Civic Participation Grants Awarded

Nine Advocacy Campaigns will be Launched Throughout Georgia

On June 16, 2003, nine coalitions of the non-governmental organizations with the Civic Participation Grants (CPGs) were awarded under the Citizens Advocate! Program (CAP).  These organizations will advocate for specific issues in defense of citizens interests in coming two years.

In January the CAP issued a call for the applications in various fields of advocacy. National CSOs were encouraged country wide to apply by forming the coalitions or basing their proposals on existing coalitions of CSOs, which could also have included the local government and media companies.

From many interesting initiatives the selection committee had to select nine projects. There are 37 CSOs involved in these nine coalition initiatives. Their advocacy campaigns will help to improve protection of citizens’ rights by involving constituencies in advocating their interests on specific issues.

In his opening speech, Charlie Kaften of Save the Children expressed his gratitude towards USAID for giving this brilliant opportunity to Georgian CSOs and said “this is your chance [national CSOs] to increase citizens awareness on certain issues and make them more active in advocating their rights”.

Representatives of nine CSO coalitions expressed their gratitude to USAID and CAP implementing agencies in supporting advocacy development in Georgia. They promised interesting and fruitful campaigns within next two years.  

In the coming two years advocacy campaigns will run in the fields of education, elections, protection and implementation of administrative, civil and criminal codes of Georgia, protection of social interests, social security, supporting socially vulnerable groups, and improving water supply.

Here is the brief summary of the each project:

“Let’s Build our School” is a project implemented by a coalition of CSOs including Association for Legal and Public Education (leading CSO), Liberty Institute, International Society for Fair Elections and Democracy, Association of Sakrebulos of Bagdati, Kvareli, Racha-Lechkhumi and Kvemo Kartli regions. The program aims to support establishment of democratic values and management principles in basic education in Georgia and to facilitate decentralization of Tbilisi schools and their development into sustainable autonomous entities.

“Informed Choice” project will basically deal with two coming elections in Georgia. The project aims to assist voters in making their decision by organizing public debates, inviting political parties to articulate their electoral platforms. This project is implemented by Partners for Social Initiative, (leading CSO), International Centre for Geopolitical and Social Studies and Georgian Association of Innovative Technology.

“Trio” is a project for assisting in implementation of the Administrative, Civil and Criminal Codes of Georgia by increasing citizens’ awareness of their rights. The goal of the project is to increase the transparency of state and local administrative activities, improve protection of citizens’ rights, and provide legal assistance to citizens seeking public information or finding troubles in exercising their rights in the Autonomous Republic of Adjara. The main implementing party of the project is Young Scientists Union “Intelecti”, working in cooperation with: Regional Centre for Legal Information and Human Rights Protection and Union for Defense of Citizens’ Interests.

“Campaign for the Protection of Social Interests in Kutaisi” will support budget transparency and monitor the expenditures over the fiscal year in Kutaisi. Georgian Young Economists Association is the lead organization. Other members of the coalition include Democratic Innovations Centre and Imereti Region Anti-Corruption and Consumer Right’s Protection Association “Sachino”.

“Power of the Powerless” is a project implemented by Civitas Georgica (leading CSO), Public Centre for Freedom and Democracy, Association of Councils of Lanchkhuti region and Association for Civic Development of Georgia. The group aims to initiate advocacy campaigns for protecting constitutionally guaranteed rights of the most vulnerable people. The project will establish public committees of vulnerable people for developing a procedure for their active participating in targeting, delivery and monitoring of the pensions and one-time aid payments.

“Improving Governance in Social Security” will work to protect the rights of socially vulnerable groups in social security system in Tbilisi. The project will raise the awareness of the vulnerable groups regarding their entitled benefits, will lobby for the administrative improvements to increase the efficiency of social assistance programs and involve concerned citizens in the monitoring of social security programs. Georgian Young Lawyers’ Association is the lead organization in partnership with Public Development Institute and Civic Education Youth Centre.

“Democratization of the Educational System and Financial Transparency” project is implemented by coalition of the International Institute of Educational Policy, Planning and Management, (leading CSO) Association “School, Family and Society”, The Teachers’ Union “Solidaroba”, Trade Union  of teachers of Georgia, Rustavi Parent-Teacher Association, Kakheti Regional Centre for Development of the Education System, Akhalkalaki Business Centre, and the Samtskhe-Javakheti Regional Education Centre “Ertoba”. The coalition has a goal to establish transparency and increase accountability in the financing of the educational system in Georgia. The project aims to develop the model of rational system of school financing in Tbilisi Schools and to promote this model in other cities of Georgia.

“The City Awakes” project aims to demand adequate funds from the local and national budgets to renovate the water supply system in Ozurgeti. The project will be run by: Young Scientists’ Club of Ozurgeti, (leading partner), Young Pedagogues’ Union of Ozurgeti, Budget Research Centre, Children’s Health Protection Association of Guria “Child is the Future”, and Centre for Democratic Development of Georgia. 

“Realization of Voters’ Rights” project will be implemented in Sighnaghi for ensuring free and fair elections there. The advocacy campaign includes voter education and registration, candidate accountability and election monitoring. International Centre for Civic Culture (leading agency) in cooperation with Sighnaghi Information Centre, Community Organization “Sighnaghelebi”, and Dynamic Psychology for Democracy and Development will implement the project.