OCHA-Georgia Information Bulletin for the period 11-20 May 2002

Feature
Disaster Management Team Provides Assistance To Earthquake Hit Georgia

The Disaster Management Team (DMT) was established in December 2001 and consists of all UN agencies present in Georgia, some interested donors, and international non-governmental organisations, with the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) and the Georgian Government as observers. The expanded DMT is chaired by the UN Resident and Humanitarian Coordinator.

The primary purpose of the DMT is to prepare for and facilitate a prompt, effective and concerted country-level response by the UN system and other major actors in the event of a disaster/emergency. The team ensures co-ordination of international assistance to the receiving government in respect to emergency response, rehabilitation, reconstruction, and disaster mitigation.

After the earthquake in Tbilisi on 25 April, the DMT was mobilised and immediate emergency relief aid was provided to victims of the earthquake, including IDPs, to complement the efforts of the Government. The DMT made an assessment of four field sites where approximately 362 families (about 1,122 people) were relocated in order to identify gaps in assistance. Urgent relief needs, such as food, tents, beds, linen/blankets, clothes, hygienic kits, were identified. Fortunately, DMT members agencies were able to cover most of these immediate needs by in-country available resources. The following DMT members covered these immediate relief needs of the affected population: UN Children's Fund (UNICEF), UN High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR), UN Volunteers (UNV), World Food Programme (WFP), World Vision International, United Methodist Committee On Relief (UMCOR), Counterpart International, and ICRC.

The DMT joined the Government of Georgia to produce a unified position to meet the immediate and long-term needs after the April 25 earthquake. The appeal for prioritised emergency relief and rehabilitation prepared by the DMT and Government of Georgia estimate that Tbilisi suffered damages to public infrastructure and buildings worth approximately USD52.57 million during the earthquake (USD525,854 for relief needs, and USD52.04 million for emergency rehabilitation).

The Government requests further technical assistance from donors both to fully elaborate the programmes for immediate emergency rehabilitation effort and for longer-term rehabilitation needs. In this context, a United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) expert has arrived this week to collaborate with the Georgian specialists and authorities on these concerns.

The DMT is currently assessing new field sites where more affected households are being moved. It is envisaged that basic relief needs would be again covered by local resources although there might be a need for additional donor resources to cover all potential requirements as outlined in the appeal document.

Child and Family

The Ministry of Education of Georgia (MoE), the United Nations Children's Fund (UNICEF) and the British organisation "Every Child" implement a joint programme entitled "Child and Family" in Georgia. Since 1999, the programme has supported 150 children in three cities: Tbilisi, Rustavi and Telavi.

In accordance with the Convention on the Rights of the Child, all children should enjoy the right to be brought up in a family with their parents. There are 41 institutions in Georgia including orphanages, boarding schools and rehabilitation centres where about 4,600 children live. The children's institutions are in very bad conditions and have problems with electricity, heating and food.

Research has shown that institutions cannot provide children with the relevant care and treatment necessary for proper childhood development. Often, children living in orphanages have problems in speech and are slow in physical and psychological development.

The programme introduces alternative ways to state care such as foster care, rendering assistance, and reintegration. The alternative way means the de-institutionalisation of children - the transfer of children from children's homes, boarding schools and medical institutions to their own or foster families. In July 1999 the Parliament of Georgia passed a law on the fostering of orphans and children lacking parental care. Fostering is an alternative form of childcare: when a child, for a definite period of time is transferred to a foster family because the child's biological family has failed to provide relevant care. During this time the biological family is given an opportunity to resolve their problems and to have their child return. It differs from adoption, in that adoptive parents acquire the full rights of the child's biological parents. Re-integration means the return of a child from the children's institution to his or her biological family. Risk-group prevention avoids placing a child in an institution by giving assistance to families instead.

Within the framework of the programme 60 children were returned to their biological families, 30 children were assigned to foster families and 60 deprived families were assisted (assistance may include food, clothes, educational activities, and psychological or social assistance) thus preventing them from sending their children to children's institutions. The programme provides US$ 30 per month to biological families who took their child back, or US$ 50 per month to foster families. Eighteen social workers have been selected and trained for this programme. Social Workers facilitate the fostering process and the provision of assistance to the rendering families.

For more information about the programme, please contact Ms. Maya Kuparadze, UNICEF. Address: 9 Eristavi St., UN House. Tel.: 23 23 88, 25 11 30.

SECTORS

Healthcare

Mercy Corps sponsored an advanced training in Community Health Education. The training was conducted by the National Centre for Disease Control. It was specifically designed for public health specialists and aimed to prepare them to provide health information and education lectures to mobilised and interested community groups. A special session was dedicated to the methods of information communication to equip health educators with advanced skills for working with different community groups. The following health issues were discussed at the training: women's reproductive health, drug and alcohol abuse, immunisation, personal hygiene, and water and sanitation.

A total of 18 primary healthcare specialists from Akhalkalaki, Akhaltsikhe, Aspindza, Bolnisi, Gori, Tbilisi and Telavi attended the training.

LOCAL NGO SPOTLIGHT

Alternative is a public information centre established in 1997 under the aegis of the Organisation of Security and Cooperation in Europe (OSCE). The main goal of the organisation is to facilitate the development of innovative public policy and to build a movement for social change in Georgia and the South Caucasus through the NGO sector and media strategies.

Since its establishment, the organisation has implemented about 15 projects aimed at contributing to the development of democratic institutions, the NGO sector and independent mass media; supporting the activities of NGOs in conflict zones and preventing conflict. Alternative has initiated several networking projects between local NGOs and representatives of national minorities, and provided trainings in NGO management and conflict management.

The organisation cooperates with various local and international organisations including OSCE, Open Society Georgia Foundation, Caucasus Links, Horizonti Foundation, International Alert, UN Association of Georgia, and Eurasia Foundation.

For additional information, please contact Ms. Irina Tsintsadze, Alternative. Address: 2 Lagidze Str, tel.: 98 50 63. E-mail: irat@access.sanet.ge

ANNOUNCEMENTS

Several international NGO activities have been affected by tax inspectors asking for back taxes and sometimes the closure of their bank accounts.

In light of these events, NGOs discussed this issue and agreed to form a unified NGO consortium for joint advocacy and finding legal solutions. A working group was formed to include SCF, ACH, FINCA, and UMCOR to take the lead in writing a draft work plan and present it to NGO community. The group will hire a law firm, which will represent NGOs, and be a contact body between NGOs and the tax authorities. Additionally the group will advocate for the development of civil society and the NGO sector.

For more information, please contact Mr. Charlie Kaften, Save the Children. Address: 54 Mtskheta Street, tel.: 22 77 24, e-mail: Charlie@save.org.ge

Produced by OCHA Georgia.

For more information, please contact Ms. Maka Esaiashvili, Information Officer
Tel/Fax: 995-32-959516; Tel: 995-32-943163; e-mail: unocha@unocha.org.ge

Contributions are welcome and should reach OCHA, 9 Eristavi St., Tbilisi by 12.00 hrs. on 9th 19th, and 29th of each month