Projects

Project title: Promoting the Accessibility of Judicial acts through Monitoring, Advocating and Litigation

Donor organization: USAID Rule of Law Program

Project number: G-2126-23-211-3047-20

Project Duration: 1 February, 2023 - 30 November, 2023

Grant amount:$ 24,850.00

Project summary

The project aims at ensuring the accessibility of judicial acts through monitoring, advocacy, and strategic litigation. The project activities will be focused on the implementation of the Constitutional Court’s decision of 7 June 2019, the execution of the decision will be monitored, working meetings will be held with the representatives of the Parliament and other relevant stakeholders, an analytical report will be prepared, and applicable legislative amendments to the Organic Law of Georgia on Common Courts will be advocated. The project team will also start strategic litigation requesting proactive publication of the court decisions.

Purpose of the project

The overall purpose of the project is to promote the accessibility of judicial acts

Objectives of the project

- Monitoring the implementation of the Constitutional Court’s decision of 7 June 2019;

- Holding working meetings with stakeholders and preparing/advocating relevant recommendations;

- Delivering a report on the availability of the judicial acts, identifying the challenges in legislation and practice;

- Submitting a complaint to the court requesting to publish/disclose judicial acts.

Activities

Budget

Contract

Project title: Analysis of Russian Capital in Georgian Business - Stage 3

Supported by: Georgian Information Integrity Program(GIIP) / USAID

Budget: GEL 57,250

Duration: October 26, 2022 – January 27, 2023

In the second phase of the project, IDFI intends to review and publish a new report detailing the work, resources and connections of Georgian companies owned by Russian citizens in the following sectors: water resources, tourism, construction and big investments from other sectors not listed in previous stages of the project.

In addition, at this stage the findings from all three stages of total 11 sectors will be combined and published as one large study. In this way, the project will result in one extensive report about Russian capital in Georgia’s key business sectors. 

 The business is often related to socio-political actors and influences on public perceptions. We deem it important to closely investigate such links between political, civil and media actors and business companies owned by the citizens of Russia. This would give us a clear image of funding sources behind some malign political, media and civil actors that actively spread disinformation in the country. For this, IDFI will monitor the donations, lobbying cases and other types of connections between the companies and societal actors in order to map the network of Russian capital and political organizations in Georgia. As a result of the three-stage project, IDFI plans to create a map of the Russian capital in Georgia, which will be integrated into the Georgian Disinformation Ecosystem Map.

Project Objectives

-  Investigation of Russian capital in the mentioned sectors of Georgian business and its impact on the political, media and civil sectors;

- Investigating and mapping the Russian capital in Georgian business and its impact on Georgian political, media, and civil actors;

- Revealing the connections between the companies owned by the citizens of Russia and political, civil, and media actors affiliated with the government of the Russian Federation;

- Creating an effective tool and source of verified information for the civil society and research organizations as well as for media outlets that are focused on Russian-Georgian relations, Russian propaganda and disinformation issues;

-Investigate the activities of the companies, relevant to these sectors, that have been sanctioned by the West after the Russian invasion in Ukraine. 

Project activities:

- In the second phase of the project, gathering information from public agencies, the Internet and other open sources in the following key areas: water resources, tourism, construction and big investments from other sectors not listed in previous stages of the project.

- Update the company information studied in 2015’s report.

-  Creating an analytical brief/interim report.

-Production and advertising of the final research report of the three stages. 

Project Budget and Activities

Contract 

Project title: Overcoming disinformation and nostalgia surrounding Stalin: A new identity for the city of Gori - Stage 3

Supported by: Georgian Information Integrity Program(GIIP) / USAID 

Budget: GEL 61, 900

Duration: 08.09.2022 -  15.01.2023

Disinformation narratives that are primarily based on the sentiments and nostalgia towards Stalin in Shida Kartli have been passed down from generation to generation and continue to play a key role in the region's identity and self-identification. Due to the constant instrumentalization of Stalin's legacy, the region is still nurtured by the myths surrounding Stalin.

