Promoting IDPs' and Women's Voices in Post-Conflict Georgia

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the government also needs to commit to supporting this new role for the government-in-exile, namelyenabling a significant portion of its population to be more represented. This serves its interest asgovernment-in-exile structures would probably continue to support IDPs’ right of return.The government-in-exile should also encourage IDP cooperation with NGOs and the GeorgianGovernment on integrating and improving their livelihoods in Georgia proper. For its part, the GeorgianGovernment should organize public discussions and focus groups with IDPs and government-in-exilestructures to ensure a participatory approach at identifying a new purpose for the government-in-exile.These discussions should include IDPs from Abkhazia and Tskhinvali Region/South Ossetia. While it iscurrently not possible for elections to be held in Abkhazia and for the exiled structures to return to therole of legitimate political representatives, there should be a new role for these structures that servesIDPs’ needs and interests.‣ Facilitate IDP involvement in grassroots and official conflict resolution efforts(Intermediate to Long-Term)Although conflict resolution efforts are currently considered to be stalled and stagnant at the officiallevel, they can be better encouraged at the local and grassroots level. Observers have commented thatthere have been instances of the government making people-to-people initiatives more difficult. Thegovernment should encourage and facilitate these initiatives, especially when they include IDPs, asmeans to create a perspective for conflict resolution for Abkhazia and Tskhinvali Region/South Ossetia.While the nature of the stalemate with the conflict regions is also due to national and geo-politicalfactors, capacities for peace do exist between ethnic Georgians, Abkhaz and Ossetians, such as througheconomic initiatives that bring these groups together. Such efforts can be capitalized on in the effort topromote conflict transformation.99
RECOMMENDATIONS FOR INTERNATIONAL ACTORS‣ Monitor new incentives and explore new opportunities for political inclusion(Immediate to Intermediate Term)The recent financial incentive for parties to include women on party lists should be monitored in theupcoming elections. Collect data on the extent to which parties increase their number of womencandidates as a result of this incentive. If successful, international actors should support a strongerincentive that requires women be included as one of every four or five candidates in party lists.If positive, international can build on these results by supporting measures to include IDPs in a similarfashion. While IDPs are one of several categories of vulnerable populations in the country, the large IDPconstituency would be better served with more direct political representation. Therefore, pending theincentive’s success for women, it should also be offered as a non-obligatory incentive to include IDPs,with IDPs having to at least make up one of out of 20 candidates on a party list, for example,proportionate to the size of this group among the general population. These measures should beconsidered in areas where registered IDPs make up a significant percentage. The specific aspects of bothmeasures should be decided through consultation including international actors, women’s and IDPNGOs, and other relevant stakeholders.‣ Increase funding to civil society and for governance reform in Georgia(Immediate Term)The international community has provided strong support to the Georgian Government and less fundingto civil society following the Rose Revolution. In order to promote a more active and inclusive politicaland public sphere for IDPs and Georgians more generally, the international community should increasingfunding and support for projects that strengthen civil society capacity. This can be symbolized by firstfunding the most active and effective NGOs, both at the national and local level, but should be thebeginning of a consistent trend of expanding this sector’s capacity.The international community should also use its leverage to strongly encourage the GeorgianGovernment to adopt a more inclusive approach to other political actors in the country, including civilsociety and the media. This will improve democratic governance and increase transparency in thecountry, especially in drafting and implementing policies. The inclusion of IDPs and women should be aparticular focus, in order to address barriers to their participation that limit their ability to influence thepolicies that affect their needs and interests.100
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Promoting IDPs’ and Women’s Voi
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CONTENTSAcronyms and Abbreviations
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EXECUTIVE SUMMARYInternally displac
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THE WOMEN’S POLITICAL RESOURCE CE
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fair reporting on politically sensi
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people-to-people diplomacy efforts
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and the Guiding Principles, in Febr
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an effort to address these stereoty
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The identities, perceptions, and re
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even IDPs themselves. The HRBA seek
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Karaleti settlement, and Potskho-Et
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displacement differently, with men
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on an equal footing with men in for
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The Ministry for Internally Displac
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Defender’s Office) and leave no r
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prominent national level IDP NGO wo
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in the past but none have yet to be
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Grassroots Peacebuilding EffortsCiv
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esettlement and local integration h
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ability to contribute to the new Ac
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Women convened a working group to a
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were involved, in addition to “wo
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towards addressing this population
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waves. 224 A Conciliation Resources
Page 50 and 51: governing shelter requirements. 238
Page 52 and 53: esults of eviction on those who did
Page 54 and 55: FINDINGSSIPA team member Drilon Gas
Page 56 and 57: unique opportunities exist for them
Page 58 and 59: an important opportunity for women
Page 60 and 61: early morning…when I was going to
Page 62 and 63: our office to investigate these iss
Page 64 and 65: on this? It’s impossible.” 322
Page 66 and 67: high levels of unemployment and pov
Page 68 and 69: groups do not differentiate between
Page 70 and 71: funding and influence to implement
Page 72 and 73: een in operation for two years or l
Page 74 and 75: organization, and highlighted that
Page 76 and 77: The Education System’s Influence
Page 78 and 79: system has an important role to pla
Page 80 and 81: Political FactorsMany elements of t
Page 82 and 83: international organizations working
Page 84 and 85: uling party. 433 There were some si
Page 86 and 87: especially highly-influential broad
Page 88 and 89: ationale behind the government’s
Page 90 and 91: international working for a major d
Page 92 and 93: Also, according to a World Bank rep
Page 94 and 95: willing to challenge authorities th
Page 96 and 97: The lack of narrative connecting po
Page 98 and 99: RECOMMENDATIONS FOR THE GEORGIAN GO
Page 102 and 103: ‣ Continue to support and expand
Page 104 and 105: ‣ Address male IDP needs (Immedia
Page 106 and 107: The campaign should have a face, su
Page 108 and 109: APPENDIX BList of IntervieweesLocal
Page 110 and 111: Kristy KellyLincoln MitchellLawrenc
Page 112 and 113: Article 10 - Non-discrimination in
Page 114 and 115: Principle 18.1 - Adequate standard
Page 116 and 117: Esaiashvili, Mariam (Official, Mini
Page 118 and 119: Lanskoy, Miriam and Giorgi Areshidz
Page 120: Transparency International Georgia.
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Promoting IDPs' and Women's Voices in Post-Conflict Georgia

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