Category: Impact Stories

Improving Access to Justice for Marginalized Groups in Georgia

PROLoGSept2020

Religious minorities living in the mountainous Adjara region of Georgia had the opportunity to seek legal advice on matters of violence and discrimination based on gender and religion thanks to a mobile legal clinic organized by the Human Rights Education and Monitoring Center (EMC). The two-day clinic was held on August 24-25 in the towns of Khulo and Ghorjomi and included a workshop for women in Khulo focused on women’s rights and domestic violence issues.

Religious and ethnic minorities in Georgia often face legal hurdles that limit their access to justice. With support from EWMI’s USAID-funded Promoting Rule of Law in Georgia Activity (PROLoG), EMC is working to strengthen the rights of religious and ethnic minorities in the Adjara region by addressing the discriminatory practices of state institutions. These discriminatory practices include the restriction of freedom of religion for minority religious groups, discrimination on religious and ethnic grounds in relations with the state and private persons, unequal treatment with regard to the recognition of property ownership and during the construction process, and the discriminatory indifference of police towards religious-based hate crimes.

EMC organized the mobile legal clinic to provide free legal aid and identify the key social and legal problems faced by the residents. The clinic was led by a group of lawyers from Tbilisi along with a locally-based lawyer who will be permanently stationed in the region to provide on-going legal consultations and litigation assistance. During the clinic meetings, residents of Khulo and Ghorjomi sought legal advice on matters of violence and discrimination based on gender and religion, as well as issues related to the registration of agricultural lands. In particular, the women who attended the meeting were interested in family law issues, such as the management of funds between spouses when they both are involved in agricultural activities and how alimony is determined in cases of divorce.

As part of the mobile legal clinic, 15 women in Khulo had the opportunity to participate in a workshop focused on women’s rights. They learned about the rights of domestic violence victims and existing protection mechanisms, and an EMC representative explained the importance of reporting violence to the police and provided information about shelters for situations in which  victims might not have a safe place to go.

The discussions held during the two-day clinic highlighted existing challenges in the region, including the lack of access to resources and services. The residents of high mountainous Adjara often have to travel two or three hours to the city of Batumi to access necessary public services which is both a logistical and financial burden for the local population.

Access to justice requires a justice system that is responsive to the needs and rights of all citizens, as well as a citizenry that is informed and able to seek the protection of their rights under the law. EMC’s work will help to ensure that the religious minorities of Adjara are not forgotten and strengthen their ability to seek justice should they face violence or discrimination based on their gender or religion.

Amplifying Women’s Voices

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Women of Georgia published 15 new stories that hit a record number of over one million viewers and brought over 3,000 new followers to the official Facebook page.

For over three years, EWMI’s Advancing CSO Capacities and Engaging Society for Sustainability (ACCESS) project has supported an online platform, Women of Georgia, created to raise awareness about gender inequalities and promote open discussion of issues affecting women in Georgia. Featuring real stories of women from various backgrounds, these stories have become an important voice for many women.  In the past two months, Women of Georgia has published 15 new stories that combined hit a record number of over one million total views and brought over 3,000 new followers to the official Facebook page, bringing the total to over 78,800 followers. Moreover, many of these stories were quickly picked up by national TV channels and social media sites, stirring intense debates and, in some cases, first-time conversations on women’s struggles in Georgia.

EWMI ACCESS also supported the creation of the Women of Georgia website, that collects all the published stories in Georgian and English languages.

ACCESS is funded by the US Agency for International Development (USAID). 

Kyrgyzstan Launches Online Portal for Public Discussion of Draft Laws

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On August 17, 2020, the Prime Minister of Kyrgyzstan signed a decree launching a pilot project that for the first time will allow the public to comment on draft legislation online. The decree requires all executive bodies in the government to post their draft legal acts for discussion on a new Ministry of Justice public portal.

The new initiative is an important legacy of EWMI’s recently completed USAID Kyrgystan Collaborative Governance Program (KCGP). One of the CGP’s important priorities was expanding opportunities for civic engagement in the lawmaking process. Prior to EWMI’s engagement, there were no clear and operative feedback mechanisms through which citizens and civil society organizations could submit comments to the initiators of draft legal acts. In many cases, the public found out about new laws only after their adoption.

