The News in Brief
Monday, July 8
By Nika Gamtsemlidze
UN-organized Conference on Internal Displacement in Tbilisi
A conference on Internal Displacement was held in Tbilisi, Georgia on July 5. The meeting was attended by the representatives of the ministries and state agencies, donor community, UN agencies, civil society, and IDP communities.
Participants discussed the national legislation, policies, and strategies on internal displacement and challenges faced in Georgia, including in the breakaway regions of Abkhazia and South Ossetia.
The conference was guided by the 20th Anniversary of the Guiding Principles on Internal Displacement. During the meeting, attendees discussed the ways of addressing the protracted displacement and supporting solutions.
Grigol Giorgadze, the Deputy Minister of Internally Displaced Persons from the Occupied Territories, Labour, Health and Social Affairs of Georgia, opened the conference.
Sabine Machl, the UN Resident Coordinator in Georgia, also attended the meeting. In her speech, she talked about the plans of the UN regarding the lives of internally displaced persons.
“We look forward to continuing working together with all key ministries to support efforts that help internally displaced persons find livelihoods, education opportunities, and self-reliance so they can find their durable solution,” noted Machl.
Yoko Akasaka, UNHCR Regional Representative a.i. in the South Caucasus joined Machl by stating, “Georgia should be praised for having made significant progress and achievement in support of IDPs. However, several challenges remain when it comes to durable solutions. We all including Government, NGOs, and IDPs themselves, need to work together in search of new and alternative approaches to support their self-reliance and achieve solutions.”
While addressing the participants, the Chairperson of the Human Rights and Civil Integration Committee, Sopio Kiladze talked about the rights of IDPs in Georgia, the grave situation on the occupied territories and the progress by the state in supporting the IDPs.
“Unfortunately, we have up to 300 000 IDPs in the country. Despite the numerous state programs for IDPs support, the challenge remains to be their social state and the problem of the return of IDPs to their homes. This conference is very important for us to in cooperation with the international partners develop the action plan for the improvement of the lives of these people,” stressed Kiladze.
The Conference represents an effective platform for harnessing the international experience and practice in securing durable solutions for IDPs in Georgia.
The United Nations Special Rapporteur on the Human Rights of Internally Displaced Persons, Cecilia Jimenez-Damary also attended the meeting; she focused on a Plan of Action for Advancing Prevention, Protection, and Solutions for Internally Displaced People 2018-2020.
The Plan outlines four priority areas for the next three years: participation of IDPs; national laws and policies on internal displacement; data and analysis on internal displacement; and addressing protracted displacement and supporting durable solutions.
The conference was organized by the United Nations and the Ministry of Internally Displaced Persons from the Occupied Territories, Labour, Health and Social Affairs of Georgia with the assistance of the UN Refugee Agency (UNHCR).
UN-organized Conference on Internal Displacement in Tbilisi
A conference on Internal Displacement was held in Tbilisi, Georgia on July 5. The meeting was attended by the representatives of the ministries and state agencies, donor community, UN agencies, civil society, and IDP communities.
Participants discussed the national legislation, policies, and strategies on internal displacement and challenges faced in Georgia, including in the breakaway regions of Abkhazia and South Ossetia.
The conference was guided by the 20th Anniversary of the Guiding Principles on Internal Displacement. During the meeting, attendees discussed the ways of addressing the protracted displacement and supporting solutions.
Grigol Giorgadze, the Deputy Minister of Internally Displaced Persons from the Occupied Territories, Labour, Health and Social Affairs of Georgia, opened the conference.
Sabine Machl, the UN Resident Coordinator in Georgia, also attended the meeting. In her speech, she talked about the plans of the UN regarding the lives of internally displaced persons.
“We look forward to continuing working together with all key ministries to support efforts that help internally displaced persons find livelihoods, education opportunities, and self-reliance so they can find their durable solution,” noted Machl.
Yoko Akasaka, UNHCR Regional Representative a.i. in the South Caucasus joined Machl by stating, “Georgia should be praised for having made significant progress and achievement in support of IDPs. However, several challenges remain when it comes to durable solutions. We all including Government, NGOs, and IDPs themselves, need to work together in search of new and alternative approaches to support their self-reliance and achieve solutions.”
While addressing the participants, the Chairperson of the Human Rights and Civil Integration Committee, Sopio Kiladze talked about the rights of IDPs in Georgia, the grave situation on the occupied territories and the progress by the state in supporting the IDPs.
“Unfortunately, we have up to 300 000 IDPs in the country. Despite the numerous state programs for IDPs support, the challenge remains to be their social state and the problem of the return of IDPs to their homes. This conference is very important for us to in cooperation with the international partners develop the action plan for the improvement of the lives of these people,” stressed Kiladze.
The Conference represents an effective platform for harnessing the international experience and practice in securing durable solutions for IDPs in Georgia.
The United Nations Special Rapporteur on the Human Rights of Internally Displaced Persons, Cecilia Jimenez-Damary also attended the meeting; she focused on a Plan of Action for Advancing Prevention, Protection, and Solutions for Internally Displaced People 2018-2020.
The Plan outlines four priority areas for the next three years: participation of IDPs; national laws and policies on internal displacement; data and analysis on internal displacement; and addressing protracted displacement and supporting durable solutions.
The conference was organized by the United Nations and the Ministry of Internally Displaced Persons from the Occupied Territories, Labour, Health and Social Affairs of Georgia with the assistance of the UN Refugee Agency (UNHCR).