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...

Kakheti. Get more familiar with the works of Pankisi Women's Council on raising the awareness of local women around issues of reproductive health and available medical services. The organisation helps women settled in small mountainous villages of Pankisi where the topics of reproductive health are silenced by the tradition.  The Elder Women Council has implemented this initiative with support of the Center for Strategic Research and Development of Georgia (CSRDG), within the framework of the European Union (EU) and Konrad-Adenauer-Stiftung funded project 'Civil Society STAR Initiative'.  More… Source: euneighbourseast.eu

Tbilisi. The EU Delegation recently invited people to ask their questions about what the EU candidate status means for Georgia and its citizens. Here are our answers!  Watch the EU Ambassador Pawel Herzcynski addressing some of your questions below. Stay tuned for more answers coming soon.  Check out the whole Q&A on webpage... Source: eu4georgia.eu

Shida Kartli. On March 19, 2024, in Gori, at Tourism informational center, Education Development and Employment Center (EDEC), held a presentation on the project "Introduction of Social Entrepreneurship as a Key to Competitive Youth and Strengthened Vocational Schools in Georgia." The event was attended by representatives from various sectors including education, the private sector, civil organizations, government institutions, authorities, and pilot schools.  A 30-month project (2023-2026) supports the introduction of the educational concept of student social enterprises in selected vocational schools. The project aims to strengthen the entrepreneurial and economic skills of young people, integrate the topic of social entrepreneurship into the curriculum of vocational schools, and improve teachers' skills to teach social entrepreneurship and provide support for student social enterprises. More… Source: EDEC

The EU continues promoting the growth of local cultural and creative industries in Georgia and awarded grants of 30,000 Euros to each of the following municipalities: Kutaisi and Poti. They will be able to use these funds to implement cultural activities from their cultural development strategies, which were developed with the support of the EU.  More... Source: eu4georgia.eu

Tbilisi. March 18th marked the inspiring 'Ring the Bell for Gender Equality' initiative in Georgia, where UN Women united the financial sector in Georgia to support the cause. It is the 7th time the event takes place in Georgia and is aimed to improve access to finances and to increase investments for women entrepreneurs. Despite progress, women still face barriers in accessing capital, that prevent them from starting or developing their businesses.  More... Source: UN Women Georgia

Tbilisi. The Organization for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) has released the 5th Round Monitoring reports for Azerbaijan, Armenia, Moldova, and Ukraine, developed by the Anti-Corruption Network (OECD/ACN). About this Georgian CSO’s published joint statement: “Georgia is urged to re-join the OECD/ACN process in alignment with the European Commission's recommendation”. More… Source: transparency.ge

Tbilisi. The Coalition for Independent and Transparent Judiciary shares concerns regarding recent statements from members of the "Georgian Dream" party. “These remarks, which seek to discredit judges holding differing opinions, have a concerning impact on the freedom of expression of judges. Such rhetoric not only undermines judicial independence but also jeopardizes the country's path toward a European future”. More… Source: gyla.ge

Tbilisi. Transparency International Georgia public publication: “9 steps Georgia is expected to take to advance to the stage of negotiations with the EU: Justice System Reform”.  Justice reform is a vital prerequisite for Georgia's democratic progress and integration with the European Union. “Recent statements from top officials suggest a reluctance within the Georgian government to implement crucial recommendations from the European Commission. Non-compliance with these recommendations can impede Georgia's integration into the EU, posing a substantial threat to the country's membership prospects”. More… Source: transparency.ge

Tbilisi. With the support of the EU IOM Georgia, provided training sessions for the regional units of the Ministry of Internal Affairs of Georgia (MIA) in Batumi, Akhaltsikhe, and Telavi. The training was aimed at raising competencies of tactical and operational level staff in effectively collecting, processing, and analyzing border-related information, and producing analysis. The initiative is establishing common standards for border risk analysis within MIA to boost border security and curb irregular migration and transnational crime. more source: EU

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. On March 13, IDFI signed a memorandum of cooperation with the Georgian AI Association.  Under the terms of the memorandum, IDFI and GAIA will collaborate to bolster each other's initiatives, fostering a robust artificial intelligence ecosystem in Georgia. Together, they aim to utilize AI as a catalyst for the country's social and democratic advancement, focusing on the creation of AI-driven public services and the formulation of pertinent policies.  Source: idfi

Tbilisi. Human Rights Center published analytical document “Monitoring findings regarding administrative cases – against civil activists’’. "Miscarriages identified as a result of the trial monitoring are related to both administrative detention of Human Rights Defenders (“HRDs”) and civil activists and the hearing of their cases in court", mention document.  More… Source: Human Rights Center

