Tbilisi. The Delegation of the European Union to Georgia issues the following statement in agreement with the EU Heads of Mission. “The Covid-19 pandemic is an unprecedented challenge that has forced countries, citizens and governments to drastically change the way we live. It impacts everybody. Its negative effects are particularly hard for people in vulnerable situations. The immediate and necessary measures adopted to address the health and economic challenges should not leave anyone behind, including those already living below the poverty line, internally displaced persons and persons with disabilities, victims of gender-based and domestic violence and people and children living on the streets. The EU and its Member States are supporting the government and a number of state and civil society organisations in their actions to help those most affected by the pandemic. Grants provided to civil society organisations, including through the so-called Rapid Reaction Mechanism, allow them to provide immediate support to vulnerable groups. In a crisis like this, all parts of a democratic society play a crucial role, wherefore an enabling environment for a pluralistic civil society is more important than ever. No one is immune to the effects of this pandemic and no one should be left behind”. Read more… Source: eeas.europa.eu

Tbilisi. Web portal on human rights in Georgia publishes an article: Presumable purpose of the leak of the Georgian voters’ data base. “On March 30, news portal Zdnet reported about the hacked data base of the Georgian voters, which was published online. On Saturday, March 28, the personal data of more than 4,9 million citizens of Georgia (including deceased people) were published on a hacker forum (1.04 GB MDB file), which contained such personal data like: first name, surname, place of birth, ID number”. Read more… Source: humanrights.ge

Tbilisi. Human Rights Education and Monitoring Center (EMC) publishes a recommendation of the Ombudsperson that was issued by her in regard to cases of Shorena Glonti, Maia Merkviladze and Teona Bakuridze, those dismissed from Adjara TV and Radio of Public Broadcaster. “It is important to note that in her comprehensive recommendation the Public Defender substantially agrees with the legal justification and argumentation, which has been presented by EMC in lawsuits, already submitted in court on all three cases. EMC will share the text of the recommendation with the court soon and we hope that opinions of the Public Defender will further enhance the process of protection of legal interests and rights of Shorena Glonti, Maia Merkviladze and Teona Bakuridze”, - is stated on the website of the organization. Read more… Source: emc.org.ge

The project will develop Facebook and TV versions of a video based on the World Health Organization’s recommendations. The project will develop Facebook and TV versions of a video based on the World Health Organization’s recommendations. The video is intended to deliver the following messages: Everyone’s efforts have to be directed against the disease and not COVID-positive individuals; People should unite in helping the vulnerable; Discrimination and stigmatization are unacceptable. Read more… Source: ewmi-prolog.org

Tbilisi. The Institute for Development of Freedom of Information (IDFI), together with other representatives of civil society, presented commitments to the Secretariat of the Open Governance Inter-Agency Coordination Council. These commitments were distributed to relevant state agencies for review. “Commitments, presented by the organization, are based on the best international practices, including commitments assumed by OGP member states, and aim at enhancing engagement of citizens and the rule of law, increasing data access and freedom of information, fighting against corruption as well as promoting more transparency of state agencies in Georgia”.  Read more…  Source: idfi.ge

Tbilisi. The Georgian Young Lawyers’ Association (GYLA) publishes an evaluation of legislative changes adopted in connection with the state of emergency. “First of all, it should be noted that information in regard to the bill was released on March 17, 2020 and registered at the Parliament on the same day, however, it was not publicly available before April 13, 2020, until the Parliamentary Bureau submitted it to the relevant committee for review. During this period there was not ensured introduction of the bill to interested parties and provision of opportunity to submit comments pertaining to it. It should also be noted that the bill was examined only by the Legal Issues Committee and not by the Human Rights and Civil Integration Committee, participation of which in this process was important. Respectively, the legislative process was carried out in a closed manner and there was no opportunity to participate in it in any way”, - is stated in the evaluation made by the organization. Read more… Source: gyla.ge

Tbilisi. Human Rights Education and Monitoring Center (EMC) responds to an annual report of the State Security Service.  “The organization considers a number of arguments, presented in the document, problematic. These arguments contribute to marginalization of specific groups, enhance the rhetoric of security and control not only in regard to occupied territories, but also in regard to dealing with so-called hybrid threats existing in the country. At the same time, the report contains only superficial and populist information about occupation, counter-terrorism and other sensitive issues, which fact makes it virtually impossible for both the parliament and public to perform effective supervision and monitoring of activities of the agency”, - is stated on the website of the organization.  Read more… Source: emc.org.ge

