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

uling party. 433 There were some signs in 2008 that IDPs were beginning to shift their allegiances, but itwill remain to be seen in the upcoming election if a majority of IDPs continue to favor the currentgovernment, or whether dissatisfaction over collective center evictions, remote resettlement andcontinued livelihood challenges will encourage IDPs to cast ballots in favor of the opposition.One of the most significant limitations on IDPs’ political impact is the fact that they do not have a singlerepresentative party, lobby or even NGO coalition. As a result, no group can consistently communicatetheir needs and interests to political actors, deliver votes for politicians who champion IDP issues, orhold accountable officials who do not follow through on promises made to IDPs. 434 IDP parties havefound it difficult to survive on IDP platforms. 435 The most high-profile and currently active IDP politicalparty is led by a member of Parliament who is also an IDP from Abkhazia. However, IDPs and othersinterviewed expressed universal cynicism about this party’s genuine interest in representing IDPs and itsefficacy in doing so. 436The lack of a visible IDP representative or lobby stunts advocacy efforts by established organizations andindividual IDPs. As previously discussed, the lack of IDP representation may make the costs of includingIDPs in policymaking too high for government bodies to engage in participatory processes. It alsocontributes to the sense of perpetual disenfranchisement among IDPs, while hindering coordinationamong IDP organizations.In addition to preventing adequate representation in policymaking, the lack of IDP leadership at thenational level further damages IDPs’ reputation in the eyes of IDP advocates. Over time, it also seems todiscourage attempts at IDP organizing. Several representatives of international donors and NGOsexpress frustration that repeated attempts to foster IDP representation and political activity have failedas IDPs have seemed unwilling or unable to make a serious attempt at working toward common goals. 437As time passes without IDPs organizing, their credibility as political actors and a constituency diminishes.Previous IDP NGO coalitions, including those facilitated by international donors, have collapsed or beenmarginalized, failing to have a sustained impact on the political scene. The executive director of an IDPNGO explained what an impact this vacuum of leadership has on IDPs’ ability to make their needs andinterests heard by policymakers:“Honestly, that is why [IDP NGOs] don’t really influence government policies...becausewe don’t have a consolidated vision. And when it comes to simple meetings with the433 Conciliation Resources “Out of the Margins,” 15.434 Senior Fellow, Personal Interview.435 David Chochia, Personal Interview.436 Ibid.; Nana Sumbadze, Personal Interview. Some political parties have active IDP wings or organizations. This seems to be arather new phenomenon, and we were not able to gather sufficient information on their activities and or membership at eitherthe national or local level to analyze their efficacy in representing IDP issues.437 Tina Gewis, Personal Interview; Caroline Stampfer, Personal Interview; INGO Representative, Personal Interview.83