In Georgia UN Facilitated Review of Socioeconomic Needs in Abkhazia
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UN Country Team (UNCT) in Georgia UN Facilitated Review of Socioeconomic Needs in Abkhazia, Georgia Final Report March 2008 Table of Contents Executive Summary........................................................................................................................... 3 Introduction........................................................................................................................................ 5 PART I............................................................................................................................................... 8 Thematic Analysis ............................................................................................................................. 8 I.1 Economic issues and micro and small enterprise;............................................................... 8 I.2 Food security, agriculture production and agricultural infrastructure; ............................. 16 I.3 Health ................................................................................................................................ 24 I.4 Education........................................................................................................................... 34 I.5 Social protection and child protection............................................................................... 40 I.6 Protection for displaced and returnee communities .......................................................... 46 I.7 Housing assistance ............................................................................................................ 52 I.8 Confidence-building.......................................................................................................... 57 PART II............................................................................................................................................ 61 Annex 1: Terms of Reference, UN Facilitated Review of Socio-Economic Needs in Abkhazia, Georgia Annex 2: Review Research Team Members Annex 3: 2006 Medical Demography Data for Gali, Tkvarcheli and Ochamchire Districts Annex 4: Health Data for Abkhazia, Georgia 2006 Annex 5: Pensions, Allowances and Social Insurance provided by the de facto Ministry of Labour and Social Welfare 2 Executive Summary The present Review of Socioeconomic Needs in Abkhazia, Georgia details the assessments made by a research team that visited the Ochamchire, Tkvarcheli and Gali Districts as well as the neighbouring Zugdidi District in September 2007. The document provides an assessment of the rehabilitation, humanitarian and development efforts of the UN agencies and other partner organizations, as well as recommendations for improving and expanding assistance projects in the area. The review focuses on the following thematic areas: 1. Economic issues and micro and small enterprise – Abkhazia's economy has endured the triple shocks of war, subsequent economic isolation and transition from a Soviet era command economy to a market economy, as well as the ensuing displacement of the population. The modest recovery that has been accomplished is built on weak foundations, as much of the current trade in goods and services is limited by trading restrictions and the main production activities in the north (tourism) and south (agriculture) are seasonal and vulnerable to changes in consumer demand. Further problems include the finance sector's extremely slow pace of development, lack of a liberal business environment, inadequate worker qualifications in a number of sectors of the economy, and the fact that only a handful of banks can issue loans, usually under prohibitive conditions. Recommendations include continued support for local farmers, promoting vocational education, and focusing future support on specific sectors by taking a comprehensive value chain approach. 2. Food security, agriculture production and agricultural infrastructure - The conflict and ensuing years of decay have led to significant land abandonment and poor management of natural resources. Against the backdrop of the unsettled conflict, there is no consistent and comprehensive agriculture policy. Technical support for agriculture and animal health is very low and post-harvest management is still rudimentary. Farms have a low level of specialization due to the high level of self consumption, with many people previously engaged in other professions having resorted to backyard farming. More coherent and targeted interventions aimed at supporting efforts to train labour, reclaim abandoned lands and provide technical advice on agriculture and livestock are recommended. 3. Health – The Health Sector is barely functioning and has developed little since the fall of the Soviet Union. There are shortages of supplies, materials and equipment, problems compensating healthcare workers and a poor system of delivering health services at the local level. There is no coherent policy on combating HIV/AIDS and testing capacities are inadequate. Drug use, in particular intravenous drug use, appears to be a widespread problem in the east, though its extent is not fully known. The Review notes that a comprehensive and coordinated policy is needed, as are vast improvements in infrastructure and service delivery mechanisms. 4. Education – The education sector is in urgent need of review, reform and optimizations; despite some positive inputs, the needs in this area are enormous. Lack of equipment and materials, limited preschool education, insufficient teacher training, expensive and often unavailable textbooks and dilapidated school buildings are among the problems faced. 3 In this area, it has proven feasible to mobilize local communities to plan, participate and contribute to local education solutions such as rehabilitation. A particularly contentious issue in this regard is the language of instruction in the schools of Gali District. 5. Social protection and child protection – Social protection mechanisms are inadequate despite the fact that about 25 per cent of the population receives some kind of pension or allowance. There is no clear definition of poverty, no qualified social workers and no special programmes in place to support IDPs returning to the region. There is a lack of knowledge and information on child protection and little attention paid to these issues. A review of the current pensions and allowances system as well as an assessment of the institutional set up of the delivery of pensions and allowances and their receipt by the population are needed. UN and non-UN organizations should jointly coordinate and support curriculum development and training of social workers with a view to creating qualified social workers. Psycho-social support programmes are needed, as is education on leading a healthy lifestyle. Awareness of children's health must be promoted and the needs of children with disabilities must be addressed. 6. Protection for displaced and returnee communities – Since the conflict, which displaced the vast majority of the ethnic Georgian population, some 45,000 (estimates vary greatly) ethnic Georgians have returned or are in the process of returning to their original places of residence in Gali District. The returnees face a number of problems concerning property rights, military conscription and documentation issues. Aid is nearly non-existent and official data on housing for returnees is very limited and unreliable. Actors operating in the region should elaborate clear, consolidated and human rights-based activities in this regard. Efforts should be taken to strengthen local capacities, make both the population and local de facto authorities aware of the returnees' rights and build strong partnerships between NGOs and local actors. 7. Housing assistance – The armed conflict left many homes damaged, especially in Gali District, and the housing situation in the south is complicated by the fact that many residential buildings were poorly constructed, poorly maintained and vulnerable to flooding and landslides. Aid from the various regional authorities for targeting the rehabilitation of dwellings is far from adequate and data is limited and unreliable. An in-depth study into housing problems faced by Georgian returnees in Gali is needed and actors should elaborate a realistic plan of action on joint measures for rehabilitation of houses. 8. Confidence-building –The UN agencies, particularly UNHCR, have developed a series of projects geared towards community mobilization, sustainability and confidence-building, in order for the population to begin to rely on their capacity to achieve their own goals without permanently depending and relying on assistance. As for confidence building among different ethnic groups, economic cooperation projects are likely the best means to foster intercommunity links. The report calls for greater continuity in assistance projects and an accompanying education programme focused on conflict resolution, the restoration of intercommunity confidence and contributing to the peace process. 4 Introduction Georgia still faces many challenges related to sustainable peace and development resulting from its two unresolved internal conflicts in Abkhazia and South Ossetia regions of Georgia. These conflicts erupted in the wake of the collapse of the Soviet Union and led to displacement and trauma. The armed hostilities caused deprivation and devastation in the conflict zones, as well as adjacent areas. The conflict which took place in Abkhazia, Georgia between 1992-1993 resulted in thousands of