Annual Report 2018

Green Caucasus implemented the project “Multicultural Tbilisi Today” (8000 $, Funded by Open Society Georgia Foundation OSGF, 01/2018-11/2018) in partnership with International Organization of Migration IOM-Georgia and Tbilisi State Medical University. The project was addressed against the racist and xenophobic attitudes raising in the local population.

First, we conducted the research about immigration flows based on information demanded from several state agencies. We applied to and requested public information from:

  • The Ministry of Internally Displaced Persons from the Occupied Territories, Resettlement and Refugees - Detailed information on the granting of asylum-seekers, refugee status and denying them in 2012-2017;
  • The Ministry of Labor, Health and Social Affairs of Georgia - about labor immigrants in Georgia;
  • The Social Service Agency – about the services and benefits received by immigrants according to the Law of Georgia “On State Pensions”, the Government of Georgia Act N 145 "On Definition of Social Package" (July 27, 2012) and the Government of Georgia Act N 279 “On Social Assistance” (July 28, 2006);
  • The National Center for Educational Quality Enhancement - about foreign citizens studying in Universities in last years;
  • The Ministry of Economy and Sustainable Development of Georgia – about Direct Foreign Investments in last years;

The State Services Development Agency did not give us statistical information about residence permits and citizenship in recent years. Its supreme body - the Ministry of Justice of Georgia ignored our administrative complaint about it.

Therefore, in the our research about the immigration flows and subsequent awareness raising campaign we used  the statistical data provided by the GeoStat (based on information of MIA Border Guard Department) as well as the information received from above mentioned state agencies. As a result, we published the analytical report "Public Information on Immigration - 2018" on our website and information about main findings was widely disseminated by news agencies and televisions in April-May, 2018.

While discussing the working document of the 2018 National Action Plan for Implementation of Georgia-EU Association Agreement in the frame of EP CSF Georgian National Platform, Green Caucasus has raised the issue that appropriate activities against racism and xenophobia (according to Article 15.2.c Agreement) were not included in the document draft. Then the issue was discussed with the representatives of the government in the meeting for the purpose of reviewing the suggestions of the civil society on the National Action Plan.

In regard to racist violence fact in 09.04.2018, we have prepared a special statement to the Prime Minister and Minister of Internal Affairs, and offered other EP CSF Georgian National Platform member organizations to sign it. 12 more organizations (Youth Association "Droni", Fund of Women's Rights, Human Rights Center, Association "Save the New Generation", Youth for Peace and Development, Youth Development and Promotion Agency "Compass", Families Against Discrimination   - FAD, Association "Peaceful and Business Caucasus", Multinational Georgia, Association "Tolerant", Tbilisi Human Rights House and the Georgian Committee of International Press Institute IPI) supported the statement, which was widely spread by the media. In addition to assessing the racist fact, the statement also called on the government to fulfill the corresponding obligations under Georgia-EU Association Agreement.

Within the framework of awareness-raising campaign aimed to demolish the myths and negative stereotypes about immigrants we also prepared 6 short informational videos against xenophobia and racism and spread them in Facebook. Total views of the videos were reach 160 K, and the total number of unique viewers was up to 123 K. The most viewed video was "Georgia without racism". (Other videos made in the frame of the project are available on our website ).

We observed social networks to identify campaigns of ultra-nationalists against immigrants through fake news and immediately responded with special announcements in such cases. We prepared the article "Xenophobic Excesses - Risks for Economic Development" published by Foreign Policy Council.

We organized the conference "Immigration Processes: Myths and Reality" attended by the representatives of the Secretariat of the Government Commission of Migration, MIA Migration Department, Tbilisi City Hall, Political Parties, Universities and NGOs. Main findings of our analytical study were presented and the videos made in the frame of the project were shown. The main topics of discussion were: myths about immigrants; alleged causes of xenophobia and racism; racist incidents. Young volunteers were awarded with memorable diplomas for the contribution in the project.

GC implemented project “Monitoring on Implementation of Kvemo Kartli Regional Development Strategy” (5000 €, Funded by Center for Strategic Research and Development of Georgia CSRDG, 06/2018-11/2018). There was not any methodology for monitoring of Regional Development Strategies implementation process.

In the frame of project unique methodology for civic monitoring of state regional development strategies was develop by our experts. We requested public information about various state programs and received it from 35 ministries, state agencies and municipalities. After analyzing, the Report of Kvemo Kartli Regional Development Strategy Monitoring was published.

Next year, the methodology developed in the frame of project is used by our partner NGOs for monitoring of Regional Development Strategies implementation process in 3 other regions of country.

Green Caucasus started the implementation of the project “Monitoring of State Grants in 2016” (7500 €, Funded by Civil Society Institute CSI) from November 1, 2018.

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