Considering the above-mentioned issue,  it is important to contribute to the de-escalation of the deepening nostalgia towards Stalin and Soviet times and to intervene in passing on these views to future generations without any critical approach. The identity of Gori being this intertwined with Stalin’s figure (both internal and external perceptions) does not allow the citizens to imagine a different positioning of their region or alternative means of developing its tourism potential. The project’s approach is to not only deliver the idea to the local population but more importantly, to incorporate them, as the main audience of the project, in creating and upholding this renewed narrative. 

The project aims at creating an alternative visual platform. Hence, the project will highlight hitherto unknown people, locations, places of memory of trauma and triumph, and important moments in the (pre-Soviet or independent to Soviet regime) history of the city. While creating and promoting the materials, the local youth and vulnerable groups (e.g. IDP people) will be engaged and informed on the development of the project making their city’s historical identity relevant for them. As a result, the local stories, merits, narratives of trauma, and victories become important driving forces and the central element of social identity in the center of Shida Kartli.

The third stage of the project envisions development in three following directions: Firstly, more short stories will be created based on archival research and interviews with the locals, together with more known and unknown historical places marked on the digital map; Second aspect is web-development - the web-site www.gorimaps.ge created for this project, will be further designed, developed and expanded.  Third aspect is installation of designed plaques around the city - following the identified pins on the map, specially designed boards will be installed around the city that will also depict the QR code leading to further information on the place/story on the website. A summary plaque will depict the digital map with the pins.

The online and physical spaces are meant to popularise the alternative and at times forgotten history of the city/region among the local population and the guests of the city. 

The products of the project are meant to contribute to an alternative route design of the city tour. The project will also contribute to the generational dialogue, engaging the teachers and students in discussing their city, its unique history, and alternative identity. The “identity map” and corresponding informational banners/items displayed across the town will serve as a starting point for kicking off the dialogue. 

In a greater picture, the project will be considered successful if the new identity map and narratives have a long-standing impact on the stories that are told about the region and if the locations and items throughout the city serve as a starting point for the dialogue about the city’s alternative history. 

Project Objectives:

- Contribute to the greater knowledge of and awareness about the alternative history of Gori / Shida Kartli and replacing the figure of Stalin as an element of pride;

- new identity map and narratives have a long-standing impact on the stories that are told about the region and the locations and items throughout the city become to serve as a starting point for the dialogue about the city’s alternative (from that where Stalin is the central figure)  history;

- Create a new (online and physical) “identity map” based on the city’s history, superseding the figure of Stalin as the most important source of pride; 

- Engage locals in re-discovering city’s new identity;

- Highlight hitherto unknown people, locations, places of memory of trauma and triumph, and important moments in the (pre-Soviet or independent to Soviet regime) history of the city.

Project activities:

- Compose short stories based on historical and sociological research; 

- Production of the Videos and infographics

- Meetings across Shida Kartli for discussing the outcomes of the project with history teachers and pupils

- Develop the website www.gorimaps.ge  

- Identifying the relevant locations in the city with the local representatives and researchers; 

- Installation of the boards (or QR codes) across the city

- Present project outcomes to the local authorities/stakeholders

- Communicate with tourism agencies and tour guides and deliver project products 

- Develop and print physical map with the pins from digital map

Contract

Project Title:  DRIVE: Digital Research and Impact for Vulnerable E-citizens (in Ukraine and Georgia)

Supported by: e-Governance Academy and Luminate

Grant Amount: EUR 30,107.00

Grant Term: September 1, 2021 - August 31, 2023

Project Summary

In most countries around the world, the last year has caused the employment of digital and technological solutions at unprecedented speed across all sectors. Such rapid developments have led to many challenges. One of them is a fear of the widening gap between the developments and citizens. This unprecedented speed might have even caused a new set of marginalised citizens to emerge. Any innovation should precisely address that: future developments should not only be guided by the technologically feasible but by what is socially desirable and acceptable. Therefore the citizens’ engagement, particularly digital, in the decision-making in the sectors, services and ecosystems that affect their lives is crucial.

