Refugees in Georgia

1
Refugees in Georgia

• To be refugee is very hard. It is always a sad
  story and will be the end of their lives.

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Demographic Information about Georgia

• Geography 69.700 sq.km.( 26. 911 sq. miles).
• Population 5.400.800 ( 68.8 Georgians, 9
  Armenians, 7.4 Russians, 5.1 Azerbaijanis, 3.2
  Ossetians, 1.9 Greeks, and 1.7 Abkhazians).
• Population density 77.0 per. sq. km.
• Capital Tbilisi, ( population 1. 225. 000.)
• Language Georgian ( Iberio-Caucasian language
  family with its own alphabet).
• Religion Christian majority, mainly Georgian
  Orthodox church.
• Biggest cities Tbilisi, Kutaisi, Rustavi,
  Batumi, Sukhumi.

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Economical Development

• During the 90s Georgia has undergone
  de-industrialization and a severe decline in
  agriculture, which has resulted in an increase in
  unemployment and poverty. The unemployment rate
  is about 22 percent nationally and 35 percent in
  urban areas
• The industrial base is technologically old,
  environmentally damaging and unable to become
  competitive to maintain its market share. In 1998
  only 46 percent of official registered industries
  were operating
• Government revenue generation is low and weak.
  The tax collection system is poor, generating
  only 10 percent of GDP ( Gross Domestic Product),
  and suffers from rampant corruption.

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Economical Development 2

• In 1999 the Government was only able to finance
  37 percent of its own budget with about 40
  percent financed by the Bretton Woods Institution
• Foreign investments have remained low, as Georgia
  is considered very unstable
• Georgia has one of the lowest per capita GDPs
  (Gross Domestic Product) among the CIS
  (Commonwealth of Independent States) countries,
  lower than that many developing countries

5
Economical Development 3Agriculture

• Agriculture accounts for 30 percent of the GDP
  and provides up to 50 percent of the income for
  both rural and urban households
• Many years of neglecting the irrigation and
  drainage systems have led to water logging,
  salinization, soil erosion and a decline in
  agricultural productivity
• Many farmers have no access to credit and lack
  technical knowledge for efficient agricultural
  production

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Economical Development 4

• The ability of households to purchase food has
  decreased over the years as incomes have declined
  by about 40 percent compared to 1990 levels while
  prices have increased as a result of inflation
• The ability of households to purchase food has
  negatively affected by major macroeconomic shocks
  and ethnic conflicts
• By FAO classification, Georgia is a low-income,
  food-deficit country ( LIFDC)

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Economical Development 5Nutrition

• Changes in food consumptions patterns have been
  noted, with households shifting away from
  nutritious to less nutritious
• In 1997, the cost of the minimum monthly food
  basket of about 2.500 calories per person was
  about 102 Lari (US 50) while the average income
  was about 50 Lari ( US 25). About 50 percent of
  the population has incomes below the cost of the
  food basket
• Levels of chronic malnutrition are above the
  expected incidence of 2-3 percent

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Economical Development 6Employment

• There is a growing incident of highly skilled
  personnel having to accept employment far below
  their qualifications and skills
• A large proportion of women, such as college
  graduates, are not able to find employment and
  have had to work in markets that are considered
  unsafe and sometimes controlled by criminals
• Older workers are even more disadvantaged as they
  face age discrimination.

9
Social Welfare System

• The pension system has collapsed as a result of
  the economic decline.
• The major social safety net for the poor is the
  Social Welfare Program, which provides allowances
  to elderly pensioners, invalids and IDPs
• The monthly pensions of an average of 12 Lari (US
  6) have become irregular and many elderly people
  have no income to pay for food and/or heat

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Social Problems

• Refugees / IDP( Internally Displaced Persons)
• Street Children
• Unemployment
• Low Income Families
• Orphans
• Disables

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Who are IDP ( UN Definition)

• A person who has been forced to flee or leave
  their home as a result of or in order to avoid
  the effects
• armed conflict
• generalized violence, violations of human
  rights
• natural or human made disasters
• And who have not crossed an internationally
  
• recognized border
• People are only officially considered
  refugees after they have crossed a border into
  another country. The international community does
  not recognize the status of IDPs and thus they
  are not protected under international refugee
  low. No overall funding exists for IDPs.

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IDP in Georgia
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IDPs Problems

• Poor living conditions ( shelters, public
• buildings, hotels)
• Unemployment
• Psychosocial trauma
• Deteriorating health
• Luck of education
• Social-economic problems

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Georgian Government Response To The IDP Situation

• Displaced Persons Act on 28 June 1996, defining
  the status of displaced persons in Georgia and
  offering them legal, economic and social
  safeguards
• the right to use transport free of charge to
  travel
• the right to reside in their temporary adobes
  and use communal services free of
• charge
• free care at State medical institutions
• State financial and concomitant assistance
• Government s policy is based on the assumption
  that IDPs will return to Abkhazia and South
  Osetia one day.
• No effort to assist these people to integrate
  into local communities.

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NO PEACE NO WAR

• Hopelessness, nihilism, lifelessness
• State Financial Aid is miserable ( 10 per
  month)
• State medical access is unrealistic
• No efforts to improve IDPs living conditions
• A high number of displaced children do not visit
  schools, especially in regions
• For many displaced children clothing and
  educational materials remain obstacle

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International Response to the IDP situation

• International NGOs are providing protection
• CARE international
• Human Rights Watch
• International Committee of the Red Cross
• International Orthodox Christian Charities
• International Rescue Committee
• Norwegian Refugee Council
• Save the Children
• UMCOR (United Methodist Committee on Relief)
• Accion Contra el Hambre
• Danish Refugee Counsel
• MSF ( Medeciens sans Frontiers-France )

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International Projects

• Establishing small-scale businesses for IDPs and
  local vulnerable people using the tool of
  income-generating activities, i.e. micro credits
  for individuals and groups
• Establishing community center activities in
  different places where many refugees live
  together in collective centers
• Training programs, networking and capacity
  building
• Providing extra-curricular and academic
  activities for IDP children and other vulnerable
  children
• Providing psychological rehabilitation
• Facilitating development of national NGOs

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Local Nongovernmental Organizations

• Effective partners in providing humanitarian
• assistance to IDPs
• Effective partners for developing small and
  medium size enterprise programs
• Bring the government, donor, and publics
  attention to social issues such as collective
  centers degradation and psychological trauma
• Integration of IDPs with local population

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Limitations

• Little networking with one another
• Organizations see others as rivals
• Few local NGOs are able to find alternative
  sources of funding
• Little networks with Government
• International donors and national institutions
  are based in Tbilisi while much of the IDP
  problematic takes in the regions
• National NGOs in the regions have important
  experience and knowledge of the issues but lack
  sustained support
• Local NGO need more information about Inter.
  Donors

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Web Sites

• Global IDP, Basic Facts on Georgia
• www.idpproject.org
• About Georgia
• www.ceroi.net
• Tbilisi- the Warm Heart of Georgia
• www.parliament.ge
• Some Words About Georgia
• http//members.tripod.com/
• USAID Internally Displaced Persons
• http//www.usaid.gov