OPEN SOCIETY – GEORGIA FOUNDATION OPEN SOCIETY-GEORGIA FOUNDATION ANNUAL REPORT 2005 www.osgf.ge 1 OPEN SOCIETY – GEORGIA FOUNDATION Open Society-Georgia Foundation 10 Chovelidze str., 0108 Tbilisi, Georgia Tel: (995 32) 25 04 63 Fax: (995 32) 29 10 52 [email protected] www.osgf.ge Designed and printed: “CGS” L.D.T. (Calamus Graphic Studio) 2 OPEN SOCIETY – GEORGIA FOUNDATION CONTENT PREFACE 4 PROGRAMS 7 Law Program 7 Public Administration and Local Self - Governance Program 10 Georgia Revenue Watch Program 13 Mass Media Support Program 15 Integration Program 20 Economic development Program 24 Women’s Program 26 Public Health Program 36 Information Program 40 Translation Program 43 Arts & Culture Program 45 “East East: Partnership Beyond Boarders “ Network Program 51 International Students Advising Center 60 Academic Fellowship Program 63 OPEN SOCIETY – GEORGIA FOUNDATION CHART 66 BUDGET 2005 67 AUDIT FINANCIAL REPORT 3 OPEN SOCIETY – GEORGIA FOUNDATION PREFACE In 2005, the Open Society Georgia Foundation with the aim of developing government accountability continued to carry out its efforts while adhering to mechanisms. To this end, a study of the state of legal the framework of the program strategy adopted the and technical readiness with regard to the use of the previous year. Supporting the institutions of the rule relevant electronic technology has been conducted of law and respect for human rights, the development and appropriate recommendations are being worked of the civil sector and the independent media, and out and promoted. the involvement of civil society in the regulation of Georgia’s confl icts – with an emphasis on the building The Economic Development Program continued to of trust between the confl icting sides – remained the work on creating a small and medium-sized business- top priorities for the OSGF. Supporting Georgia’s friendly environment in Georgia’s confl ict zones as well decision to continue integrating itself into European as regions settled primarily by ethnic minorities. The and Euro-Atlantic structures and encouraging civil program launched the in-house project “Unemployment organizations to participate in this integration process Re-Training and Self-Employment Program” in was also a priority for the OSGF in 2005. partnership with the OSGF Public Administration and Local Self-Governance Program in 2005. This project The foundation continued to support a wide array of is designed to create alternative models of employment issues and spheres, notably women’s initiatives and the for those who have been laid off by the state. fi ght against traffi cking and family violence; education and public healthcare reform; arts and culture; and The Integration Program started to fully function in an increased familiarity with and proliferation of 2005. Based on experience gained through the overall modern Information Technology at all levels of framework of past activities implemented in the confl ict Georgian society, including the state government. The zones by the foundation, the program continued foundation’s primary task in 2005 was to continue its to work on building trust between the confl icting support for post-revolutionary democratic changes and parties. At the same time, the program also continued reforms by helping effective governing mechanisms to to support the ongoing civil integration of ethnic bolster themselves by incorporating a wide-ranging and religious minorities, as well as the involvement and active civil participation. of NGOs in the elaboration of the mechanisms of Georgia’s European integration. In this regard, with In this regard, various projects have been launched and the cooperation of the Heinrich Boll and Eurasia continued during the period reviewed by this report. Foundations, the program has ensured the support The Law Program, for example, played a crucial role and participation of numerous Georgian NGOs in in the establishment of a nationally accepted system the drafting a number of recommendations under the of free legal aid by means of its grant component as rubric of the European Neighborhood Policy Action well as through its internal operational activities. Plan Civil Society Participation. The recommendation Civic participation in the lawmaking process was package developed within this project was submitted also supported within the framework of the same both to the delegation of the European Commission in program. The reform of the law enforcement system Tbilisi as well as to the Georgian government. was also supported by the Law Program, particularly through the introduction and popularization of the The foundation’s in-house project “Revenue Watch model of community prosecution. Two international Program” was also implemented in 2005. In the conferences focusing on the issues of police and framework of this project, reports on the levels of military reform were also held within the framework transparency of incomes received from the extractive of this project. and energy transport industries were monitored and made available to the public. On the basis of this A research project – “Integrity System Mapping in project, the NGO coalition “For Transparency of Georgia” was carried out under the rubric of the Public Finances” was established. Public Administration and Local Self Governance Program, and aimed at studying the levels of stability Other OSGF programs, including Mass Media Support, and effectiveness of state anti-corruption institutions, The Woman’s Program, Public Health, Information, and at determining their level of cooperation. In the Arts and Culture, continued to work on the strategies framework of the same program, an in-house project – they have adopted in the past. At the same time, the “Building E-Transparency in Georgia” – was launched “East-East” network program, geared to foster and 4 OPEN SOCIETY – GEORGIA FOUNDATION support cooperation between NGOs operating in should be paid to supporting the capacity building of Central and Eastern Europe and in former-Soviet young governmental structures. countries, operated within the foundation. The International Student Advising Center and the Regional According to this new concept, the active support of Academic Fellowship Program dedicated to helping the structural and cultural transformations required both students and teachers improve their qualifi cations for the building of an open society is the foundation’s by placing them at universities worldwide, continued primary mission, and the programs developed and their activities. supported by the foundation should link directly to this mission. Therefore, it has become desirable to In May 2005 OSGF celebrated its tenth year and Open consolidate programs and further concretize their Society Institute founder Mr. George Soros attended tasks. the anniversary proceedings. Mr. Soros met with civil society representatives as well as with foundation Since November 2005, the Information, Translation, employees. During this meeting, the idea was born and Arts and Culture programs have been closed. that, considering the signifi cant changes that Georgia The Law Program, the Public Administration and has undergone since the revolution of 2003, the Local Self Governance Program, and the Revenue structure and work of the foundation must be adapted Watch Program merged to become the Rule of Law accordingly. As a result, it was decided that, if further and Public Administration Program. This program investigation determines that there is well-founded is also responsible for supporting the introduction reason, the OSGF administration and executive board of new Information Technology in the frameworks should work out a new strategy for 2006-2008 and to of strategically important projects. The former appropriately reform the structure of the foundation. Integration Program is now the Integration and Civic Education Program, which also incorporated The basic concept for the foundation’s reform was the aspects of the now defunct Translation and the elaborated during the summer of 2005, and a new Arts and Culture Programs which related to liberal strategy and structure was approved by the executive education and research focusing on civil and political boord in September 2005. At the same time, OSGF culture. The Civil Society and Mass Media Support petitioned the Open Society Institute to enable it Program was created on the bases of the old Mass to continue working in accordance with its new Media Support Program. Along with supporting priorities and structure until the end of 2005. The various independent media outlets, this new program implementation of the reforms started officially from is responsible for dealing with and helping to solve any November 2005. new problems encountered by civil organizations. The Women’s, Public Health, and Economic Development The actual basis for the reforms is the conclusion Programs were retained in their previous forms under reached by the OSGF leadership that the country’s the new structure, but more attention is being paid to ongoing, radical transformation process – accompanied their cooperation with the foundation’s new structural by signifi cant, rapid changes in both the governmental branches. For example, with the cooperation of the pyramid and in civil organizations – demand a quick Rule of Law and Public Administration Program and and practical response. Furthermore, the foundation’s the Economic Development Public Health Program, fi nances are not suffi cient to enable it to make effective and with the support of the Open Society