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

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ability to contribute to the new Action Plan, however. She stated that while several NGOs worked withthe MRA to develop recommendations, “many of the issues that we put into it were taken out,” such as“social issues like insurance.” She assesses the MRA’s efforts as just “declaratory meetings,” lacking realsubstance or will to incorporate their perspectives. 191International organizations have continued to act as strong advocates for participatory policymaking.One such example took the form of a conference entitled “Looking Forward: Extending the IDP ActionPlan 2012-2014,” which DRC convened along with UNHCR, SIDA, the MRA, and the EU. Theapproximately 100 participants included international, national, and IDP NGOs, the MRA and otherrelevant ministries, representatives of local government, the Abkhaz government-in-exile, internationalorganizations, and foreign embassies. IDPs were represented by NGOs and the government-in-exile. Theconference report highlights the importance of “engaging all segments of IDPs and affected localpopulation in a direct dialogue,” making a particular note to involve IDPs in private accommodations, asthey are often overlooked. 192 At the event itself, stakeholders discussed key issues and lessons learnedand developed a list of recommendations for the new Action Plan, such as increasing opportunities forcommunication between IDPs and the MRA. Such efforts represent an important step forward for theMRA in taking various perspectives into account, but should become more systematic to ensureconsistent inclusion of a broad range of IDP perspectives in policymaking.One effort for the extended Aciton Plan to directly reflect IDPs’ voices lay in UNHCR’s participatoryassessments. Arising out of a recommendation voiced during the DRC conference, the assessmentssought to engage a broad range of IDP groups, provide them with information so they could participatein policy discussions and make recommendations for the updated document, and identify issues thatmay not have been considered in the original process. IDPs in both collective centers and privateaccommodations were involved in 75 focus groups held across the country. UNHCR worked with theMRA and various international and local NGOs, including IDP NGOs. The Age, Gender and DiversityMainstreaming approach ensured that interviews with several age and gender groups were conductedat each location. 193 Evaluating this overall effort, an INGO representative recognizes the importance ofthis more inclusive process, but states that the results need to are not “drawn out to be a clear policyconclusion.” 194 This suggests that IDPs and others involved with the actual policy development processneed to work together to mold individual and community concerns into a more concrete policy platformthat could more effectively address this population’s broader needs and interests.Observers expressed differing interpretations of the MRA’s participation in these efforts to promoteIDPs’ involvement in policymaking processes. A staff member of the Office of the Public Defender arguesthat the MRA participated in the participatory assessments “because UNHCR initiated it.” This staffmember says that the MRA officials believe they are aware of IDPs’ needs because they are in contact191 Roundtable Discussion at Women’s Political Resource Center, Tbilisi, 23 March 2012.192 “Looking Forward: Extending the IDP Action Plan 2012-2014,” 8.193 UNHCR Georgia, 3-6.194 INGO Representative, Personal Interview, 22 March 2012.39
with individual IDPs on a daily basis, “so there is no extra need for another special mechanism forconsultations.” 195 However, an INGO representative says that the MRA has “moved significantly in thelast four years in terms of…becom[ing] more interactive.”This individual emphasizes that the absence of a national association that can legitimately claim to speakfor IDPs faces adds a significant challenge to the MRA’s ability to effectively include IDP voices in thesetypes of processes. One might also argue that a more participatory approach to policymaking is alsomore time-consuming, and the effort to consider various points of view could be one element that hasdelayed the approval of the updated Action Plan. 196 All democratic societies must contend with thisissue, however. IDPs must thus be effectively represented in policymaking processes so that theirperspectives are included in a systematic manner.As the Office of the Public Defender staff member suggested, official efforts to engage IDPs inpolicymaking most likely would not occur without international organizations. Moreover, as exemplifiedby their activities throughout the development of the policies in question, donors and internationalorganizations have increasingly sought to play a direct role in influencing IDP-related policies. An INGOrepresentative notes, “foreign money comes with demands from the people who cough up the money,for these issues like consultation, engagement, participation.” 197 Donors’ calls for a “participatoryapproach” thus refer not only to including IDPs, but also international organizations, in policymaking.While international organizations have provided a crucial impetus, as well as mechanisms, for openingspace for IDPs’ engagement in policymaking, international involvement should also be viewed critically.A staff member of the Office of the Public Defender also stated, “When the MRA started updating theAction Plan, it was more the international organizations [and] NGOs that were lobbying for widerparticipation of IDPs in the decision-making processes.” 198 This dimension of IDP representation in theAction Plan extension has also characterized other policymaking processes involving IDPs. It underlinesthe fact that international actors must walk a fine line between advocating for IDPs’ voices to be heardand speaking for them. Internationals’ efforts to include IDPs in policymaking, based on their ownunderstanding of who best represents the IDP community, could result in token representation withinternational actors essentially dominating the discussion. This risks bypassing some of the deeperchallenges of promoting broad IDP participation and effective representation.Gendered and Women’s ParticipationThe effort to promote inclusion in the development of policies aimed at IDPs has also addressedgendered participation, in particular the inclusion of women. Women’s organizations in particular havecontributed significantly to the mainstreaming of gender issues within these policies. For example, UN195 Staff Member of the Office of the Public Defender, Personal interview, 15 March 2012.196 At the time of publication, the extended Action Plan for 2012-2014 is in its final stages of approval.197 INGO Representative, Personal Interview.198 Staff member of the Office of the Public Defender, Personal Interview, 15 March 2012.40
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 36 and 37: Grassroots Peacebuilding EffortsCiv
Page 38 and 39: esettlement and local integration h
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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