Imereti. On April 16, as part of the Civic Education and Teacher Training Program, the initiative group of the Kutaisi Public School #9 has organized the charity event for the children of the Samtredia Day Center for Children with Disabilities. The event participants have collected in the school various everyday items, clothes, sweets and presented them to the children of the Day Center. Source: the organization's page in the social network.

Tbilisi. Topic of the 17 April edition of the Caucasian House's online diary is the Chechen folk poetry. PhD in philology, expert in the Caucasian issues MekaGankhoshvili talks about the topic in the diary. 17 April edition of the online diary.

Kakheti. On April 17, the discussion was held in the Telavi Civic Engagement Center over the draft law on the local self-government reform. The Executive Director of the National Association of Local Authorities of Georgia (NALAG) Davit Melua has answered questions about the draft law and presented respective recommendations.The discussion on the draft law about local self-government reform aimed to inform broad public about the positive and adverse aspects of the reform included in the draft law, the possibility to implement the reform, its effects and adverse effects, challenges and advantages.

Adjara.On April 17, NGO "Borjghali" has organized the discussion in the Batumi Civic Engagement Center with participation of local CSOs on the "Facts of arbitrary occupation of objects in the state ownership by the citizens and the development of an internal emigration management plan in the Adjara Region".

Tbilisi. The Human Rights Education and Monitoring Center (EMC) has released the statement in connection with the Tsikhisdziri incident."EMC expresses concern over this incident and views this fact as natural continuation of an anti-Muslim attitude noted recently among separate groups of the society. Due to frequent confrontations in respect of the religious groups, obviously this is not only one concrete misconduct. A systemic problem of the society is evident. This indicates to the state's obligation to carry out positive measures for enhancing tolerance and solidarity among the society," says the statement.The Statement. 

Tbilisi. On April 15, as part of the project of the dvv international, the Institute for International Cooperation of the German Adult Education Association "Discussions after the Working Day", the discussion was held on the "General Healthcare Program: Expectations and Reality". The project aims to raise public civil self-awareness and to form active civil positions. Since 2013, the project's partner is the Institute for the Development of Freedom of Information (IDFI).Meeting participants have discussed the existing insurance policy, its risks and results, as well as problems within the insurance sector. Source: idfi.ge

Tbilisi. The roundtable meeting was held on April 16 as part of the project "Strengthening Knowledge on the Trafficking Threats by Promoting the Education". The project is implemented by the International Organization for Migration (IOM) with the support of the Swiss Agency for Development and Cooperation (SDC).The meeting aimed at getting familiar with the current activities and future plans of the partners participating in the prevention of trafficking.Source: GINSC portal.

Tbilisi."Article 42 of the Constitution" has presented the study on the  – "Evaluation of Application of the International Human Rights Standards by the Common Courts of Georgia towards the Cases of IDPs". Representatives of Article 42 of the Constitution have examined as part of the project 270 decisions rendered by the courts of all three instances. The study covers the problems of eviction, compensation and granting of status. The project was implemented with the support of the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights. Source: article42.ge

Samtskhe-Javakheti. On April 16, representatives of the Samtskhe-Javakheti based CSOs have met with the British Ambassador to Georgia David Moran who had been visiting the region. According to Ambassador Moran, the meeting was of huge importance and interest to him, as he had heard about the region's problems from the organizations that are directly involved in the solution of number of issues.

Adjara. On April16, "Welfare Foundation" has met with the representatives of CSOs based in the Adjara Region in the Batumi Civic Engagement Center. Majority of attendees works on the social projects. The meeting aimed to get familiar with the results of study carried out by the coalition – "Future without Poverty" – and to provide information about the principles and terms of their affiliation.

