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

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Grassroots Peacebuilding EffortsCivil society organizations have played an important role in creating opportunities for IDP advocacy inTrack II diplomacy, including for people-to-people (P2P) reconciliation with stakeholders from thecontested territories. Many NGOs currently organize meetings between IDPs and professional groupsfrom Georgia and Abkhazia. For instance, the Peaceful Business Caucasus Network based in Kutaisi(Western Georgia) organizes business trips for Abkhaz to visit Tbilisi. Abkhaz entrepreneurs work withsmall business owners in Georgia, with the purpose of developing a joint venture. 172 IDP groups are alsoactive in promoting contact between teachers from both sides to undergo joint training, as well asbringing children together for summer camps in the Gali region of Abkhazia, next to the border withGeorgia proper.IDPs are also active in peacebuilding initiatives organized and funded by international organizations,such as USAID and UNDP. For instance, UNDP is currently implementing the Confidence Building, EarlyResponse Mechanism (COBERM). This program aims to integrate IDP communities divided by theconflict who were displaced to Gali and Zugdidi. 173 This involves recreating relationships between theethnic Abkhaz and ethnic Georgians and other communities by funding confidence, peace building andrestoration projects proposed by IDP communities. Thus far, 40 projects have been funded.USAID is also currently developing natural gas/water exchange initiatives between South Ossetia andcommunities along the Georgian border. 174 Much of its conflict resolution work is based on a bottom-upapproach, and includes hosting workshops in Istanbul between South Ossetians and Georgians. Despitethese promising initiatives, some donors question whether these small-scale projects will have asustainable impact for IDP communities involved. 175 Moreover, international donors are concerned withthe apparent lack of support for P2P initiatives on the part of the Georgian government since 2008.According to an international donor representative, the government currently requires residents fromthe conflict territories to accept status neutral documents in order to participate in NGO-led P2Pinitiatives. This imposes significant conditions on civil society events, discouraging citizens from theconflict regions from participating. 176Regarding women’s participation in these P2P initiatives, once again NGOs created by and for womenserve as their primary avenue. Fund Sukhumi and the Union of Wives and Invalids and Lost Warriorshave formed close relationships with organizations in Abkhazia and South Ossetia respectively forconflict resolution purposes. As mentioned previously, Georgia’s network of self-help groups are alsoinvolved in grassroots peacebuilding initiatives. For instance, the Taso Foundation’s groups encouragedialogue on the “History of Friendship” between the Abkhaz and Georgians to counteract more172 EUMM Zugdidi. Personal Interview. March. 2012.173 Stan Veitsman, Personal Interview.174 David Dzebisashvili (Program Development Specialist, USAID), Personal Interview, 1 February 2012.175 Ibid.176 Tina Gewis, Personal Interview.35
aggressive messages in communities or in the media. 177 These initiatives certainly present promisingexamples of avenues of IDPs’ and women’s engagement in local communities, but require extensivesupport in order to be truly effective.AVENUES OF IDPs’ AND WOMEN’S PARTICIPATION: POLICYMAKINGProcesses around Decision-making on IDP-Specific PoliciesDecision-making around national IDP-specific policies is one avenue of participation in which someprogress has been made in increasing IDPs’ engagement in policymaking. The three main examples ofnational policies concerning IDPs include State Strategy for Internally Displaced Persons – Persecuted,the Action Plan for Implementation of the State Strategy on IDPs, 178 and the 2012-2015 National ActionPlan for the Implementation of UN Security Council Resolution 1325. 179 These documents express asignificant rhetorical commitment to increasing IDPs’ participation in policy-making processes.Moreover, the processes of developing these documents present some cases of IDP representation atthe negotiating table, particularly through civil society channels. As previously discussed, women havelargely been more involved through this avenue than have men, but clear gaps remain regarding theirability to exercise influence through NGOs.Moving beyond rhetoric to consider concrete actions, implementation of policies concerning IDPs is asecond key element of the policymaking process. Since the implementation process for the 1325National Action Plan has only just begun, we focus on analyzing the current progress made inimplementing the State Strategy and corresponding Action Plan. These policies seek to increase IDPs’ability to exercise their internationally recognized right, as displaced persons, to choose among thethree durable solutions: return, resettlement, and local integration. The Georgian government’sinitiatives focus on housing, livelihoods, and awareness-raising on their policies in order to promote thisgoal. Despite some progress, an assessment of the implementation to date reveals that the extent towhich IDPs can actually choose among the durable solutions remains significantly limited. Making returnfeasible requires a settlement in the Geneva talks and is therefore an option that the governmentcurrently lacks direct control over. Resettlement and local integration are thus the two durable solutionsof main concern here.We consider IDP involvement in these processes at two levels: (1) among individuals and families and (2)at the national level. At the individual and family level, IDPs’ opportunities to choose among177 Taso Foundation Representative. Personal Interview. March 2012.178 The current document in force covers 2009-2012. An updated Action Plan for 2012-2014 is currently in the process of beingdeveloped.179 The full name is the “2012-2015 National Action Plan for Implementation of the UN Security Council Resolutions #1325,1820, 1888, 1889 and 1960 on ‘Women, Peace and Security.’”36
Page 2 and 3: Promoting IDPs’ and Women’s Voi
Page 4 and 5: CONTENTSAcronyms and Abbreviations
Page 6 and 7: EXECUTIVE SUMMARYInternally displac
Page 8 and 9: THE WOMEN’S POLITICAL RESOURCE CE
Page 10 and 11: fair reporting on politically sensi
Page 12 and 13: people-to-people diplomacy efforts
Page 14 and 15: and the Guiding Principles, in Febr
Page 16 and 17: an effort to address these stereoty
Page 18 and 19: The identities, perceptions, and re
Page 20 and 21: even IDPs themselves. The HRBA seek
Page 22 and 23: Karaleti settlement, and Potskho-Et
Page 24 and 25: displacement differently, with men
Page 26 and 27: on an equal footing with men in for
Page 28 and 29: The Ministry for Internally Displac
Page 30 and 31: Defender’s Office) and leave no r
Page 32 and 33: prominent national level IDP NGO wo
Page 34 and 35: in the past but none have yet to be
Page 38 and 39: esettlement and local integration h
Page 40 and 41: ability to contribute to the new Ac
Page 42 and 43: Women convened a working group to a
Page 44 and 45: were involved, in addition to “wo
Page 46 and 47: towards addressing this population
Page 48 and 49: 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 100 and 101:
the government also needs to commit
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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