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

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international working for a major donor, “IDP feedback is only indirectly influencing decisions made bydonors on which priorities to finance.” 463 Speaking specifically of the European Union’s agenda-settingprocess, however, she noted that cooperation with other international agencies working directly withIDPs plays a “decisive” role in funding decisions. 464 Donors naturally have their own goals, and auniversal complaint among local civil society dependent on foreign donors is that donor policy oftenreflects the needs and interests of the donor more than those of the beneficiaries. It is important thatinternational actors seek to avoid this in their activities in Georgia. Moreover, they should continue tobe proactive in using their leverage in favor of greater IDP inclusion in policymaking.International Influence on the Peace Process and IDP ReturnIn many ways, international organizations and donors fail to put explicit pressure on the Georgiangovernment and other parties to the conflict to come to an agreement in the peace process. Thisdirectly impacts IDPs in that a lack of a settlement prevents their safe and dignified return to their placesof origin, as the Guiding Principles on Internal Displacement stipulates. International actors play a keyrole in influencing the peace process, however. Unseen backchannel dialogues between internationalactors and parties to the conflict have undoubtedly impacted the political calculations of those involved.However, the policies of the major international donors and organizations working on IDP issues –among them the European Union, UNHCR and other UN agencies – are avowedly apolitical, making itdifficult for these international actors to vocally assert the need for greater inclusion of IDPs in peaceprocesses as a means to conflict resolution. 465International organizations and local civil society have recently been successful in pressing for greaterinclusion of women (and among them, IDP women) in peace processes at all levels. As previouslymentioned, this culminated in the adoption of the National Action Plan on UNSCR 1325. It remains to beseen whether or not this action plan will provide the critical political leverage to have the role of womenIDPs in peace processes supported at both the Track I and Track II levels.Opportunities to Leverage Political Factors in Favor of IDP ParticipationWe have described the significant role international actors, particularly major Western donors, play inGeorgian policymaking. The international community should look to improving opportunities for IDPs,who are experts on their own needs and interests, to influence donor priorities. They should also workto create targeted incentives for the Georgian government to adopt a more systematic participatoryapproach to policymaking around IDPs. Displaced persons and IDP advocates should also seek toincrease political pressure to include IDPs in decision-making by tying their concerns to issues facingGeorgia as a whole (such as poverty and unemployment). Greater collaboration with a range of politicalactors on cross-cutting issues would help IDPs gain allies and secure a seat at the table. Both new and463 Caroline Stampfer, Personal Interview.464 Caroline Stampfer, Personal Interview.465 UNHCR Representative, Personal Interview.89
traditional media also present rich opportunities for IDPs and IDP advocates to “rebrand” IDP issues,increasing the public’s appetite for accepting their needs and interests as legitimate policy priorities andseeing IDP leadership in the public sphere. This could help change the political calculus amongpolicymakers, incentivizing them to include IDP voices in decision-making.Economic FactorsIDPs in Georgia live under harsh socioeconomic conditions, posing a significant challenge to politicalparticipation. The lack of economic opportunities is a problem for most of the Georgian population.However, several factors indicate that IDPs are a particularly vulnerable segment of the population. Thefact that they do not have their basic needs covered makes them focus on earning a living on a dailybasis and makes political participation fall behind in the list of priorities.Economic Situation of IDPsWhile poverty is a central concern for much of the Georgian population, circumstances related todisplacement may increase IDPs’ risk. According to a recent assessment of IDP livelihoods in Georgia, thekey dimensions of IDPs’ vulnerability include diminished household capacities to develop and sustainpositive coping strategies; uncertainty with respect to their future; commonly poor housing conditions;low income and unemployment; disruption of social and economic networks; and traumatization. 466A recent survey find high rates of poverty among IDPs. Every sixth IDP household regards itself asextremely poor, claiming to be constantly starving, while approximately the same number of householdswould consider their economic conditions as so dire that they barely manage to feed themselves.Almost one half of IDP households state that their income (or their harvest) is enough only for selfconsumption,while only 17% of households are more or less satisfied with their economic conditions. 467Although there is a lack of concrete research and disaggregated data on IDP unemployment does notexist, some estimates suggest that unemployment among IDPs in Georgia may range from 35-45%, 468which is substantially higher than the official statistic that cites a rate of about 16.5%. IDPs also facesignificant under-employment, partial employment and informal employment, which may also be higheramong this population than for non-IDPs. 469466 Tarkhan-Mouravi, George. Assessment of IDP livelihoods in Georgia: facts and policies. February 2009. 21.467 Ibid; 25.468 Mitchneck, Beth, Olga V. Mayorova and Joanna Regulska. “Post-Conflict Displacement: Isolation and Integration in Georgia.”Annals of the Association of American Geographers. 99.5 Feb. 2009: 1022-1032. Web. 21 Nov. 2011.469 “IDMC – Internal Displacement Monitoring Center – Georgia – Employment rate of IDPs”, Web. 11 April 2012.90
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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
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The identities, perceptions, and re
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even IDPs themselves. The HRBA seek
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Karaleti settlement, and Potskho-Et
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displacement differently, with men
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on an equal footing with men in for
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The Ministry for Internally Displac
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Defender’s Office) and leave no r
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prominent national level IDP NGO wo
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in the past but none have yet to be
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Grassroots Peacebuilding EffortsCiv
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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 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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