Beginning in 2019, EWMI worked with the Ministry of Justice to develop an online portal for the public discussion of draft legal acts, so as to make the lawmaking process more transparent, participatory, and responsive to citizen concerns. The concept of such a portal had been put forward by a number of civil society groups and supported by the Open Government Partnership Forum, which tasked the Ministry with developing the portal.  The Ministry established a working group to that end, and, at EWMI’s request, included in the group representatives of the civil society organizations that had championed the idea.  To promote broad public engagement in the development of the portal, EWMI helped the Ministry hold public hearings in seven cities around the country.  The hearings allowed the Ministry to solicit ideas about the functionality of the portal so that it would be as user-friendly as possible and contain the necessary features to enhance citizen participation in the lawmaking process. EWMI and a local contractor subsequently developed the portal software and a mobile application in close collaboration with the Ministry.

During the pilot period, which will run through February 2021, the Ministry will monitor the use of the portal and collect recommendations to improve the online public discussion procedures.  The monitoring results and the recommendations will inform a new permanent decree that the Prime Minister is expected to issue in March 2021.  A draft law on Amendments to the Law on Normative Legal Acts, which would make the posting of draft laws on the portal obligatory for all lawmaking bodies, passed its first reading in the Kyrgyz Parliament in June 2020.  After the parliamentary elections in October, the Ministry of Justice plans to work with the new Parliament to ensure the adoption of this draft law.

The Collaborative Governance Program was made possible by the generous support of the American people through a grant from the United States Agency for International Development (USAID) to EWMI.ning that they have received from HA have given them the confidence and knowledge that will help them effectively lobby for their own interests.As one community focal person put it: ‘Our community has learned that we have to take action ourselves to get the results we want. It is slow it is difficult, but we will keep trying.

Connecting People to Services in Vietnam

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Photo: Frida Aguilar Estrada

The Open Development Mekong platform has been working to connect people with information about services during the pandemic. Over the last months, Open Development Vietnam has published a timeline of relevant government policies, a page of essential information on COVID-19 services, and a page on the impact of COVID-19 on Vietnam. To assist readers, ODV has also published a video walkthrough of how to use the resources. In addition, the Open Development Mekong blog offers a different take on the impacts of the pandemic as it relates to the data ecosystem. In the upcoming months, work will be published on the impact of COVID-19 on employment in Myanmar, gender equality in Laos, precarious employment in Thailand, as well as a regional look on the impact of the pandemic on human rights and education, as well as the impact of data gaps on understanding COVID-19 in the region.

Mekong Region (2011-Present): Open Development Initiative (ODI)

Protecting the Rights of a Child

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Photo by Sven Brandsma

On July 7, the Tbilisi City Court decided a case litigated by EWMI grantee, Partnership for Human Rights (PHR). Through a EWMI PROLoG-supported project, “Strengthening Child Access to Justice in Georgia,” PHR provides legal aid to children and their guardians in cases where there is a violation of the rights of a child. In this particular case, PHR was protecting the rights of a child that was placed in a COVID-19 quarantine zone despite having a suitable place for self-isolation with the parent.

On June 27, the family returned to Georgia from the U.S. and was taken to a quarantine zone. According to the government’s regulation, instead of quarantine, which lacks adequate living conditions for a child, the child should have been placed in self-isolation. The family requested to be transferred to their home arguing that they had a suitable alternative, the quarantine zone did not provide appropriate nutritional support for the child, and the child’s psychological well-being was at risk, but their request was rejected without any basis.

With the help of PHR, the family was able to address the Tbilisi City Court. On July 7, the court heard the case, and, taking into account the best interest of the child, granted PHR’s request, and the family was transferred to self-isolation. PHR was pleased with this outcome and continues to protect the human rights of children and other vulnerable groups through legal assistance. 

Beyond Fences Initiative 2.0: Empowering Journalism Students to Become Digital Storytellers

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The USAID-funded Justice for All project (JfA) has found new ways to inspire and support university-level journalism students as part of the Beyond Fences 2.0 Initiative despite COVID-19-related restrictions and safety measures.

The Beyond Fences 2.0 Initiative is designed to train journalism students from two regional universities in Elbasan and Shkoder in mobile reporting and filmmaking techniques with the goal of producing content that will be showcased at the Balkan Film and Food Festival. The Initiative seeks to enable the participants to produce professional-grade short documentary films, news stories, podcasts, radio segments, or other multimedia projects that are capable of creating an online movement and motivate social change around issues JfA is supporting. To implement the Beyond Fences 2.0 Initiative, JfA is working with Rana Labs, a digital media agency that develops websites, produces videos, provides digital media trainings, and empowers the future digital story tellers of the world.

JfA and Rana Labs designed a customized program involving three workshops to strengthen the students’ reporting and filmmaking skills and knowledge. The first of three workshops, during which journalism students were introduced to the fundamentals of storytelling and production, story design, storyboarding, and pitching, was held in February and March.

