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. The Economic Policy Research Center (EPRC) publishes an article of Grigol Mgaloblishvili – “Post-pandemic world order: Perspective from Georgia”. The publication is funded by Black Sea Trust for Regional Cooperation - The German Marshall Fund of the United States. Read more…  Source:The website of the organization in a social network

Tbilisi. The Georgian Young Lawyers’ Association (GYLA) responds to resignation of Lasha Komakhidze, Mayor of Batumi, on July 16.  “As GYLA considers, manipulation of deadlines by Mayor and the ruling majority is disrespect to voters. By taking this step, they have deprived residents of the city of the opportunity to appoint Head of their own city themselves, to make a political choice”, - is stated on the website of the organization.  Read more… Source: gyla.ge

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

Tbilisi. According to information released by Transparency International Georgia, television of Deputy Chairman of Ninotsminda City Assembly wins tenders at Ninotsminda Municipality without competition. “Parvana”, a TV-radio Company of Konstantin Vardanyan, Deputy Chairman of Ninotsminda City Assembly, received GEL320645 from the Ninotsminda budget within the period from 2014 to date, when Vardanyan was appointed to his position. 9 out of 12 purchase agreements, obtained in seven years, “Parvana” signed with Ninotsminda City Hall and its NNLEs. After appointing Vardanyan to his position, “Parvana” received also a space of 273 sq.m. free of charge from City Hall in Ninotsminda”, - is stated on the website of the organization. Read more… Source: transparency.ge

Tbilisi. Human Rights Education and Monitoring Center (EMC) responds to the ecological crisis existing in Rustavi and calls on the Parliament of Georgia to pass initiated legislative amendments in regard to environmental responsibility immediately. “Polluted air can cause serious and multifaceted damage to human health. Polluted air increases risks of infertility, various oncological and cardiovascular diseases, cognitive impairment, respiratory problems”. Read more… Source: emc.org.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. International Society for Fair Elections and Democracy (ISFED) publishes a policy document of Tatia Kinkladze, a lawyer of the organization: Why are gender quotas needed? “Enactment of a gender quota mechanism is not the only and sufficient guarantee that unequal treatment and discrimination against women will be weakened. It is important to continue the process of reforming anti-discrimination legislation and introduce mechanisms that are going to facilitate economic empowerment of women, effective investigation of gender-based violent actions and their prevention, as well as eradication of those systemic problems that lead to inequality against women”. Read more… Source: isfed.ge

Tbilisi. The Georgian Young Lawyers’ Association (GYLA) negatively appraises a decision of the Parliament of Georgia, according to which the Government of Georgia is granted authority until January 1, 2021 to restrict rights on the basis of by-laws. “We consider that although adoption of relevant regulations related to spread of the new coronavirus serves a legitimate purpose, granting authority to the Government of Georgia to restrict rights indicated in the bill still does not comply with the standard of the Constitution of Georgia and the above mentioned restrictions should be applied in accordance with law”, - is stated on the website of the organization. Read more… Source: gyla.ge

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

Tbilisi. Soviet Past Research Laboratory addresses the Government of Georgia with a statement. “It is more than 4 months already that state archives and the National Parliamentary Library have been restricted to receive citizens and provide services to them due to announcement of the Coronavirus pandemic and imposition of respective measures - quarantine and prohibition of mass gatherings at public spaces. It has been almost 1 month since most of the public and private institutions resumed to serve citizens, taking into account appropriate measures of protection against the virus. Unfortunately, state archives and the Parliamentary Library are still closed. There is no information available on when they are going to resume their work. Considering the threat posed by the pandemic, community of researchers and readers adequately appraised imposed restrictions during recent months. These restrictions have created a lot of obstacles to us in the research process. Following to the current situation today, we demand to have these institutions resume reception of researchers and readers as soon as possible, taking into account respective security measures”, - is stated in the address. Read more… Source: sovlab.ge

Tbilisi. The South Caucasus Regional Office of the Heinrich Boell Foundation publishes an article of Giorgi Rajebashvili: Impact of mass tourism on the Kazbegi region. In the publication you will read about dangers that accompany an arbitrarily and chaotically developed mass/overloaded tourism in the absence of a tourism strategy. Outcomes of this fact can already be observed in the Stepantsminda region. Read more… Source: ge.boell.org

