Tbilisi. The Georgian Young Lawyers” Association prepared a document – “Strategic litigation against the construction of large hydropower projects”.  “Large hydropower projects especially affect local population, change their living conditions as well as have an obvious and inevitable impact on the environment. “Analysis of construction projects shows that the process of issuing permits by the state is carried out with improper involvement of local residents, procedural and substantive shortcomings, which causes fair protests of the population”, - is stated in the document.  Read more…  Source: The website of the organization in a social network

To support practical training in six vocational colleges, we provided GEL 800,000 worth of agriculture machinery and food processing equipment.  This initiative was implemented with funds from the Swiss Development Cooperation in partnership with the Ministry of Education, Science, Culture, and Sport of Georgia.  Read more…  Source: The page in the social network

Tbilisi. “Rights Georgia” addresses the Government of Georgia and demands to stop the extradition of a citizen of Georgia from Italy to Russia. “Rights Georgia” appeals to relevant authorities of Georgia to take effective steps in order to stop the extradition of Boris Tsiklauri, a citizen of Georgia detained in Italy, to the Russian Federation and return him to his homeland”, - is noted in the statement, - “Rights Georgia” calls on the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Georgia to take effective and timely steps to stop the extradition of Tsiklauri; the Embassy of Georgia in Italy - to provide support to the Tsiklauri family in the process of obtaining available legal assistance. “Rights Georgia” expresses its readiness to represent interests of Tsiklauri before the European Court of Human Rights once domestic legal mechanisms in Italy are exhausted”. Read more… Source: The website of the organization

Tbilisi. The Center for Strategic Research and Development of Georgia developed a petition demanding product safety control.  "Safety requirements for the absolute majority of consumer products in Georgia are not defined and state control does not apply. The life and health of citizens of Georgia, including those of future generations, are not protected. We consider that the Parliament of Georgia has to ensure safety requirements for all types of consumer products are defined in the shortest possible time and set state control over security in place, similar to the EU model”, - is stated by the authors of the petition.  Read more… Source: The website of the organization in a social network

The EU Spokesperson makes a statement on the judgement of the European Court of Human Rights. “The ruling clearly concludes that after 12 August 2008 the Russian Federation, exercising effective control over South Ossetia and Abkhazia, violated several provisions of the European Convention of Human Rights”, - is mentioned in the statement, - “Achieving justice and accountability is an important part of conflict resolution and the EU calls upon the Russian Federation to ensure the proper follow-up of the ruling. The European Union is fully committed to supporting conflict resolution, which also requires efforts to address the legacy of past conflicts”. Read more…  Source: eeas.europa.eu

Tbilisi. U.S. Embassy in Georgia published a statement on Judgement of the European Court of Human Rights. “In the state-to-state case of Georgia v. Russia on the 2008 Russia-Georgia War, the Court ruled clearly in favor of Georgia and found Russia responsible for violating multiple articles of the European Convention of Human Rights, including by detaining and torturing individuals, and denying Georgian citizens the right to return to their homes“, - is mentioned in the statement, - “The Court’s ruling adds further weight to the international community’s demand that Russia cease its blatant violations of Georgia’s sovereignty and territorial integrity. Russia's attempts to control and exploit the Georgian regions of Abkhazia and South Ossetia through borderization, arbitrary detentions, restrictions of movement across the administrative boundary lines, and establishment of socio-economic and military "agreements” between Russia and the two Georgian regions are particularly concerning and unacceptable”. Read more…  Source: The page in the social network

Tbilisi. Female Experts to be Employed in Regional Departments of Samkharauli National Forensics Bureau following Public Defender’s Recommendation.  “The Public Defender welcomes the readiness of Samkharauli National Forensics Bureau to comply with the Public Defender's recommendation and employ female experts in the regional departments of the Bureau in order to create an equal and dignified environment for female victims of sexual violence, as well as to conduct training for the staff of Tbilisi and regional offices on the psychological aspects of proper communication with victims of sexual violence”, - is mentioned in the information the Public Defender’s office spared.  Read more…   Source: The web-page of the organization

Georgia. More than 700 farmers from all over Georgia participated in training programs organized by FAO in 2020 with the support of the European Union (EU), under the ENPARD program. FAO international and local agronomists conducted a comprehensive training program through hands-on field training throughout the country.  The sessions covered many critically-important topics, including soil preparation and seed selection, irrigation, harvesting, post-harvest storage, and transportation to the markets. With more than 40 demonstration plots established in various regions of Georgia, the country's farmers have had the opportunity to observe and learn the best agricultural practices in the field first-hand. Many of these farmers have already succeeded in bringing these modern innovations to their plots and enjoyed the benefits.  Read more…   Source: The web-page of the organization

