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

high levels of unemployment and poverty, just as IDP communities do. 335 However, these issues hitvulnerable groups like IDPs most acutely. 336 While there is sympathy across Georgian society for theplight if IDPs, it does not necessarily translate into sustained support. Experts argue that IDPs should beperceived as a resource rather than just “passive receivers of assistance.” 337 It seems that IDPs have akey role to play in the effort to shift this perception.The NGO community has approached IDPs in order to help transform passivity into mobilization. TasoFoundation Director Marina Tabukashvili discusses her organization’s initiatives to engage IDPs by firstexpanding their “understanding of the importance of participation.” 338 Experts note that this populationis primarily mobilized around issues directly concerning IDPs, such as housing and social assistance.Rather than actively engaging on other political issues, “as a group, [IDPs] are not seen as participatingin usual political life.” 339 Organizations such as Taso therefore work to promote IDPs’ participation atvarious levels, from community development projects to national policies.Some extreme examples of IDPs protesting their situation also do exist, countering the image of them aspassive members of society. In a case of self-immolation, an IDP woman named Nina Pipia protested thegovernment’s neglect of IDPs. 340 Paata Davitaia of the parliamentary party ‘European Democrats’(formerly the ‘On Our Own’ Party) described this situation: “The woman…went to the ministry to inquireabout accommodation...The [MRA] Deputy Minister told...[her] to eat grass, and the woman burnedherself in front of the ministry. “ 341 A gender researcher noted that “it was like a suicide for her.” Shealso commented on the lack of mobility following Ms. Pipia’s death: “I can’t see many IDP womenactive…Maybe there are singly persons who are doing something, but not so many. But this is aproblem not only with IDPs, but in Georgia generally.” 342 This example serves as perhaps the mostradical case countering the idea that IDPs are passive. Moreover, it highlights that Georgian society ingeneral seems to lack significant engagement in political life. The failure here to inspire the IDPcommunity and broader society to mobilize and achieve tangible changes could promote further lack offaith in the efficacy of political protest, thereby encouraging passivity.IDP Identity and StatusIdentity serves as a fundamental psychosocial factor influencing IDP participation. The experience ofdisplacement is often one that indelibly impacts a person’s view of his- or herself and relationship todifferent communities in post-displacement life. IDP identity may connect with painful memories of lossand displacement. Life in displacement also imbues a status that influences IDPs’ day-to-day needs, in335 Maria Guledani, Personal Interview.336 Ombudsman Representative, Personal Interview, 15 March 2012.337 Manana Gabashvili, Personal Interview.338 Marina Tabukashvili, Personal Interview.339 Nana Sumbadze, Personal Interview.340 Radio Free Europe-Radio Liberty, “Self-Immolation Incident Highlights Desperation of Georgian IDPs,” 29 Oct 2012, accessed7 May 2012, 341 Paata Davitaia, Personal Interview.342 Gender researcher, Personal Interview, 21 March 2012.65