The HBF is conducting a new series of debates, dealing with the problems of Internally Displaced Persons (IDPs) in Georgia. According to the Internal Displacement Monitoring Centre (IDMC), due to the conflicts in the 1990s and the August war 2008, more than 247,000 people have fled from their hometowns and are now living in settlements or former sanatoriums and hospitals especially in the border regions to the occupied territories of Abkhazia and South Ossetia.
The aim of the project is to encourage the dialogue between the IDPs and local authorities as well as with other actors of civil society about different topics. Within the project, it is planned to carry out about 9 debates in three different districts densely populated by IDP. The overall goal is to fasciculate public debates between IDPs in order to increase the public participation and involvement in decision-making. Issues to be debated are the up-coming local elections, the state strategy on IDPs, housing and socio-economic problems as well as the state strategy on occupied territories.
Throughout the year in each district the public debates will be organized on the issues:
- Role of Local Government, up-coming Local Elections and IDPs - accountability, responsibility and participation.
- State Strategy on Internally Displaced Persons – existing problems, goals and perspectives.
- State strategy on Occupied Territories Georgia – solutions, plans and implementation.
The speakers will be experts on respected issues, the representatives of local municipalities as well as members of local NGOs who are actively involved in working with IDPs . By these means, the HBF wants to enhance the IDPs state of knowledge concerning civil rights and the State’s policies concerning IDPs. On the other hand, the debates will be a forum where the IDPs can get in contact with local authorities as well as local NGO members and thus increase their participation level and awareness.
The debates will be held in the cities of Gori, Zkaltubo and Zugdidi.
Dates and venues:
27.04.2010 – Gori (conference room of Gori Information Centre)
07.05.2010 – Tskaltubo (conference room of Tskaltubo Municipality)
13.05.2010 – Zugdidi (conference room of association “DEA” )
More dates for debates are going to be announced.