Samtskhe-Javakheti. Transparency International Georgia published Outcomes of 2019-2020 Activities of Concerned Citizens in Samtskhe-Javakheti. “Active citizens residing in Samtskhe-Javakheti joined TI Georgia’s CCCs in 2019. That year, they identified up to 30 infrastructural needs in the total of 14 settlements in Akhaltsikhe and adjacent villages: among the problems were the situation prevailing in kindergartens, irrigation system, outdoor lighting, poor condition of internal village roads as well as that of the sidewalks, curbs and traffic lights in Akhaltsikhe”, - declares the organization. Read more…  Source: The web-page of the organization

Tbilisi. The Human Rights Education and Monitoring Center publish an overview of the January 21 decision of the European Court of Human Rights related to the August 2008 war. “On January 21, the European Court of Human Rights published a historic decision on the case of Georgia v. The Russian Federation, which contains an appraisal of issues related to the responsibility of the Russian Federation for practices of breach of human rights during and after the August 2008 war. In regard to this case, the European Court of Human Rights discussed the legal liability of the Russian Federation within the occupied territories for the first time and assumed that Russia has an actual control there due to the deployment of Russian military troops in these territories, political, military, humanitarian support to de facto authorities and agreements signed with them as well as other assistance practices. Therefore, the responsibility for facts of violation of rights in these regions falls within the jurisdiction of the Russian Federation. In this case, the European Court found that the Russian Federation breached a number of rights, including those to the prohibition of torture and ill-treatment, life, the prohibition of unlawful detention, privacy, movement, and property”. Read more… Source: The website of the organization

The Georgian Young Lawyers’ Association explains a decision made by the Grand Chamber of the European Court of Human Rights on January 21, 2021, in regard to violations committed by the Russian Federation during the August 2008 war. The explanation covers all Articles, which Georgia was arguing with Russia about, and the consequences that the Strasbourg decision entailed. In the submitted complaint Georgia was affirming that Russia, applying it as an administrative practice, facilitated/allowed its armed forces and separatist groups under their control to carry out chaotic and disproportionate attacks on civilians and their property. Overall, the complaint concerned the violation of 8 Articles of the European Convention. Read more… Source: The website of the organization

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 history of the social enterprise “Kombinizona” ("Overalls") began with a 10-year action plan, a borrowed sewing machine, and a unique concept of a small showroom. The innovative sewing factory ISF Georgia's first multi-brand social enterprise produces therapeutic designer clothes based on the research of “Colour Acceptance in Georgia”. The COVID19 pandemic challenged many businesses, including “Kobminezona”. Yet, despite the crisis, and with the EU support, the multi-brand adaptive apparel company not only could create jobs but also increased the number of employed people with disabilities. Today, the enterprise employs 60-70 people, half of them PWD. Read more…  Source: The web-page of the organization

Kvemo Kartli. Founded in 2007 CaucasPack produces disposable packaging materials. In the spring of 2020, when Georgia introduced strict regulations to prevent the spread of COVID19, the company, like most other business operators, faced many difficulties.  With the support of the European Union and the United Nations Development Program, in response to the COVID19 crisis CaucasPack adjusted its production and managed to retain all of its 99 employees.  Read more…   Source: The web-page of the organization

Tbilisi. The Human Rights Education and Monitoring Center (EMC) responds to the fact of trespassing by Russian soldiers into Georgian-controlled territory and detention of citizens, fleeing Abkhazia, near the village of Khurcha. The organization calls on the Government to enhance security measures along the occupation line and ensure proper protection of the security of the population living in surrounding villages. “It is critically important to urge: the Government of Georgia to carry out intensive negotiations and take diplomatic actions in order to restore traffic regime with occupied regions and lift arbitrary restrictions on freedom of movement; the Government of Georgia to take additional political and diplomatic actions so as to establish a regular independent monitoring mechanism along dividing lines with the involvement of international actors; the State Security Services and the Ministry of Internal Affairs to provide constant patrolling along dividing lines and surrounding villages in order to ensure the security of population there”, - is noted in the statement released by the organization. Read more… Source: The website of the organization