Tbilisi. Human Rights Education and Monitoring Center (EMC) responds to violent conflicts occurred during the last period of time and calls on the Ministry of Internal Affairs to carry out systemic reforms in a timely manner. According to the appraisal of the organization, “changes, made in recent years, have not become the basis for establishment of a truly depoliticized, accountable and human rights-oriented law enforcement system. There is still a feeling in the society that there are dangers of influencing law enforcement agencies, risks of biased investigation, impunity and expectations of low accountability of the law enforcement system to the public”. Read more… Source: emc.org.ge

Tbilisi. According to an information of the UN Women Georgia, the Parliament of Georgia adopted a package of amendments to the Law of Georgia on Elimination of Domestic Violence, Protection and Support of Victims of Domestic Violence and other accompanying laws. “According to the changes, it will be possible to establish a GPS electronic monitoring system to track high-risk DV offenders. The technology provides an early warning system that enables law enforcement to intervene before a crime is committed”. Read more… Source: The organization’s page in the social network

Tbilisi. Within the framework of the 37th session of the United Nations Universal Periodic Review (UPR), organizations, working on human rights, presented a coalition alternative report on sexual and reproductive health and rights in Georgia.  “The report contains an appraisal of measures taken by Georgia in terms of sexual and reproductive health and rights since 2015 to date and a review of issues related to protection of specific groups and rights by the state”.  Read more… Source: emc.org.ge

The European Union in Georgia and UNDP Georgia today released a survey that assesses the impact of COVID-19 lockdowns on the packaging value chain businesses in Georgia... Source: EU’s page in the social network

Tbilisi. The Georgian Young Lawyers’ Association (GYLA) presented Report N14 on monitoring of criminal proceedings. “The report serves to identify practical and legislative gaps, as well as positive trends, through attending criminal proceedings and analyzing revealed cases. It contains criminal proceedings related matters within the period from March 2019 to February 2020, that is when GYLA carried out monitoring of 2744 court hearings. Besides, it reflects key trends from the beginning of monitoring to date”, - is stated on the website of the organization. Read more… Source: gyla.ge

Tbilisi. On July 13, there was held an online presentation of the project – “Youth volunteering in response to the COVID 19 pandemic in Georgia”. The large-scale volunteer project is implemented by a non-governmental organization “Helping Hand” with the support of the United Nations International Children’s Fund UNICEF Georgia.  “At the online presentation, those interested in the project, as well as adolescents and young people, willing to participate in it, met with: Ghassan Khalil, Representative of the United Nations International Children’s Fund in Georgia; Nina Ferencic, a Regional Office of the United Nations International Children’s Fund for Europe and Central Asia, Senior Adviser on HIV/AIDS and Young People’s Health and Development; Revaz Charkviani - Head of Youth Agency Tinatin Meskhi - Executive Director of “Helping Hand”, a non-governmental organization. The project consists of several stages and at the initial stage is going to bring together more than 150 volunteers across the country. They will acquire professional experience and knowledge, develop necessary skills, make new friends and, what’s the most important, manage to plan useful volunteer activities in their communities and help others. The youthvolunteering.ge platform, created within the framework of the project, will enable all adolescents and young people living in Georgia to engage in volunteering activities and receive consultations from both local and international experts in regard to volunteering issues”, - is stated on the website of the organization in a social network.  Read more…  Source: The website of the organization in a social network

Tbilisi. On July 8, within the framework of the third cycle of the Universal Periodic Review (UPR), Human Rights Education and Monitoring Center (EMC), Georgian Young Lawyers Association (GYLA) and Partnership for Human Rights (PHR) presented a coalition report at the United Nations Human Rights Council.  “The report covers the period of 2015-2020 years and appraises progress and challenges of ensuring certain social and economic rights”.  Read more… Source: emc.org.ge

Tbilisi. The International Society for Fair Elections and Democracy has been monitoring the pre-election period of the October 31, 2020 elections of the Parliament of Georgia since June 1. “The monitoring is carried out with the support of the United States Agency for International Development (USAID) and the European Union. The first interim report on the monitoring of the pre-election period mainly covers the period from June 1 through July 4, 2020, as well as developments that have been initiated before June 1 and continued also during the monitoring period”, - is stated on the website of the organization. Read more… Source: isfed.ge