Tbilisi. The Georgian Charter of Journalistic Ethics publishes a guide: Ethical dilemmas while covering the pandemic. “This part of the guide is dedicated to those ethical dilemmas that the media may face while covering a topic of the pandemic”. Read more… Source: www.qartia.ge

Tbilisi. The Georgian Foundation for Strategic and International Studies publishes an overview of the Russian military forces: Edition 35, April 13 - April 19, 2020. “The overview of the Russian military forces is a weekly digest, which offers a reader information regarding key activities of the armed forces of the Russian Federation and changes that take place there. The overview is useful for researchers, public servants and all the others interested in what is happening in the military forces of this one of the most aggressive states in the world”. Read more… Source: www.gfsis.org

Carnegie Endowment for International Law publishes an article: Civil Society and the Coronavirus: Dynamism Despite Disruption. “Government responses to the new coronavirus pandemic are disrupting civil society globally. Lockdowns and physical distancing measures are confining people to their homes and upending their ability to meet, organize, and advocate. Many civil society organizations have been forced to put planned activities on hold; others are scrambling to shift their work online. More worryingly, illiberal leaders in a number of countries are taking advantage of the crisis to tighten their political grip by weakening checks and balances, imposing censorship, and expanding state surveillance—all at a time when civil society groups are less able to fight back. Such measures pose a significant threat to civic activism. In many countries, restrictive laws already had been squeezing civil society before the crisis hit. The pandemic provides a convenient cover for governments to further tilt the balance of power in their favor. Foreboding though this picture is, the crisis is also catalyzing new forms of civic mobilization”. Read more… Source: carnegieendowment.org

On 22 April, in the context of the fight against the Coronavirus, the European Commission proposed a €150 million macro-financial assistance package to support Georgia. Find out more details in the letter from EU Ambassador Carl Hartzell to Prime Minister Giorgi Gakharia. Read more… Source: EU’s page in a 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...

To develop innovative solutions for coronavirus-related challenges, the European Commission, in collaboration with the EU member states, will host a pan-European hackathon - euvsvirus.org. The #EUvsVirus is a call to action to each and everyone to participate in the fight against COVID-19: demonstrate unity and share your skills for the common good across borders as a problem solver, mentor or as a partner. Follow the link to participate... Read more… Deadline: April 19 Source: EU’s page in a social network

The Georgian Young Lawyers’ Association has released a study – “Standards set by the United Nations Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities (UNCRPD)”. “The study conducted by GYLA revealed that even in seven years after ratification of the Convention, people with disabilities are still unable to exercise their rights properly. The state has not reflected standards, stipulated by the Convention, in the Georgian legal system. Despite certain steps taken by the state to improve the rights of persons with disabilities, they still face systemic obstacles in almost all areas of public life. They do not have an opportunity to fully enjoy the rights protected by the Constitution and international treaties the same as others do”, - is stated on the website of the organization. Read more… Source: gyla.ge

“Media Advocacy Coalition” member organizations consider that persecution and harassment of employees due to their differing views still continue to take place at Adjara Public Broadcaster.  “On April 21, 2020, Giorgi Kokhreidze, Director of Adjara TV and Radio of Public Broadcaster, removed Teona Turmanidze, one of the hosts of a news program “Mtavari”, from the air. As the journalist herself wrote on Facebook, she was told that the reason entailing mentioned decision was a viewpoint posted by her in a social network in regard to the broadcaster”, - is noted in the statement. Read more…  Source: The website of the Coalition in a social network

Civil society organizations operating in Samtskhe-Javakheti release an address. “Friends, we, civil society organizations operating in Samtskhe-Javakheti, fully realize difficult situation occurred in the world, especially in our country, and understand that due to this circumstance there are people around us who, after all, do not have access to the Internet, cannot speak the state language, do not use social networks and, respectively, are unable to receive complete information that may be vitally important to them and their families. Therefore, we propose, if you have a neighbor, friend, familiar, relative or, in general, know a person (family), living next to you, who, due to the current situation, has lost his/her job (if s/he had any), does not have any income, is left without a source of living and, after all, because of lack of information has failed to benefit from aid provided by the state, local self-government, various charity organizations (not registered in the database for socially vulnerable or left out of the aid list due to some other reasons), please contact - mobile: +995 599 51 36 22 or the landline phone: 0365 22 14 75. Read more…  Source: The website of the organization in a social network

