Georgia - DHA-18: 01-31.Oct.97
Georgia - DHA-18: 01-31.Oct.97
DHAGVA 97/0371
Situation Report from the DHA Coordinator in GEORGIA - No. 18
Period covered: 1-31 October 1997
Swedish Delegation Visits Georgia
A delegation from Sweden, including the first secretary of the Swedish
embassy in Moscow and four representatives from the Swedish
International Development Authority (SIDA), visited Georgia from 13-17
October. The mission coincided with the Swedish ambassador to Moscow's
visit to Georgia, which took place earlier in the week. The aim of the
mission's visit was to deepen the Swedish government's understanding of
the overall situation in Georgia, with a special emphasis on
humanitarian action in areas of unresolved conflict, and to explore
future possibilities for development cooperation.
The UN resident and humanitarian coordinator, with support from DHA's
field coordination unit, arranged visits to Gali and Sukhumi on 16-17
October. Upon arriving, the UN resident and humanitarian coordinator
provided an initial briefing to both the ambassador and the delegation.
He stressed the importance of continuing to address humanitarian
concerns, but emphasised development needs, as outlined in the Georgian
government's Country Strategy Note and the UN document, Post Appeal
Framework: Linking Humanitarian Needs and Development Strategies.
In Gali, the delegation was briefed by UNOMIG and UNHCR, which included
site visits to several shelter and school rehabilitation projects. In
Sukhumi, the delegation met de facto officials, UNOMIG, ICRC,
representatives from Accion contra el Hambre (ACH), Medecins sans
Frontieres-France (MSF), and Premiere Urgence, as well as a group of
local NGOs, including those dealing with human rights issues. The
delegation also visited a soup kitchen run by ACH and a boarding school
for orphans which is being renovated by ACH, as an implementing partner
for UNHCR. In addition, they visited Sukhumi's infectious hospital,
which is supplied with medications by MSF.
Currently, SIDA channels approximately USD 7 million through the UN and
the Red Cross to the Caucasus each year. In addition, SIDA provided
approximately USD 3 million in 1995-96 for several projects, including:
support to the Parliament of Georgia, particularly in regards to
improving information distribution within the parliament and externally,
and capacity building relevant for the preparations and undertaking of
the census planned for 1999.
In Tbilisi the delegation was scheduled to meet with the State
Chancellery, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, the Ministry of Social
Affairs, the Ministry of Finance, the Speaker of Parliament, the World
Bank, European Union, TACIS, USAID, heads of UN Agencies, and
international NGOs. After a visit to Armenia from 18-23 October, several
members from the SIDA delegation intend to return to Georgia and are
scheduled to visit UNHCR, MSF and NRC's programmes in Tskhinvali region
on 24 October, with assistance from DHA.
Roundtable Held on Best Practices in Humanitarian Assistance
On 21 October 1997, a roundtable was held in Tbilisi on best practices
in humanitarian assistance as a follow-up of the Local Capacities for
Peace Project (LCPP) and as means of identifying key areas of
lessons-learned about the provision of aid in Georgia, informed by
previous research conducted with aid agencies in the region by the
Humanitarianism and War (HandW) Project. A similar roundtable was
recently held with aid agencies in Armenia. Other gatherings are planned
with agencies working in Azerbaijan and the North Caucasus. Discussions
were facilitated by a representative of the HandW project and LCPP, who
is presently compiling a handbook for humanitarian practitioners in
Caucasus.
16 participants from several INGOs and 3 UN Agencies attended the
Tbilisi gathering, including UNDHA, UNHCR, UNV, ICRC, IFRC, ACH, IRC,
Helsinki Citizens' Assembly, MSF-France, NRC and UMCOR.
Participants were asked to identify what they felt was the most
important lesson they had learned about the provision of aid in Georgia.
The responses were instructive, the politicisation of aid being a
recurring theme. Most of the participants felt that it was at best
difficult to separate aid from politics. Even with concerted efforts to
achieve transparency and neutrality in programming, aid work was
destined to be -perceived as helpful to one side over another.- An
opinion was also expressed that the -frozen- nature of conflicts in the
region had not resulted in increased space for peacebuilding.
Participants stressed the need for transparency and the importance of
information-sharing between agencies was raised both in relation to
security concerns and to the avoidance of overlap in programming. Others
highlighted the importance of making the most of local experience and
ability, and the need to take local NGOs very seriously.
The roundtable reviewed the findings of the HandW Project and LCPP.
