Georgia

The 2022-2023 NAP was developed by the Inter-Agency Commission on Gender Equality, Violence Against Women and Domestic Violence (hereinafter the Commission), with UN Women technical support within the framework of the project “Accelerating Implementation of the Women, Peace and Security Agenda in Georgia”, which was funded by the U.K. Government’s Conflict, Stability and Security Fund (CSSF) (p.6). The process of drafting the NAP was coordinated by the Human Rights Secretariat of the Government of Georgia, with representatives of local and international non-governmental organizations, relevant experts, civil society organizations, and other stakeholders taking part in working meetings and consultations (p.6). The NAP interprets the Women, Peace and Security (WPS) agenda primarily in a domestic sense, with a heavy focus on conflict-affected areas, internally displaced persons, and occupied territories within Georgia. That said, the NAP includes plans on mainstreaming the WPS agenda in international diplomatic activities as well. 

The NAP has three impact areas: women’s participation; elimination and prevention of violence; and women’s empowerment and protection. These thematic priority areas identify corresponding actions and indicators, including baseline and target indicators, and the organization or government department responsible for verifying and collecting data. The monitoring and evaluation framework for the NAP is broad and includes the Commission providing periodic reports, the Human Rights Secretariat engaging with stakeholders and providing recommendations for amendments if need be, and six-monthly progress reports throughout the timeframe of the NAP (p. 18-19). The NAP has an allocated budget of GEL 27,680,907 (roughly USD $10,426,877) (p.18.). The NAP also lays out the budget for some specific activities, including amount and source of funding. 

Georgia’s fourth NAP is preceded by three other NAPs, implemented for the period of 2012-2015, 2016-2017, and 2018-2020, respectively. Georgia’s first NAP forms part of broader national efforts to mainstream gender and was developed following the adoption of the Law on Gender Equality in 2010, and the establishment of the Council for Gender Equality. Working at the national level to the grassroots level and in cooperation with international donors and UN agencies, the NAP says that women’s organizations have been instrumental in the development and implementation of the NAP in Georgia. The country’s four NAPs are similar in structure and level of detail. Each NAP is primarily an implementation matrix that includes goals, outputs, indicators, responsible party, and timeline. The second and third NAPs also include a preface that provides a brief overview of the implementation of previous NAPs as well as participatory drafting processes of NAPs. The fourth NAP expands on former iterations and includes a ‘situation analysis’ that outlines and identifies existing challenges relating to the protection of women’s social and economic rights and their meaningful participation in peace and security processes (p.7).

Georgia gained independence from the Soviet Union in 1991. Since then, the country has experienced multiple periods of conflict, including the Abkhazia War (1992-1993) and the Russo-Georgian War (2008). Despite the fact that women have been mostly excluded from peace processes involving these conflicts, women-led groups and CSOs have continued to work with women impacted directly by the violence, including internally displaced women and girls. They have also consistently advocated for their inclusion in peacebuilding initiatives.

CEDAW

1994

Global Gender Gap Index 2023

76 out of 153

Arms Trade Treaty Signed

2014

Military expenditure (2022)

$360 million USD

Explore Georgia's National Action Plan

  • Actors
  • Timeframe
  • Objectives
  • Actions/Activities
  • Indicators
  • M&E
  • Budget
  • Disarmament
  • 2018-2020

NAP Development 

The Georgia NAP was developed by the Commission with technical support from UN Women and funding from the UK Government’s Conflict, Stability, and Security Fund (p.2). The Human Rights Secretariat of the Government of Georgia and the Advisor to the Prime Minister of Human Rights were also involved in the development of the NAP (p.6). Representatives of local and international non-governmental organisations, civil society organisations, relevant experts, and other stakeholders collaborated with these government departments through working meetings and discussions (p.6).

NAP Implementation 

The Commission is the main body responsible for the implementation of the NAP. It ensures NAP implementation through the Human Rights Secretariat of the Administration of the Government of Georgia (p.18). The Human Rights Secretariat provides supplemental support in implementation by engaging stakeholders throughout the implementation process (p.18). Additionally, for each output indicator listed in the NAP, a ‘responsible agency’ has been designated to be in charge of implementation, alongside a partner agency if relevant. These include the following: The Office of the State Minister of Georgia for Reconciliation and Civic Equality; Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Georgia; Ministry of Internally Displaced Person from the Occupied Territories, Labour, Health and Social Affairs of Georgia; Government of the Autonomous Republic of Abkhazia; Administration of South Ossetia; Embassy of Germany in Georgia; Embassy of Switzerland in Georgia; Embassy of the United Kingdom in Georgia; UN Women; Civil society organizations; Legal Aid Service.

NAP Monitoring and Evaluation 

The Commission and the Human Rights Secretariat are responsible for monitoring and evaluation of the NAP. Information on the implementation of NAP activities will be processed in the form of progress and annual reports, to be submitted every six months during the NAP time frame (p.19). The first of these will be an Annual report after the first year, followed by a Progress report after an additional 6 months, followed by the next Annual report etc. 

The NAP implementation period is three years (2022-2024).

