Project name: “Support to the Public Defender's Office to address the problems of IDPs and conflict-affected individuals”

Funded by: The United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees, the British Embassy to Georgia.

Project status:Completed

Project duration: January 2010 - March 2016

Project objectives:

The project is aimed at strengthening capacities of the Public Defender's Office in order to study the problems of the internally displaced and conflict-affected persons and to improve appropriate counseling and assistance of IDPs.

Project activities:

The project conducted activities in 5 cities of Georgia: Tbilisi, Gori, Kutaisi, Zugdidi and Batumi, and Public Defender's regional offices. The project staff conducted monthly monitoring in IDPs’ collective centers and settlements. They studied general and individual problems of IDPs and provided information to the Public Defender's Office. Within the framework of the project, legal consultations were provided to the internally displaced persons both at their places of residence and in the Public Defender's Office.
Field visits were carried out within the project in the villages alongside the so-called administrative demarcation line in order to provide the Public Defender's Office with information about the rights situation of the conflict-affected population.
Annual reports on the rights situation of IDPs were prepared on the basis of the trends highlighted during the project activities. Presentation of the reports was held in different regions in order to provide detailed information to the local population and non-governmental organizations.
Various educational activities were also held during the project.
Project employees represented the Public Defender of Georgia in various governmental commissions and groups working on the issues of IDPs.