Based on extensive research in 1994-95, the HandW Project made
recommendations, such as: the necessity of more careful judgements about
international support for the return of IDPs, depoliticisation of aid,
strengthening of coordination mechanisms, specifically UNDHA, and
exploration of ways that aid agencies could make a contribution to
conflict resolution through their aid efforts. The LCPP workshop in
February 1997 found that: few participants saw their work through the
-lens of conflict-, responses to human needs in war-affected regions was
complicated by the -frozen- nature of conflicts, the patterns of
negative impacts of aid on conflict were mostly clustered around those
emerging from targeting issues and constrictions in humanitarian space.
The roundtable participants shared experiences on three specific
programming challenges: language in programming, targeting, and the
roles for aid in unfreezing -frozen- conflicts.
Tskhinvali Region Coordination Meetings Initiated
The first Tskhinvali region (South Ossetia) coordination meeting,
chaired by the UN resident and humanitarian coordinator, was held at UN
House on 6 October 1997. This initiative was widely welcomed by the
donor and aid community. The meeting was held to discuss the
humanitarian situation in the Tskhinvali region(South Ossetia) and UN
Agency, international and non-governmental organisations' activities
there, and to present the UNDP initiative in the region. During the
course of the meeting the head of DHA introduced DHA's new field adviser
for Tskhinvali. The meeting was attended by representatives of the
British Embassy, the European Commission Delegation, the French Embassy,
Swiss Disaster Relief, USAID, UNDHA, UNDP, UNHCR, UNICEF, UN Volunteers,
WFP, OSCE, Adventist Development Relief Agency (ADRA), Medecins Sans
Frontieres (MSF)-France, Multiple Assistance to Georgia (MAG), Norwegian
Refugee Council (NRC), Nuova Frontiera and the United Methodist
Committee on Relief (UMCOR).
The participants shared information about their current and future
programmes in the region, which included assistance with: medical needs
(UNICEF, MSF-France, UMCOR), education (UNICEF, UMCOR), non-food needs
(NRC, UMCOR), rehabilitation, shelter and sustainable housing (UNDP,
UNHCR, NRC, Nuova Frontiera), psycho-social rehabilitation (NRC), food
aid (MSF-France), irrigation, sanitation, electricity and communications
(European Commission Delegation), conflict resolution and confidence
building (OSCE, UNV, NRC), and capacity building for local NGOs (USAID,
ISAR).
The participants applauded the UN humanitarian coordinator for the
important initiative of bringing agencies and donors together at these
meetings.
NRC Seminar on Psycho-Social Rehabilitation
On 2-3 October 1997, the Norwegian Refugee Council (NRC) held its fourth
regional seminar in Tbilisi on psycho-social rehabilitation of refugees
and IDPs. The three preceding seminars were held in October 1995, April
1996 and May 1997.
NRC is supporting several psycho-social rehabilitation programmes in the
Caucasus. The main goal of the NRC seminars is to bring people from the
conflict parties together, in order to give them an opportunity to share
their experience, and to demonstrate that despite the conflict situation
they, as mental health professionals, have a mutual interest in
providing mental care to their citizens.
Seventy-five mental health care providers from Norway, Denmark, USA, as
well as from Tbilisi, Gori, Kutaisi, Tskhinvali, Vladikavkaz,
Stepanakert, Baku and Erevan participated in this seminar. They offered
a wide range of perspectives from the field. In reviewing the wealth of
knowledge, experiences and lessons learned, which were summarised in the
participants' presentations, it was impressive how much diverse creative
work has been done already and how unifying the theme of alleviating
human suffering is. The presentations provided a review of past
experiences, elaborated on current issues in the field of individual and
community trauma recovery and set the stage for future challenges.
The fact that the seminar participants came from all conflict areas of
the Caucasian region, except Abkhazia, testifies that it was a timely
forum for reflecting on individual, group, community and professional
challenges. New professional concepts emerged in discussion, including a
heightened awareness of the role of social context and its meaning in
understanding trauma, and the appropriateness of the psycho-social model
in trauma treatment. The presentations clearly demonstrated the range
and wealth of experience, some of them reflecting cutting-edge
conceptualisations. Some participants underlined controversies in
designing and providing mental health services in war and post-war
societies, while others illustrated the dilemmas and pain felt by the
care-providers themselves. The cross-fertilisation of local and
international ideas and experiences, including controversies, added
unique value to the seminar.
SECTORS
Education
UNICEF has distributed school kits, chalk, colour pens and first grade
notebooks to UNV (for distribution to IDP children), Sukhumi Art School
for IDP children in Kutaisi, Dzegvi children's shelter, and Caritas
Georgia children's shelter.
