Tbilisi. ''Transparency International - Georgia'' appraises institutionalization of a Regulatory Impact Assessment (RIA) in legislation. ''Institutionalization of RIA should be appraised positively, however, the initiative, as presented, does not respond to challenges of the legislative process, extensive exceptional cases provide possibility of adoption of important laws without RIA'', - is stated on the website of the organization. Read more… Source:www.transparency.ge

The web portal www.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. Transparency International - Georgia continues to publish results of a study, carried out by the ''Caucasus Research Resource Center'' based on the order of the organization, in the form of blog posts. ''About a quarter of surveyed citizens consider that mayors and assemblies, elected in 2017, do not express interests of citizens'', - is stated in the blog post. Read more... Source:www.transparency.ge

Tbilisi. Partnership for Human Rights (PHR) publishes a blog post regarding the case of Tatia Samkharadze. ''The Court of Appeals made a final decision in regard to the first case of sexual harassment and on December 12, left into force a decision of the first instance of court on the case – ''Tatia Samkharadze against Shalva Ramishvili''. With mentioned decision, the court once again reconfirmed that Shalva Ramishvili committed a sexual harassment against Tatia Samkharadze at the workplace, using his official position'', - is stated on the website of the organization. Read more… Source:phrgeorgia.wordpress.com

According to the Transparency International Georgia’s information - the public opinion poll has demonstrated that a large part of the Georgian population supports holding the next parliamentary elections based fully on the proportional system. Read more… Source: www.transparency.ge

Tbilisi. The Media Development Foundation publishes a study: Government trolls against TBC, NGOs and media. The purpose of the study is to identify government trolls and inform public about campaigns carried out by them against individual groups. ''Troll is a person who acts in the online space without indicating any real identity and aims at hindering healthy discussions among users on different websites, forums and social networks'', - is stated in the document. Read more… Source:mdfgeorgia.ge

Tbilisi. Transparency International - Georgia publishes results of a public opinion survey, according to which: authors of unfair decisions, taken in the past under pressure, must quit the court. ''The survey revealed that among institutions, existing in the country, court is one of those which have the lowest trust rate'', - is stated on the website of the organization. Read more... Source:www.transparency.ge

Tbilisi. An organization ''Partnership for Human Rights'' (PHR) responds to review of ''The Draft Code on the Rights of the Child'' that took place on March 26 of the current year at the sitting of the Parliamentary Committee and to amendments, made consequently to the document. The organization considers that mentioned amendments are incompatible with international standards on child rights and require immediate response. Read more... Source:phrgeorgia.wordpress.com

Tbilisi. Human Rights Education and Monitoring Center (EMC) conducted legal and sociological research of the labor mediation mechanism. The video gathers key findings of sociological research, systemic challenges hindering effective functioning of the mediation mechanism. Read more... Source:The website of the organization in a social network

The web portal www.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. On March 29, 2019 Rondeli Foundation hosted a public discussion ''The U.S. Policy Towards the Region'' featuring Dr. Celeste Wallander, President and CEO of The U.S. Russia Foundation, a former Special Assistant to the US President and Senior Director for Russia/Eurasia on the National Security Council (2013-2017). The speaker discussed the U.S.-Russia relations in a new era, the White House policy towards the region as well as the NATO-Georgia relations, challenges and perspectives. Read more… Source: The Organization’s webpage in a social network

Tbilisi. ''Article 42 of the Constitution'' releases a statement related to death of laborers and detention of participants of the rally. ''Article 42 of the Constitution'' responds to the fact of death of two laborers on March 31 at #5 Chavchavadze str., as well as to the peaceful rally, conducted by activists in regard to this fact at the accident site on April 1, 2019, and considers that the state failed to ensure realization of fundamental rights of gathered people'', - is noted in the statement. Read more… Source:The website of the organization

Tbilisi. ''Transparency International Georgia'' has studied issues related to ownership of influential televisions operating in the country. The study, which mainly covers the period from 2014 and onwards, along with the identity of broadcasters, reveals their possible business connections and interests on the background of a politicized and polarized media environment. Read more... Source:The website of the organization

Tbilisi. On 30 March 2019, the Public Defender of Georgia submitted a report on the situation of human rights and freedoms in Georgia to the Parliament. ''In the context of the right to life, the report refers to the investigation of the proportionality of the force used against Temirlan Machalikashvili, the effectiveness of the investigation into the murder that took place on Khorava Street and the important shortcomings in the investigation of the murder of the first President of Georgia, Zviad Gamsakhurdia. In addition, the Public Defender considers that disproportionate penalty was imposed on the employees of the penitentiary service charged in connection with the case of killed prisoner Levan Kortava'', is noted in the statement. Read more… Source: www.ombudsman.ge