After the second workshop was postponed due to coronavirus-related restrictions, JfA, Rana Labs, and the journalism students were able to continue making progress by quickly adapting to remote working methods. JfA and Rana Labs have used WhatsApp groups to provide direct guidance, respond to technical questions, provide creative support, deliver additional training materials, and create a sense of community. For several of the student groups, the direct access to support and expert guidance through WhatsApp has motivated them to continue producing their films, with several groups now actively working on draft stories.

JfA and Rana Labs also used Zoom to hold two rounds of capacity-building sessions with the journalism students in May and June. During the first round of meetings, the groups were provided with feedback on the first drafts of their storyboards. During the next sessions, the storyboards were finalized and the groups were tasked with producing one-minute videos using film equipment kits provided by JfA, which allowed the students to transform the training they had received into practical skills and results. By the end of June, each group successfully produced and delivered their one-minute video and received tailored feedback from Rana Labs and JfA.

One example of the students’ work is the film Granny Luçe, which was produced by a group of third year journalism students from Luigj Gurakuqi University in Shkodër. The film represents the idea that not all reporting needs to focus on breaking news, and that sharing the everyday lives of community members can serve as a reminder of the commonalities shared by all Albanians.

Through the Beyond Fences 2.0 Initiative, JfA is training young journalists to move beyond reporting that covers only the voices of the most powerful by helping them (re)discover the power of simple voices and communities.

The Continued Pursuit of Truth: Fact-Checking the Pandemic Response

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‘True or false’ and responsible journalism

Faktoje, a fact-checking media service that promotes accountability based on the right to information and transparency, was launched in Albania in May 2018 with full technical support from the USAID-funded Justice for All project (JfA). The overarching goal of Faktoje is to improve public performance standards in Albania and, in less than two years, the platform has become a reliable source of information and set an example of responsible and ethical journalism. Since its establishment, Faktoje has also been acknowledged as the first fact-checking organization in Albania by a Tirana Court decision and become the first media organization in Albania to become a signatory member of the International Fact-Checking Network.

COVID-19 response: Accountability and access to information

Faktoje’s new website, which was launched on April 2, 2020, includes a dedicated space for COVID-19 updates, including quick access to key data based on official figures from the Ministry of Health and Social Protection and a page dedicated to articles focused exclusively on COVID-19. More than 252 relevant articles and 240 infographics have been produced by Faktoje since the introduction of lockdown measures in Albania in March. The COVID-19 related articles cover three main topics: the fact-checking of statements by public officials regarding measures and their implementation; identifying, exposing, and raising awareness about disinformation related to COVID-19 treatments; and the impact of COVID-19 on different sectors, such as education, health, the environment, and tourism. In addition, through a small grant from the US Global Engagement Center, Faktoje was able to support 20 local journalists’ coverage of the impact of COVID-19 in local communities in Albania, which resulted in 35 articles published. Through this activity, the local journalists were able to build their capacities in the methodology of fact-checking, which they were introduced for the first time as part of their engagement with Faktoje. As a result of this qualitative coverage on issues related to the pandemic, Faktoje was able to double its number of views on its website and interactions on social media channels.

Faktoje’s COVID-19 reporting seeks to hold public officials accountable for promises made in relation to measures taken to reduce the spread of the coronavirus and to provide citizens with vital information on protection from the virus by countering disinformation.

Supporting Community Forest Protection Advocacy in Cambodia

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In 2016, Mrs. Meas Phon and her family were living below the poverty line. Meas, aged 40, previously had been supporting herself and her six children successfully by selling Non Timber Forest Products (NTFP) in the Siem Reap province. However, informal and illegal logging was extremely prevalent in her commune, and as more and more illegal loggers tapped into forest resources, competition for the rapidly depleting NTFP became fierce and Meas struggled to forage fruits, mushrooms and bamboo. As a direct consequence of income depletion, many families in the community, who were struggling like Meas, were unable to afford children’s education. Once children dropped out of schools, they usually started working on farms or joined their parents in foraging forest resources to maintain subsistent livelihoods, further increasing competition.

In 2018, Meas learned about the People Center for Development and Peace (PDP-Center) and its work in her commune to strengthen community forest protection. She began participating in forest patrols, trainings and — along with her community members — pushed for forest protection in her commune. After 3 months of championing forest protection rights, they successfully obtained a Natural Resource Management (NRM) Protection Deika (commune-level by-law).

