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

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system has an important role to play in introducing female role models to children to encouragewomen’s leadership. As noted by the 2011 study, there is a clear lack of attention given to highlightingthe achievements of women in curriculum and textbooks. 404 Women’s invisibility in this context maycontribute to female students’ low self-esteem and lack of self-confidence. 405 It is therefore imperativethat women’s contributions to society, as scholars, businesspersons, politicians, and other influentialroles are incorporated into curricula.Opportunities to Encourage Political ParticipationIn recognition of these challenges, various stakeholders have highlighted a number of opportunities toaddress barriers to IDPs and women’s inclusion in institutional governance processes. Regarding thelocal NGO community, a host of actors believe IDP women’s organizations could be more systematic intheir advocacy efforts instead of maintaining an individualized and piecemeal approach. One suggestionto achieve this places the onus on international donors, whereby they would gather all donors to discusspromoting collaboration among NGOs. A forum could be created with the purpose of deciding upon andworking toward an overarching policy objective, with each organization sharing in the responsibility. 406As noted previously, the international donor community was recently successful in pushing forlegislative advancements in the area of women’s political representation. The Council of Europe’s VeniceCommission’s recommendations 407 on affirmative action, particularly those on party candidate lists,were instrumental in the Georgian Parliament’s adoption of the new ‘encouragement law.’ 408 While thislaw provides financial compensation for parties to include women candidates, it does not preventparties from placing them at the very bottom of the candidate list. Furthermore, it is essential thatwomen are made aware of this law and how they can access their rights. Recommendations on how tostrengthen the encouragement law will be provided in the final section of this report.404 Ibid. 31.405 Personal interview undertaken by Asatoorian et al. with Vepkhvadze, S. March. 2011.406 Manana Gabashvili, Personal Interview.407 Venice Commission and OSCE/ODIHR, “Joint Opinion on the Draft Election Code of Georgia,” CDL-AD(2011)043. 2011. 12.408 Tamuna Karosanidze, Personal Interview.77
Promoting Women’s Participation through Georgia’s Election CodeThe European Commission for Democracy through Law, better known as the Venice Commission, isthe Council of Europe's advisory body on constitutional matters. Established in 1990, the Commissionis an internationally recognized independent legal think-tank.The Commission currently has 58 full members who work on the following four key-areas:Constitutional assistance; Elections and referendums, Political parties; Co-operation withconstitutional courts and ombudspersons; Transnational studies, reports and seminars.In December 2011, the Venice Commission and the OSCE Office for Democratic Institutions andHuman Rights (OSCE/ODIHR) provided recommendations on the draft Election Code of Georgia. Oneset focused on facilitating the participation of women in public life and the elimination ofdiscrimination against women. The Venice Commission and OSCE/ODIHR made the followingrecommendations in this regard: The electoral system could be revised, either through the use of quotas or other recognizedmethods for facilitating the election of women candidates, so that current percentages ofwomen who are elected is increased substantially; Minimum representation for both sexes in election administration, including in leadershippositions, could be guaranteed; Some portion of public funding for political parties could be linked to the proportion ofwomen nominated as candidates by political parties and/or included on party lists.On a similar note, influential women leaders can also help to combat negative stereotypes regardingwomen’s leadership, and create a dialogue on the issue of gender equality. As the Deputy Chairwomanof the Parliament of Georgia notes, “when Hillary Clinton came here, she called only women [to meet].You cannot imagine, it was so interesting for our men because no men were there…[they were] verysurprised. And these men asked themselves, what did the women discuss?!” 409 Role models are neededin order to show IDP women, and women in general, that they can also be successful in the politicalarena. Unfortunately, although Hillary Clinton is well-regarded by Georgian IDP women, it seems thatthe few women civil servants in Georgia are perceived as representing the interests of IDP women. 410Finally, as noted by a representative of USAID, the executive requires greater women’s representationgiven that this body is responsible for monitoring Georgia’s adherence to CEDAW. 411 While theParliament of Georgia has a strong advocate for women’s rights through the Deputy Chairwoman, thereis no equivalent advocate in the executive. Recommendations directed toward applicable stakeholders,and based on the opportunities discussed above, will be provided at the end of this report.409 Rusudan Kervalishvili, Personal Interview.410 Focus Group with IDP Women from the 2 nd Wave of Displacement. January. 2012.411 David Dzebisashvili, Personal Interview.78
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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
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 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 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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