunity for Georgia to spend more efforts until the next year in order to have the European Union policy towards Eastern Partnership countries, especially those associated, move to a new stage of relations”. Read more… Source:The website of the organization

Tbilisi. With support from the European Union, the two UN sister agencies will work with government bodies and civil society partners in six countries to challenge deeply ingrained gender stereotypes, increase men’s involvement in domestic work and childcare, and engage with potential perpetrators to prevent gender-based violence. Read more... Source: georgia.unfpa.org

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 first independent report on progress of Georgia in 20 eastern partnership deliverables for 2020 has been prepared with the participation of 14 civil society organizations and experts from research organizations. “The report covers all five priority areas of the Eastern Partnership: cross-cutting deliverables, stronger economy, stronger governance, stronger connectivity and stronger society. The overview on each deliverable contains analysis of the progress, results achieved and remaining challenges encountered in implementing 20 deliverables for 2020”. Read more… Source: isfed.ge

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. Are you interested in training courses, conferences, academic exchanges, research grants and more? Check out the EU-funded opportunities here... Source: EU’s page in the social network

Tbilisi. On July 9, at 13:00, on behalf of the Georgian Institute of Politics (GIP) and in partnership with International Society for Fair Elections and Democracy (ISFED) there will be conducted a presentation of a report: "Georgia’s Implementation of 20 Eastern Partnership Deliverables for 2020”. Please register here and choose one thematic session Read more… Source: The website of the organization in a social network

Tbilisi. Signatory organizations express their extreme concern in regard to possible removal of fundamental records from the labor reform at the Parliament of Georgia and send an open letter to international organizations.  “This bill aims at bringing the Georgian Labor Code closer to international human rights standards and best practices. Proposed changes touch upon fundamental rights of workers, however the bill has appeared under attack from private interest and business lobby both formally at the Parliament and informally as it seems. As a result, its adoption is in jeopardy today. There are only a few sessions remaining until the end of the spring session and the risk of the bill being delayed or dropped increases gradually. This fact puts also fulfillment of obligations, committed through the Association Agreement, in doubt”, - is noted in the joint statement.  Read more… Source: gyla.ge

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...

Join Civil Match to find partners in 10 countries, generate common projects and get ready to apply for funding. It's a 2,5 day immersive matchmaking for civil society actors in Armenia, Azerbaijan, Belarus, France, Georgia, Germany, Moldova, Poland, Russia and Ukraine. NGOs, foundations, media, youth associations, higher education institutions, culture professionals are welcome to apply. Deadline is July, 22th, but do apply beforehand — more opportunities to come for early birds...

Tbilisi. The Open Governance Permanent Parliamentary Council held first remote sitting. The meeting was led by the Chairman of the Council, Mr. Kakha Kuchava, who discussed the current activities and future plans of the Council. Giorgi Kakhiani and Nino Tsilosani, members of the Open Government Permanent Parliamentary Council, presented an interim report on the Council's activities for 2020 and summarized the progress of the action plan implementation. The abovementioned remote sitting of the Council was attended by the representatives of NGOs and international organizations as well as the members of the Consultative Group under the Council. It should be mentioned that the Open Governance Permanent Parliamentary Council is implementing its commitments under the OGP Action Plan in cooperation with the Consultative Group. Read more… Source: idfi.ge

Tbilisi. The undersigned organizations would like to respond to the statement of H.E. Hubert Knirsch, the Ambassador of the Federal Republic of Germany to Georgia, posted on the embassy’s official Facebook page on June 25. The statement was in response to the Georgian NGOs’ critical assessment of Ms. Sopio Kiladze’s nomination for the membership to the United Nations Committee on the Rights of the Child (CRC). Ms. Kiladze is the member of the Parliament of Georgia. We believe that the state-nominated candidate in Georgia vastly lacks personal and professional integrity and is notorious for her openly confrontational attitude to the civil society that is critical of her public statements and work. There have been myriad of well-documented instances of Ms. Kiladze’s verbal abuse of human rights defenders and activists, homophobic and discriminatory public statements, public display of selective approaches to human rights protection, particularly with regard to the LGBTQI community and children. This has been the common practice of the candidate to such an extent that the civil society had to resort to the various forms of open protest on several occasions[i]. Various international and local organizations and the media have reported these facts. We would, therefore, like to underline that the statement made by the NGOs is not an attack of a personal nature, but the candid assessment of the facts that disqualify the nominated candidate from taking the CRC membership. It is not only desirable, but also the duty of the civil society organizations to call out such a lack of integrity, selective application of human rights by the candidate and disregard of the procedures by the nominating state. Read more… Source: phrgeorgia.wordpress.com