After the NRM protection deika went into effect, Meas was able to increase her income through the sale of mushrooms, fruits and vines. She also took up a daily rice farming job and through the collected savings, she eventually established a small poultry farm in her backyard. Not only has she been able to save in monetary terms, Meas has also reduced the amount of time it used to take to forage NTFP. Meas, along with other community members, now have a lot more time to be civically engaged and push for necessary reforms in their communes. Additionally, Meas has used these time savings to take up basket weaving as a secondary source of income. Now, supplementary income from monthly weaving is about 100,000 riels ($25) and income from collection of mushrooms and fruits is about 50,000 riels per day ($12.50). Last season, Meas’s income from collecting fruits was about 1,000,000 riels ($250) which enabled her family to save up and obtain electricity for the household at a cost of 390,000 riels ($96).

Through PDP-Center’s efforts, Meas went from struggling to make ends meet, to selling fruits, mushrooms as well as bamboo baskets, diversifying her sources of income to allow personal savings of $100 this year, electrifying her home, and sending her six children to school – all within a few months.

The community campaign not only led to a new law, but also provided a platform to reinforce commitment by all local actors to protect the forest. This process built ownership and laid the groundwork for inclusive effective implementation. As a result, illegal logging has dropped sharply and citizens have been able to increase the income they earn from non-timber forest products.

Since 2017, and with the help of a grant under the USAID Cambodian Civil Society Strengthening project (CCSS), implemented by EWMI, the PDP-Center has assisted eight communities, including that of Meas Phon, to push for their rights and enforce deikas that protect not only community rights over NTFP resources but also provide job and income security to its people. 200 families in Rum Chek Commune reported that they now earn between 25,000 to 30,000 Riels per day ($6.50), 20 families in Lemprohut Village said they earned between 30,000 to 50,000 Riels per day ($7 – $12) and 30 of the 150 families living in Utey Village reported earnings between 45,000 to 55,000 Riels per day ($11 – $14) from selling fruits, vegetables, mushrooms, honey, firewood, vines and medication. At least five families have been able to save up for and obtain electrical connections in their homes.

As a result of PDP-Center trainings, Meas and several community members are now familiar with the process of approaching relevant local authorities and pushing for their rights, especially in livelihood protection.

Promoting Ethical Journalism in Albania

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Faktoje, a fact-checking media service that promotes accountability based on the right to information and transparency, was launched in Albania in May 2018 with full technical support from the USAID-funded Justice for All project (JfA), implemented by EWMI. The overarching goal of Faktoje is to improve public performance standards in Albania and, in less than two years, the platform has become a reliable source of information and set an example of responsible and ethical journalism. Since its establishment, Faktoje has also been acknowledged as the first fact-checking organization in Albania by a Tirana Court decision and become the first media organization in Albania to become a signatory member of the International Fact-Checking Network.

On April 2, 2020, which is International Fact-Checking Day, Faktoje launched a newly redesigned website. The new website, which was developed with support from JfA, is more user- and mobile device-friendly and contains several features that will help Faktoje better present its work, including an e-newsletter that has a growing list of subscribers. Between April and June, following the launch of the new website, Faktoje.al received 52,048 users and 92,688 page views.

More concretely, the updates to Faktoje’s website include the addition of a space for video news items and a feature that allows all readers to see the results of its fact-checking for declarations (true, untrue, or half-true) or promises (kept or not kept) by simply pointing to the headline of the given article. In addition, the fact-o-meter indicators that Faktoje regularly uses were placed front and center to highlight Faktoje’s approach to fact-checking and strengthen readers’ understanding of fact-checking as an approach to quality journalism.

The new website design also includes a dedicated space for COVID-19 updates, including quick access to key data based on official figures from the Ministry of Health and Social Protection and a page dedicated to articles focused exclusively on COVID-19, including the 71 relevant articles Faktoje has produced since the introduction of lockdown measures in Albania in March. These articles cover three main topics: the fact-checking of statements by public officials regarding measures and their implementation; identifying, exposing, and raising awareness about disinformation related to COVID-19 treatments; and the impact of COVID-19 on different sectors, such as education, health, the environment, and tourism. Faktoje’s COVID-19 reporting seeks to hold public officials accountable for promises made in relation to measures taken to reduce the spread of the coronavirus and to provide citizens with vital information on protection from the virus by countering disinformation.

Supporting Civic Action to Address the COVID-19 Crisis in Georgia

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CSOs play a vital role in Georgia.