Tbilisi. The new Executive Director was elected on April 16 at the session of the Charter of Journalistic Ethics. Journalist Tamar Rukhadze was supported by five members of the Board. Position of the Executive Director became vacant after Tamar Kordzaia decided to join politics and leave the Charter. Source: media.ge

Tbilisi.Transparency International – Georgia offers to its users the brief guide on the State Program on General Healthcare. Users can find answers to all questions of concern. For the full text. Source: transparency.ge

Tbilisi. Presentation of the coalition "For the Development of Local, Regional Self-Governments and Local Civil Actors" was held in the Georgian Institute of Public Affairs (GIPA). Member organizations of the coalition are: the Georgian Institute of Public Affairs, the Georgian Young Economists' Association, the Center for Strategic Research and Development of Georgia, the foundation Liberal Academy - Tbilisi and the Caucasian Institute of Economic and Social Research. The coalition's mission is to promote the development of local self-government and the local democracy.Source: page of the Georgian Young Economists' Association in the social network.

Tbilisi. On April 16, the Children and Youth Development Foundation has executed the Memorandum of Cooperation with the Peace Corps. As part of the Memorandum, parties will plan joint cultural-educational events. In the near future the volunteer of Peace Corps will visit the Foundation, who will be involved in the Foundation's activities over the next six months.Source: the organization's page in the social network.

Tbilisi. On April15, the National-Democratic Institute has released the results of the public opinion polls. This is the second poll after the October elections, which reflects the public attitudes on number of current and political events.The poll provides public attitude towards the national and local issues, democracy and reforms, ongoing developments, foreign relations and media.The polls of the National-Democratic Institute are funded by the Swiss Development Agency and are carried out by the Caucasian Research Resources Center.NDI's poll: public attitude in Georgia (Source:civil.ge). Video recording of NDI's poll presentation (Source: civil online-broadcasting "Stream").

Adjara. As part of the ecological celebratory week, the beneficiaries of the Social Center for Elderly and the 5th-graders of the Kobuleti Public School #6 have participated in the cleaning of the Black Sea coast line. They have cleaned the coast line located at the River Achkva and the Black Sea estuary from the everyday and other waste. The event aimed at raising the interest of the youth in caring after the environment. Source: the organization's page in the social network.

Samegrelo. The professional educational groups for the car and computer fixing were set up in the Zugdidi Office of the Center "Abkhazeti", where 10-10 probationers are occupied. Since April, Center "Abkhazeti" launched the implementation of the "Program for the Support of Integration of Probationers in the Society and Crime Prevention". In cooperation with the Zugdidi Bureau of Probation, the probationers were selected and the professional educational groups were established. Beneficiaries will undergo a three-month training course and gain both theoretic and practical knowledge.Source: the organization's page in the social network.

Tbilisi. Transparency International – Georgia has released another podcast, covering issues such as the report on funds of the political parties, comments on planned amendments to the Labor Code, and the procedure of election of the members in the Nadzaladevi District Election Commission. Podcast of parliamentary news: 15 April. Source: transparency.ge

Tbilisi. The Civil Society Institute has organized the first meeting of sub-group of the inter-group on "CSO Development Effectiveness" of the Georgian National Platform of Eastern Partnership. The participants have expressed opinions and visions on the sub-group's work, and have identified the priorities. Key issues of the work include the improvement of working environment of CSOs, a dialogue between the authorities and the CSOs, a dialogue between the donors and CSOs, and issues of self-regulation by the CSOs. The Director of the Civil Society Institute, VazhaSalamadze, was elected as the sub-group's Coordinator for the period of one year.

Tbilisi. Transparency International – Georgia has released 7 comments on the planned amendments to the Labor Code, covering the following issues: fixed-term contracts, collective and individual labor contracts, remuneration of overtime work, holidays, burden of proof, collective labor contract, origination of the right to strike/lockout. For the full text. Source:transparency.ge

Tbilisi. The Georgian Young Lawyers' Association and the organization "Penal Reform International" welcome the initiatives of the Georgian authorities in respect of liberalization of the criminal justice. At the same time, organizations focus on the issues in the draft Law that in their opinion require improvement. For the full text. Source: gyla.ge

Tbilisi.NGO "Trainers' Qualification Center" has developed a new social video on the issues of persons with disabilities. It focuses on issues such as equal rights to information, movement, education.Source: page of the Youth Center for Independent Life in the social network.