Health
A school for diabetic children has been established at the Tbilisi City
Hospital No. 1, aiming to educate diabetic children to lead a healthy
way of life and avoid social isolation. The project was initiated by
HART (Humanitarian Aid of the Region Thun) Switzerland, and was carried
out in close cooperation with the Children and Youth Endocrinology and
Diabetology Department of the hospital. The project was funded by the
Georg Wagner Foundation. Funds were allotted for repairing the school
rooms and purchasing necessary equipment.
In September 1997 HART donated various medical equipment, medicines and
bandages valued at USD 10,000 to the Ushguli dispensary, Svaneti.
Between 15 September and 15 October 1997, ACTS Georgia has distributed
107,622 units of medicines and 131,401 units of medical supplies to
hospitals and organisations around Georgia.
ACTS Georgia, the humanitarian organisation Heart to Heart
International, and Tbilisi Medical University held a medical symposium
-Physicians with a Heart- on 4 October 1997 in Kutaisi, and 6 October
1997, in Tbilisi. The symposium was dedicated to the problems of family
medicine. Family medicine is an essential component of primary medical
care, which is an important part of the ongoing healthcare reforms in
Georgia. As a part of the symposium, representatives of Heart to Heart
and the American Academy of Family Physicians met with representatives
of the General Practitioners and Family Physicians Association of
Georgia. The symposium was organised within the framework of the project
Medical Airlift to Georgia -Physicians with Heart,- which was carried
out from 28 September to 7 October 1997 with the participation of the
American Academy of Family Physicians and the American Academy of Family
Physicians foundation. In collaboration with four NGOs currently working
in Georgia: ACTS Georgia, Georgian Foundation, Counterpart International
and UMCOR, medical aid was distributed among hospitals throughout
Georgia.
The Georgian Foundation distributed medicines provided by Heart to Heart
among the following establishments: the ministry of health's service for
provision of medicines and medical supplies, the centre for
rehabilitative therapy, and the Georgian association of mothers with
many children, Kidevats Daizrdebian.
Non Food
This month Counterpart International completed the second and third
rounds of its non-food assistance to IDPs, pensioners, single mothers
and children living in the village Azhara of the Kodori valley. More
then 2,000 individuals were assisted with the second delivery, where
underwear, winter jackets, shirts for men, women's raincoats and
children's shorts were delivered to the village. With the third and
final delivery for the year Counterpart International distributed winter
clothing in the valley. Two trucks containing sweaters, shirts,
raincoats, work shirts, sleeping bags were distributed to approximately
1,000 individuals.
Special Needs
On 24 October 1997, the Georgian NGO Catharsis, held a presentation to
open a new worship centre in its House of Mercy, which serves as a
shelter and soup kitchen for needy elderly. Currently, Catharsis
provides an overnight shelter with 20 beds for homeless elderly, at the
same time the soup kitchen presently serves 250 elderly and persons from
families with many children. The House of Mercy provides its
beneficiaries with a dentist, a drug store, a library, a shoe-maker, a
barbershop, a club (for chess tournaments and other table sports) and a
small amateur theatre. Recently, a bath was also opened for
beneficiaries. In addition, Catharsis provides lonely pensioners with
psychological assistance, also available to other citizens. Since its
establishment, Catharsis has supported more than 2,500 needy pensioners.
Major financial support for the association comes from private
donations, the building of the House of Mercy was a donation from the
Government of Georgia. (ISAR News).
Household Items
The Evangelical Mission Society of America, with funding from the
Salvation Army, distributed used clothes, education materials and
hygiene products to sanatoriums, children homes, boarding schools and
parishes in Akhalgori, Aspindza, Dusheti, Etseria, Kakheti, Kobuleti,
Manglisi, Martkhopi, Surami and Tbilisi.
UMCOR Assess Health and Sanitation Needs in Abkhazia
UMCOR's Head of Mission for Georgia visited Abkhazia from 8-12 October
to explore the possibilities of conducting a health and sanitation
project in the region, in line with USAID's recent request for
applications in this sector. He also visited the site of UMCOR's
up-and-coming Youth House in Sukhumi, funded by USAID, which will be
implemented in partnership with local NGOs.
Both local and expatriate health staff explained that there are still
some urgent needs in the health sector, particularly: clean running
water in hospitals and polyclinics, accessibility to healthcare for
extremely vulnerable, homebound people who do not have a family network
to care for them, vaccines, and emergency rehabilitation of medical
points that suffered damage in the war or because of lack of
maintenance. Longer-term needs were also expressed by local doctors and
NGO representatives, such as re-training doctors and nurses in rational
use of medication, establishing and using protocols for treatment of
common diseases, and reorienting the health structures toward primary
care.