In order to respond to the COVID-19 crisis in a timely manner, EWMI’s Advancing CSO Capacities and Engaging Society for Sustainability (ACCESS) Project in Georgia promptly announced the Rapid Response Grants (RRG) program for Georgian Civil Society Organizations (CSOs), civil movements and citizen groups. The program deploys flexible resources to these groups to take civic action to minimize the spread of infection and address the crisis caused by the pandemic. Response to the program has been very positive, and grants have already been awarded to several grantees.

Quick access to funds allows grantees to address the needs of vulnerable populations throughout Georgia. In the town of Sighnaghi, about 30% of residents are over the age of 65 and are at a higher risk of developing severe complications from COVID-19. These residents have been advised to stay home and practice strict social distancing. For many of them, self-isolation will equal loneliness. With RRG funds, the Civic Initiatives’ Knowledge Café project will support this population by developing a database of elderly citizens living alone in the Sighnaghi municipality; reaching out to them to identify and address their needs; providing them with essential food and medical products; and organizing stress management and relief. To further support this effort, the Knowledge Café also raised funds from 513 local citizens through crowd funding. The Roma community is one of the most marginalized and under-represented communities in Georgia and are especially vulnerable during this pandemic. Roma have a limited access to private housing, social welfare, health care, and education. Inability to speak Georgian creates additional barriers for their integration into the Georgian society. The Ajara Democratic Development Center used its grant funds to launch a hotline for the Roma community living in the Ajara region to help inform them about the COVID-19 risks and prevention measures.

People with underlying health issues are at increased risk for infection, severe illness, and poorer outcomes from COVID-19. With their health in mind, EWMI ACCESS Rapid Response grantee, Identoba Youth, began information- and awareness-raising campaigns on COVID-19 for HIV positive and at-risk groups in Batumi. The organization developed and published a protocol with detailed guidance on what is COVID-19, how it is transmitted, what precautions to take, and how to access necessary health services. Identoba Youth has also started providing individual consultations on the COVID-19-related social and medical issues to the target group members.  Another grantee, the Winner Women’s Club launched a Facebook challenge campaign in which the Club members – cancer patient and survivor women – share their personal experiences during the COVID-19 stay-at-home order. This activity is part of the Winner Women’s Club effort to support the physical and mental well-being of cancer patient women during COVID-19 and beyond. Rapid Response Grantee Europa Donna Georgia will also use funds to support cancer patients, as well as their families, caregivers, and larger oncology community during the COVID-19 crisis. The grantee will develop infographics and videos about cancer and COVID-19 and facilitate discussion and Q&A via website, social media, and webinar with experts. Rapid Response Grantee Xenon is experienced in working with individuals with substance dependence, which is a high-risk group for COVID-19 transmission and complications. Xenon will use the RRG funds to facilitate a training webinar for Harm Reduction Program staff on COVID-19 issues, develop and distribute print materials and also distribute information by phone call to raise awareness among individuals with substance dependence about COVID-19 and how to avoid contracting it, and to provide personal protection equipment to individuals with substance dependence.

EWMI ACCESS Rapid Response Grants are also being used to ensure that the citizens of Georgia receive accurate and important public health information. Giorgi Beria, the Head of the New Vision University Training Center and National Expert of Education Quality Development, began organizing trainings for front-line medical personnel in targeted health facilities (these facilities have been designated as first, second, and third tier recipients of COVID-19 patients). Training agenda and materials for the targeted health care facilities are based on the national protocol and guidelines and WHO’s and NCDC’s recommendations, and have been vetted by the Regional Public Health Center under the Georgian Ministry of Health. The first three trainings covered 58 nurses, assistant nurses, and doctors from the Kutaisi Clinic L.G. Another Rapid Response Grantee Mirian Jugheli has built up a website cataloging different types of products and services available online in Georgia to ease adherence to the stay-at-home regulations. It includes a section debunking disinformation about COVID-19 and pointing visitors to reliable information. The Rapid Response Grantee Salam received funds to publish new informative posters in Azerbaijani language to raise awareness about COVID-19 prevention measures. The first poster explains the importance of physical distancing and how to maintain it. Another poster explains the importance of regular hand washing and provides detailed instructions on how to do it properly.

The COVID-19 outbreak has caused fear, stress, anxiety and grief among many Georgian citizens, including children. EWMI ACCESS awarded the New Thinking Institute a grant that enabled them to prepare and publish a new animated children’s story in Azerbaijani language to help young children in Kvemo Kartli and other parts of the country cope with the stay-at-home order. This is the fourth animated story by the New Thinking Institute during the pandemic. The stories are based on Azerbaijani fairy tales.

EWMI ACCESS is funded by the US Agency for International Development (USAID).