Tbilisi. Human Rights Education and Monitoring Center (EMC) responds to the erection of banners, marking the so called “border”, adjacent to the village of Takhtisdziri in Kareli Municipality, as well as to the fact of unlawful detention of members of the family of Data Vanishvili, a resident of the Khurvaleti village, committed by the de facto regime of Russia and South Ossetia. “It is obvious that the format of negotiations that the Government of Georgia practices with the occupation regimes and the Russian Federation with the participation of international actors is not effective. Today, they do not fully meet humanitarian and security related challenges that local population, residing adjacent to the de facto border on both sides, face. That is why EMC reiterates that the Government of Georgia and international actors have to review existing formats and elaborate new political and legal strategies in order to ensure security and protection of human rights, management of humanitarian crises and regulation of conflicts in these regions”, - is noted in the statement of the organization. Read more… Source: emc.org.ge

Tbilisi. USAID’s ACCESS program provided a grant to the Georgian Charter of Journalistic Ethics to provide accurate information about COVID-19 in ethnic minority communities. "The Charter will use the funding to develop public health materials in Armenian, Azerbaijani, Abkhaz, and Russian languages and distribute through social media and local media outlets. USAID is supporting community initiatives to combat COVID-19 through our ACCESS program, which provides grants to local organizations helping reduce the spread of COVID-19 and support at-risk individuals and communities". Read more… Source: Social network

Tbilisi. In response to global challenges entailed by the Corona virus, the Institute for Development of Freedom of Information (IDFI) has elaborated recommendations in regard to both public information to be proactively published and implementation of state procurement in the conditions of a pandemic. “On the background of the occurred crisis, the importance of proactive publication of public information is further more obvious. The more open and transparent the approach of the Government is in terms of publishing information, the more informed decisions citizens are going to make. Besides, confidence in decisions taken during crisis situations will also increase. In addition, researchers, specialists in the field, civil society representatives and journalists will find it easier to access important information”. Read more…  Source: idfi.ge

#StayAtHome and use self-isolation for development ... The Civil Society Institute (CSI) offers a series of educational videos and participation in online discussions. Wondering how social networks function, what activism brings, learn communication and team working… Register before April 22, take part, improve your skills. # StayAtHome and use time for personal development Registration form... 

Tbilisi. On 5-6 December 2019, with the financial support of the Open Society Institute – Budapest Foundation, the Institute for Development of Freedom of information (IDFI) held a conference on the Openness of State Archives and Memory Studies in the Former Soviet and Eastern Bloc Countries in Tbilisi. “Up to 30 researchers, historians, and the representatives of civil society from all over the world participated in the conference. IDFI wrote a few articles about the results of the conference and the speeches/presentations made during the event. However, we asked our partners to provide more detailed information about their theses and most of them sent a brief summary of their topics”. Read more… Source: idfi.ge

Tbilisi. Georgian Civil Society Sustainability Initiative is funded by the European Union (EU) and co-funded by the Konrad-Adenauer-Stiftung (KAS). „Currently, the campaign covers 647 pre-selected locations (cities, villages, regional centres and settlements) throughout all ten regions of Georgia. As one of the upcoming actions, 22.500 grocery bags with imprinted information on preventive measures against the spread of the virus as well contact details of relevant institutions such as the Emergency Response Centre 112, the Public Safety Management Centre, the Ministry of Health, the National Centre for Disease Control and the Government’s encompassing 1st-level hotline, well distributed. They will be handed out free-of-charge by grocery stores operating in rural communities. With the engagement of project regional hubs, partnering businesses, the local self-governments, volunteer groups as well as local and international organisations, the campaign aims to inform and update the population about measures to protect their health and stay safe. The target population, amongst other residents, includes cross-border regions and remote villages, IDPs living in densely populated settlements, the elderly and ethnic minorities as the risk of quickly spreading misinformation within these groups and locations is high and likely.“ The project „Georgian Civil Society Sustainability Initiative” is implemented by the Konrad-Adenauer-Stiftung (KAS) in cooperation with the Civil Society Institute (CSI), the Consultation and Training Center (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 (EU) and co-funded by the Konrad-Adenauer-Stiftung (KAS). Read more… Source: Social network