This project, DRIVE, wishes to address this – its ultimate vision is that the vulnerable citizen groups in Ukraine and Georgia have a changed quality of life (better) by being digitally engaged in political decision-making (advanced policy development) and services, and having necessary conditions, awareness and skills for that.

Though a large number of different elements can contribute to a changed quality of life and digital engagement, the DRIVE project aims at one: public authorities and CSOs are aware of the digitally vulnerable groups and their needs, and have improved skills to engage these groups and to prevent the digital divide (further). For that, the project targets two specific outcomes: first, public authorities and CSOs are aware of the digitally vulnerable citizens (DVC), and know the needs and gaps in their digital literacy and access (tools and skills), and second, they are able to work together to design smart responses to address the needs and overcome the gaps, and to implement transparent, accountable and participatory e-governance (e.g. a new tools, platform, etc.). These form the key outcomes of the project. In addition, the collaboration between eGovernance Academy (Estonia) and the local partners (Georgia and Ukraine) aims to advance the capacity and aftercare so that the local partners can continue working for the same objectives, able to find necessary funding (joint projects for EU and Estonian Ministry of Foreign Affairs) for action proposals, and achieve the ultimate objective for the digitally vulnerable e-citizens.

Project activities include:

Stage 1: Preparatory activities

Stage 2: Hands-on activities to implement selected recommendations

 - Trainings and actions proposals

 - Pilot project or civic engagement/tech initiatives and regional outreach

Project Title: Core Support 

Supported by: Luminate, Global Philanthropic Organization

Grant Amount: USD 200,000

Grant Term: January 13, 2022 – December 31, 2023

The Goals of the Grant are: 

1. IDFI will continue their public spending and good governance watchdog role as well as analytical activities in Georgia.

2. IDFI will ensure systematic monitoring of public procurement, public spending and government programs in Georgia.

Contract

Project Title: - CSO Meter: A Compass to Conducive Environment and CSO Empowerment “(ENI/2021 /423-451)

Donor organization: European Union (EU); Civil Society Institute

Budget: 4300 00 (four thousand three hundred euros and 00 euro cents)

Duration: June 30, 2021 - December 31, 2023

Project Goal:

The aim of the project is to become a member of the project-based regional hub and to upgrade the CSO Meter report.

Main Activities Envisaged by the Project:

- Allocation of an expert/experts within the hub organization who will work on the issues covered by the project and will be responsible for the topic related to the project

- Participate in local and international events of CSO Meter

- Participate in the work process of the CSO Meter Advisory Board

- Update the CSO meter report

- Involve and discuss project-related issues within its competence

- Identify Early warnings for CSO meters according to relevant directions and provide information about them to the customer and other members of the hub

- Participate in the process of monitoring of the living environment of civil societies

- Participate in advocating for recommendations developed within the CSO meter

Project Title: Promoting PPD in Georgia through Monitoring and Awareness Raising
Donor Organization: Deloitte Consulting LLP, a contractor to the United States Agency for International Development (USAID) for The USAID Economic Governance Program
Project Contract Number: R-2010-00014
Total Budget:GEL 136,742
Duration of the Project:April 5, 2021 - April 4, 2022

Project Brief Descriptionand Goals

The project aims to continue the operation of the PPD Quality Tracking Mechanism, expand its use in regions outside the capital and raise awareness on PPD among state and non-state actors as well as the wider society. Selected draft laws and regulations will be evaluated based on the extent and quality of inclusive consultation.

The evaluation of the extent and quality of PPD will be based on four pre-identified phases of policy development: policy design and development, legislation drafting, circulation and public comments, and ex-ante regulatory impact assessment (RIA), namely:

- Policy Design and Development - criteria to evaluate the extent and quality of relevant non-government stakeholder (private sector, business, civil society, affected party) or expert (professors/academia, lawyers, economists, think tank, NGOs, international donor organizations) input that government policymakers received in the initial formulation of the underlying policy behind proposed legislation (initial formative stage), at the very first stages of consideration before the commencement of drafting any legislation.

