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

‣ Address male IDP needs (Immediate Term)In Georgia, there are numerous NGOs focusing on women’s issues. However, as many experts highlight,many men may be depressed and less active in Georgian society. There is a need for more programmingthat targets men’s issues and needs. NGOs should reassess and change their approach and package theirinitiatives differently to encourage men’s participation, often low in their programming. Gendersensitivity,often understood to address women’s concerns, also needs to address men’s issues. NGOsshould work with the MRA to promote their awareness and acceptance of this issue. They should alsotailor their programs to specifically address the psychosocial factors that may particularly influence men– the fact that often times they are no longer the bread-winners of the family, their lack of professionalopportunities, and the change in the social and familiar roles these situations entail. Livelihoodinitiatives and vocational training, along with men’s groups that provide them with the opportunity toconnect with one another and discuss issues in their own way could serve as some examples ofprogramming ideas.‣ Reform local representative structures (Immediate to Intermediate Term)Our field research revealed that the community leaders, or mamasakhlis, of each collective center areappointed by the government, and in many cases, they serve more as a kind of commissar that controlswhat people think and do, rather than serving as a true representative of the community. The localrepresentative structure in the collective centers should be reformed so that community members canengage in the process of selecting the mamasakhlis.The main obstacle in this sense is that Georgian legislation forbids holding elections in collective centers,settlements, or any other portion of territory that is not incorporated as a municipality. One solutionwould be to reform the law in order to take into account the unique case of collective centers andsettlements. If legal reform to achieve direct elections in collective centers is not politically feasible,NGOs can launch community mobilization initiatives as a tool to designate leaders in each collectivecenter. These leaders could be informally elected during one of the meetings ––including focus groups,trainings and workshops–– held in every settlement.Once every collective center has a leader who represents the interests of the community, this newstructure of local leaders could help strengthen advocacy initiatives within the centers, channeldemands to the government by working with the mamasakhlis, and also serve as a first resort ofcommunication when the national or local governments consult with IDPs from specific centers.103