Tbilisi. Civil society organizations released a statement in regard to the briefing of the Public Defender. “Civil society organizations express their support to the Public Defender and call on relevant state agencies to investigate the existence of a criminal subculture at penitentiary institutions and ensure the security of convicts. Besides, to guarantee safe and adequate working conditions for staff of the Public Defender at penitentiary institutions”, - is noted in the statement. Read more… Source: gyla.ge

Tbilisi. The EU Delegation in Georgia devotes an extensive article to the misinformation surrounding the vaccination against COVID-19. “Vaccinations are one of the greatest successes in public health. We read about diseases like smallpox in history books, rather than news websites, precisely because of vaccines, which helped to eradicate them. However, since the beginning of the pandemic there has been a huge volume of misleading information and blatant conspiracy theories about vaccines. In fact, the “vaccine scare” has been present in the undergrowth of information space for quite some time, successfully exploited by disinformation actors, state and non-state”, - We read in the article, - “Just like vaccines can provide immunity to viruses, including COVID-19, we can build immunity to disinformation”. Read more…  Source: The web-page of the organization

Tbilisi. Public Defender makes a special statement on the situation in penitentiary establishments.  “In 2020, the Public Defender of Georgia published a special report, in which we talked about the fact that the management model of semi-open establishments was based on an informal hierarchy of prisoners, where the so-called "prison watchers" provide fictitious order, which aims to silence prisoners and prevent them from talking about their problems”, - is mentioned in the statement, - “The publication of this report was followed by public attacks on the Public Defender and illegal actions by the Minister of Justice and the Penitentiary Service, as a result of which, it has become not only difficult but also dangerous for the representatives of the Public Defender's Office to carry out visits and monitoring at the penitentiary establishments”.  Read more…   Source: The web-page of the organization

Tbilisi. The Institute for Development of Freedom of Information and the Georgian Young Lawyers’ Association released a joint statement regarding the implementation of OECD-SIGMA recommendations.  “A joint project of the Organization for Economic Co-operation and Development and the European Union on Support for Improvement in Governance and Management (SIGMA) in Georgia, within the framework of the Public Administration Reform (PAR), evaluated a policy planning and coordination direction. Out of 21 short-term recommendations, presented in the 2018 baseline assessment of SIGMA, by 2020, seven have been fully implemented, 10 – incompletely, while four have not been fulfilled yet”, - is noted in the statement.  Read more…  Source: gyla.ge

Imereti. TI published 2019-2020 Activities of Transparency International Georgia’s Committees of Concerned Citizens in Imereti.  “Improving the system of public transport in Kutaisi, resolving the problems with a drinking water supply and outdoor lamp-posts in the villages of Tskaltubo and Tkibuli, rehabilitation and paving of roads in various municipalities – this is but a small list of implemented projects advocated by the members of Transparency International Georgia’s (TI Georgia) Committees of Concerned Citizens (CCCs) to the corresponding municipalities. In 2019, our CCC members in Imereti identified 38 problems, and local self-government authorities resolved 15 of them in 2020 using municipal budget resources”, - is mentioned in the information published by TI.  Read more…   Source: The web-page of the organization

Tbilisi. By the Council of Europe within the regional project ‘Strengthening Institutional Frameworks for Local Governance”, IDFI was developed as a free Handbook on Transparency and Citizen Participation, for employees at public and local governmental sectors. By the organization, the Handbook consists of four chapters and combines the most important topics for the public service and local authorities such as Public Ethics and Accountability, Corruption Risks, Transparency, and Citizen Involvement in the decision-making process. To further analyze the issues of the Handbook there are many practical cases from Georgia. At the same time, the interested readers can see the list of the regulatory and recommendatory international documents which can be useful sources for acquiring additional information. Read more…  Source: The web-page of the organization

Tbilisi. Part of civil society organizations responds to developments that occurred in the village of Buknari and calls on the Government to start fundamental reforms in the field of religious freedom. “It is important to state that constructiveness of local Christian and Muslim communities and support provided by state agencies allowed the goal of de-escalation of the conflict and reconciliation in the village of Buknari to be achieved. However, we consider that it is essential to urge government agencies to study systemic legal, political, and social causes of such religious persecution, harassment, conflict, and alienation practice, and respond to it with positive intervention and reforms at legislative and institutional, as well as macro and micro social levels”, - is noted in the statement. Read more… Source: The website of the organization