UN Women trainings on website development and social media marketing for women are continuing in multiple locations in Western Georgia. The trainings, organized in collaboration with the Innovative Education Foundation and several other partners, are part of UN Women’s Norway-funded project ''A Joint Action for Women’s Economic Empowerment in Georgia''. Read more… Source: The webpage of the organization in a social network

Tbilisi. World Autism Awareness Day is marked on April 2. This day, initiated by the United Nations, serves to raise public awareness. ''Protection of the rights of persons with autism is related to many challenges in Georgia. It is problematic to ensure needs-based health care for people with autism and to provide continuous habilitation-rehabilitation services for them, taking into consideration the geographical accessibility. No state or municipal programmes envisage rehabilitation services for persons with autistic spectrum disorders above the age of 15. In addition, only few municipalities have similar programmes intended for children and they cannot fully cover the existing needs'', is noted in the statement. Read more… Source: www.ombudsman.ge

Tbilisi. On 1 April 2019, Public Defender Nino Lomjaria met with representatives of the Venice Commission visiting Georgia and introduced her opinions about the rule of selection of the Supreme Court judges. The Public Defender drew attention to several issues, which, according to her, are necessary preconditions for ensuring transparency and fairness of the decision-making process. Ombudsman spoke about the selection criteria, secrecy of voting, conflict of interest and the necessary number of votes for making a decision. She also underlined the role of the Parliament in the process of election of judges and the importance of transparency of the process. Read more… Source: www.ombudsman.ge

Tbilisi. On 29 March, the national conference “Closer to People – Stronger Civil Society” was held in Tbilisi. The conference was organized by the ‘Civil Society Sustainability Initiative’ and the Eastern Partnership Civil Society Forum Georgian National Platform, and with the support of the European Union, Konrad-Adenauer-Stiftung and the Government of Georgia. More than 250 representatives of civil society and various government agencies discussed the role of the civil society in implementing the reform agenda under the association agreement with the EU. The main focus of the conference was regional development. The conference was welcomed by the Prime-minister of Georgia, Mr. Mamuka Bakhtadze and the Deputy Head of the EU Delegation to Georgia, Mr. Carlo Natale. Parallel to the conference, more than 130 organizations from all over Georgia had an opportunity to exhibited their activities and promote their work. Ten regional journalists working in ten regions of Georgia were awarded special price for their professional support to local civil societies.

Tbilisi. Transparency International Georgia publishes a blogpost: Exemptions of acquisition of agricultural lands by foreign nationals will be provided by law. See the recommendation and assessment… Source: www.transparency.ge

Tbilisi. Civil society organizations continue to support social workers and release a special statement. ''Signatory organizations once again call on the Ministry of Internally Displaced People from the Occupied Territories, Labour, Health and Social Affairs of Georgia, while negotiating with social workers: to realize how important is the work, performed by social workers, for both the country and interests of different vulnerable groups; to ensure improvement of working conditions of social workers as much as possible in accordance with their requirements;'' Read more... Source:gyla.ge

Tbilisi. ''Human Rights Education and Monitoring Center'' (EMC) studied the practice of handing financial and property resources by the state over to the Patriarchate beyond annual budgetary subsidy in 2016-2018 years. According to information released by EMC, extent of property, transferred to the Patriarchate in 2018 increases in comparison with 2016-2017 years, which fact is supposedly connected with ongoing political processes, including the pre-election context. Read more... Source:The website of the organization

Tbilisi. In spite of a requirement of the legislation and public statements of highest officials of the authorities, the local self-government bodies have yet to receive agricultural and non-agricultural land and other property from the State. ''In accordance with Article 162 of the Local Self-Government Code, the Ministry of Justice, the Ministry of Regional Development and Infrastructure, the Ministry of Economy and Sustainable Development, and the Ministry of Finance of Georgia were supposed to draft and submit for approval to the Government of Georgia relevant schedules and procedures for the transfer of agricultural land to municipalities before January 1, 2017, although the Ministries have yet to fulfill this obligation Accordingly, the State owns more real estate in the territories of municipalities than local self-government bodies. To illustrate the foregoing, we will present the example of Zugdidi'', is noted in the statement. Read more… Source: www.transparency.ge