- Legislation/regulation drafting - criteria to evaluate the extent and quality of relevant non-government stakeholder (private sector, business, civil society, affected party) or expert (professors/academia, lawyers, economists, think tank, NGOs, international donor organizations) input in the actual creation of draft legislation.

- Ex-ante Regulatory Impact Assessment (RIA) - criteria to evaluate the extent and quality of the RIA performed related to the legislation.

- Circulation and public comments - criteria to evaluate the (i) extent and quality of efforts to publicize, circulate, and distribute the proposed draft legislation to the public and stakeholders (private sector, business, civil society, affected parties and the public at large); and (ii) the adequacy and extent of efforts to solicit and consider public feedback.

As a result of the grant activities, the project team will prepare a methodology for evaluating the quality of  PPD in the regions of Georgia, as well as a methodology for evaluating PPD quality in regard to regulations.

The representatives from key governmental institutions as well as the selected municipalities will be better equipped with relevant knowledge and information on high-level PPD. In order to achieve this goal, IDFIwill conduct information and training sessions in the regions of Georgia.

Activities (start date of activities May 01, 2021):

1) Preparatory stage: elaborating a comprehensive methodology and submitting FOI requests

2) Conducting interviews and training sessions

3) Inception study of selected three municipalities

4) Preparing a monitoring report

5) Developing and finalizing PPD quality tracking report

6) Final presentation of the report and social activities

Activities

Contract

Project Title: Core Support

Supported by: The Swedish International Development Cooperation Agency (Sida)

Grant Number: No. 13382

Budget: SEK 9,100,000 (Swedish kronor)

Duration: January 1, 2020 - December 31, 2022

Objectives of the Core Activities

The overall objectives of the Core Activities are Supporting Democratic and Good Governance in Georgia through evidence-based research, monitoring and advocacy by a) Promoting Open Governance; b) Strengthening the Anti-Corruption System; c) Social and Economic Policy; d) Rule of Law; e) Facilitating the Decentralization Process; f) Supporting the Process of Democratic Transition in Georgia; g) Media and Freedom of Expression; h) Internet and Innovations.

Project Summary

Despite overall progress in terms of building a democratic state and improving the effectiveness, transparency and fairness of governance in Georgia over the past 20 years, these processes have slowed and are currently facing serious challenges, such as informal governance, concentration of power, lack of judicial independence, high-level corruption and lack of political will to continue with important reforms, as well as poverty, external political and economic pressure from the Russian Federation that negatively affects democratic processes in the country. Reputable international organizations as well as prominent Georgian civil society organizations have gone as far as to say that Georgia shows signs of state capture. While the Government of Georgia declares that country irreversibly keeps pro-Western, Euro-Atlantic, democratic course, these worrying trends show a clear necessity for civil society to focus on these direction and support Georgia’s democratic and pro-western development as much as possible within its competence.

Having 10 years of experience working on improving democratic processes and promoting the principles of good governance, IDFI intends to counteract the existing challenges facing democratic and good governance through evidence-based research, monitoring and advocacy. More specifically, IDFI will work towards key objectives of combating corruption, improving transparency of public institutions, increasing citizen engagement in decision-making processes, achieving higher standards of rule of law, promoting more inclusive economic policies, facilitating the democratic decentralization and the democratic transition processes, upholding media and human rights, and promoting innovations to solve outstanding problems.

To achieve these objectives, IDFI will work with all relevant public, private, and civil society stakeholders. The organization will also make active use of various national and international networks and platforms in order to achieve positive change in target areas. Finally, special attention will be paid to achieving results at scale, by engaging important cross-cutting issues, such as education, environment and gender.

Budget 

Contract