UMCOR met with de facto health authorities, local doctors, and
representatives from ICRC, UNHCR, Accion contra el Hambre (ACH),
Medecins sans Frontieres-France, and Premiere Urgence, all of whom has
offices in the region, as well as with local NGOs dealing with
humanitarian assistance.
DHA, under the auspices of the UN resident and humanitarian coordinator,
helped to facilitate UMCOR's visit to the region.
World Rural Woman's Day Celebration Held in Kutaisi
On 15 October 1997 WFP organised a celebration of the World Rural
Women's Day (WRWD). The celebration at the Kutaisi Charity House was
attended by the governor of Imereti region, the mayor of Kutaisi,
representatives of UN Agencies, the donor community, NGOs and
mass-media. Rural women
from all over Georgia, participants of WFP food-for-work (FFW) projects,
were represented at the festivity.
WFP is one of the sponsors of WRWD which is celebrated one day before
World Food Day. In Georgia, WFP is supporting a variety FFW projects
which enhance the social and economic well-being of rural women.
During the discussion difficulties and problems of rural women in the
Caucasus were explained. The participants talked about the impact of FFW
activities on the improvement of living conditions for Georgia's rural
women, such as, rehabilitation of tea plantations, and essential
construction works. In addition they provide significant food aid for
the participants of this projects, thus improving their nutrition. It
was stressed that the most urgent need for rural Georgia is the creation
of a strong food-processing industry. This would create a source of
income for the rural population and also improve the harsh living
conditions of rural women.
Rural women from Adjara, Guria, Imereti, Mtskheta-Tianeti, Samegrelo,
Shida Kartli and Svaneti spoke of their concerns, such as food
insecurity, and lack of sufficient demand for agricultural production.
They expressed their thanks to WFP and stressed the utility of the FFW
projects, in addressing both long term development needs, and the
immediate food needs among the rural population.
WFP Reports: FFW Continues Despite the Shortfall in Resources
In October 1997, WFP issued its latest monthly statistics. Because of
non-availability of resources, WFP has been forced to reduce its ongoing
feeding programme in Georgia. The agency has changed its food
distribution plans for October-December accordingly, in western Georgia
the humanitarian feeding programme will be discontinued for this period.
Food rations will be distributed to food-for-work (FFW) beneficiaries,
food stocks are expected to be sufficient for workdays performed in
October and half of November only. A decision will have to be made
whether or not to suspend all FFW projects from December onwards. In
eastern Georgia reduced rations will be distributed to vulnerable
families (30,000 persons) for October and November only. Food rations
will be distributed to FFW beneficiaries for work performed until the
end of December, thereafter a decision will have to be made whether or
not to suspend the very limited remaining FFW projects from January
onwards. These plans will be revised if additional food becomes
available. WFP hopes that outstanding contributions from the USA, Sweden
and Finland will arrive in time to enable the food-for-work activities
to continue uninterrupted, although at the present time this looks
unlikely.
FFW projects form a bulk of WFP activities throughout Georgia. 23 FFW
projects are under implementation. A total of 123,917 working days were
completed in August. Total of 309.8 MTs of wheat flour, 18.6 MTs of
sugar and 15.5 MTs of vegetable oil were given to 5,632 daily workers.
In September 138,360 working days were completed, when 3,459 MTs of
wheat flour, 20.8 MTs of sugar and 17.3 MTs of vegetable oil were given
to 6,289 daily workers. In October 260,362 working days are planned to
be completed involving approximately 11,834 daily workers. All FFW
projects that are under implementation are quite successful.
This report is available on the internet through RELIEFWEB:
http://www.reliefweb.int
United Nations Office in Tbilisi, Georgia
Mr. Toby Lanzer
Tel.: (995 32) 94 31 63 - Fax: (995 32) 95 95 16
E-Mail: toby@undha.org.ge
Inter-Agency Support Branch (IASB) - Geneva
Mr. David Bassiouni - Chief
Ms. Sylvia Ferazzi
Tel.: (41 22) 788.1402 - Fax: (41 22) 788.6386
Registry E-Mail: Rosemary.Addo-Yirenkyi@dha.unicc.org
Complex Emergency Division (CED) - New York
Mr. David McLachlan-Karr
Tel.: (1 212) 963.0226 - Fax: (1 212) 963.1388
E-Mail: mclachlan-karr@un.org
Press to contact (DHA-Geneva)
Ms. Madeleine Moulin-Acevedo
Tel.: (41 22) 917.2856 - Fax: (41 22) 917.0023
Telex: 414242 DHA CH - E-Mail: Moulin-Acevedo@dha.unicc.org
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