Tbilisi.A Coalition of 12 civil society organizations led by the Civil Society Foundation has developed a detailed vision outlining how the nine steps spelled out by the European Commission should be effectively fulfilled to move to the next stage in European integration and achieve the opening of negotiations on accession to the EU.  The Coalition will continue to monitor the progress of the nine steps relying on the presented vision. CSOs will work out recommendations and make efforts to support both government accountability, transparency of reforms and boosting of inclusiveness.  Meanwhile, the Coalition holds meetings with relevant stakeholders. The goal of these working meetings is to share the vision of civil society and exchange opinions on the reforms that need to be implemented to fulfill nine steps.  More… Source: Civil Society Foundation

Tbilisi. The Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Denmark (MFA), through its Department of European Neighborhood (EUN), in partnership with UN Women Europe and Central Asia Regional office, proudly announces the launch of the "Women’s Increased Leadership for Resilient and Peaceful Societies" programme.  The four-year initiative, set to unfold across Georgia, Moldova, and Ukraine, is a decisive step towards enhancing conflict prevention, mediation, and the fortification of democratic resilience in three countries with a special focus on their EU accession journey.  The project in Georgia aims to enhance human rights and resilience in communities affected by conflict, targeting young women for inclusion in peace and rights activism, and improving economic opportunities for the most marginalized, such as IDP and conflict-affected women. The initiative represents a significant commitment to advancing gender equality, reducing disparities, and fostering sustainable development in Georgia and the broader region.  Source: UN Women Georgia

Tbilisi. In celebration of World Down Syndrome Day, the integrated theater "Azdaki's Garden" will be showcasing the play "Hellados" as part of their promotion.  In the mystical realm of the theater, where dreams come alive, the power of inclusivity shines bright like a blazing star.  A diverse troupe, united in spirit, rises above all odds, battling against the chains of societal norms and stereotypes. Their strength knows no bounds as they pave their own path to victory.  More… Source: Georgian Down Syndrome Association

Save the date! Zero Waste Day awaits on March 30.  Ready to take part? Begin by making a conscious effort to minimize the use of single-use plastic items. Kickstart your journey by eliminating plastic straws from your daily routine and replacing them with eco-friendly, reusable alternatives if needed.  Source: CENN

Tbilisi. On March 6, TDI held a public discussion “Freedom of Religion or Belief and Women’s Rights in Georgia” at Ilia Chavchavadze Literary-Memorial Museum.  The speakers at the public discussion were Anna Chernyshova, UNDP Deputy Resident Representative in Georgia, Rusudan Gotsiridze, bishop of the Evangelical-Baptist Church in Georgia, Hurie Abashidze, the representative of the 'Solidarity Community' and Tozu Gulmamedli, the representative of 'Sapari'.  The event was moderated by Eka Chitanava, the Tolerance and Diversity Institute (TDI). The speakers and participants discussed the issues of intersection of freedom of religion or belief (FoRB) and women’s rights; global context and international standards; common misunderstandings and interpretations related to the exercise of FoRB and gender equality; attitudes within religious communities; the issues of autonomy of religious institutions and women’s roles and rights; the challenges faced by Georgian ethnic Azerbaijani and Muslim women in different fields, their access to education and employment, discrimination and marginalization issues; the role of different stakeholders in promoting the protection of FoRB, women’s rights and respect for diversity and inclusion.  More…  Source: tdi.ge

Tbilisi. To mark Open Data Week, IDFI publushed Open Data Toolkit.  The practical toolkit provides the definition and basic principles of open data, as well as modern techniques and tools for data collection, processing, analysis and visualization.  More…  Source: IDFI

Tbilisi.Transparency International Georgia has identified three major categories of violence against journalists out of approximately 45 incidents involving media professionals in 2023. These categories include: Instances of overt assaults against media representatives; threats and alleged intimidation attempts against media representatives;  violence against journalists during protests, arrests and imposition of fines.  The trends from 2023 have continued this year. More... Source: Transparency International Georgia  

Tbilisi.With International Women's Day approaching, we want to emphasize once again the need to empower adolescent girls and protect them from the risks of early marriage. Early marriage has an extremely negative impact on girls' lives. Not infrequently, as a result, they are left without education, employment prospects and social connections. Early marriage may also lead to complications during pregnancy and childbirth.  Also, girls often become victims of violence from family members. More... Source: UNICEF Georgia

Tbilisi.At the initiative of UN Women, the French Embassy in Georgia visited a shelter for victims of violence, where they held a meeting on the economic rehabilitation of victims of violence. The meeting was attended by representatives from various sectors, including business associations, the Anti-Violence Network of Georgia, signatory organizations of the Women’s Empowerment Principles (WEPs), the business federation Women for Tomorrow, the European Business Association, and the Chamber of Commerce and Industry France - Georgia (CCIFG). It was highlighted at the event that an effective fight against gender-based violence requires the engagement of various sectors, including the government, non-governmental or donor organizations and businesses.  It is through such unified approaches that substantial changes in social norms and behaviors can be achieved. More... Source: UN Women Georgia