The 2022-2024 NAP identifies three impact areas that set the vision for Georgia’s WPS implementation strategy. These areas have been selected for their contributions to the four pillars of WPS, and their relevance across Georgia’s broader foreign, development, defense and security policies. They include: 

(1) Women’s Participation: increasing representation and meaningful participation of women (including at decision-making level) in peace and security processes

(2) Elimination and Prevention of Violence: promoting the elimination and prevention of all forms of violence against women and girls (including sexual violence, gender-based violence and risks related to human security)

(3) Women’s Empowerment and Protection: improving access to public services and the socioeconomic empowerment of women and girls affected by conflict (including IDPs and those living adjacent to the occupied territories)

Strategic outcomes have a comprehensive set of actions assigned. These are outlined in Annex A of the NAP (p. 38-47). It goes through all five strategic objectives, and lists the priority, the commitment, and the organizational lead for the action.

Each activity has a set of indicators attached. For example, for Goal 1, “promoting the elimination and prevention of all forms of violence against women and girls (including sexual violence, gender-based violence and risks related to human security)” the following indicators are listed: 

  • Share of conflict-affected women and girls (including IDPs and those living adjacent to the occupied territories) with an increased level of awareness on human security issues 
  • Share of security and justice sector personnel trained on the issues of preventing and responding to sexual and gender-based violence 
  • Share of trained gender advisers and military personnel (including military personnel participating in peacekeeping missions)

Each indicator is listed with a baseline statistic, meaning as of 2021, alongside the target 2024 statistic. A ‘source of verification’ is also indicated i.e. the ministry/government department responsible for reporting the indicator.

The NAP will undergo regular evaluations in the form of monitoring reports. These will use the updated information on the implementation of NAP activities and will be submitted every six months during the timeframe of the NAP. All annual reports will be published on the official website of the Human Rights Secretariat in order to inform decision makers and stakeholders about the progress of the implementation of the NAP. Upon the completion of the NAP, a systemic evaluation will be carried out to determine the NAP’s impact and ensure accountability.

The budget for the NAP totals GEL 27,680,907 (roughly USD $10,426,877).

Georgia’s NAP does not address disarmament issues, or connect the proliferation of weapons with women’s insecurity.

Actors

 

NAP Development

More than 25 NGOs were involved in consultations on 2018-2020 NAP formation with multiple meetings convened between the Government and the over 102 organizations which advocate for internally displaced persons and conflict affected women in the regions of Tbilisi, Qvemo Qartli, Shida Qartli, Imereti and Samegrelo. The Women’s Information Center has been instrumental to coordinating Civil Society and government to push for the development of a NAP in Georgia. The Women’s Information Center participated in the NAP’s development through the Governmental Working Group and is also represented in the Coordination Group responsible for overseeing the NAP’s development.

Civil society formed part of the development of the NAP through the Thematic Consultative Working Group.

WILPF does not have a country section in Georgia and therefore was not involved in the development process of Georgia’s NAP.

The Georgian NAP was developed through collaboration between the Governmental Working Group (with representatives from all major ministries and the Parliament of Georgia) and relevant Civil Society organizations

NAP Implementation

In the table that lists objectives, activities, and indicators is a section that lists responsible implementing institutions. However, specific civil society organizations are not mentioned here. The only reference, which appears a number of times, is the phrase "in cooperation with interested donor organisations" following a government institution.

Specific government agencies are listed with activities. These include: Gender Equality Council, Office of National Security Council, Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Ministry of Justice, Office of State Minister for Reintegration issues, Ministry of Defence, Ministry of Education and Science, local governments, the Public Broadcaster, Ministry of Internal Affairs, Inter-Agency Coordination Council on Combating Human Trafficking, State Fund for the Protection of and Assistance to the Victims of Human Trafficking, Ministry of Internally Displaced Persons from Occupied Territories, Accommodation and Refugees of Georgia, Ministry of Economy and Sustainable Development, Legal Entity of Public Law, and Ministry of Corrections and Legal Assistance.

NAP Monitoring and Evaluation

The Gender Equality Council will lead the monitoring and evaluation process. A Coordination Group made up of a number of ministries will convene once a month to evaluate the progress.

Georgian women’s Civil Society has worked to collaborate with government and also international donors and UN agencies. Civil Society organizations participated in a review of gender sensitive security sector reform, undertaken by DCAF, UN Women and the EU, which considered the progress of the NAP. The review concluded the following recommendations:

  • The need to identify resources (existing and new) for the NAPs implementation, and establish a working group to undertake a resource evaluation
  • Civil Society should utilize expertise in monitoring and evaluation to support the governments evaluation process
  • The need to establish a streamlined communication mechanism between government entities responsible for NAP and Civil Society to support the role of coordination role of the Gender Equality Council

2018 update: civil society will be involved in the implementation and monitoring stages.

The NAP will be undergo regular evaluations that will assess how delivery processes of the NAP’s strategic outcomes are led by government ministries and institutions to asses how challenges are addressed and what best practices are to further build upon.  Based on the evaluations, if necessary, a set of amendments to further improve the NAP will be submitted to the Parliament of Georgia for approval.

Timeframe

The NAP is to be implemented for a period of three years 2018-2020.

Objectives

Compared to the previous NAP, this NAP has four priority areas instead of five. The priority areas of the 2018-2020 NAP are:

  1. Participation
  1. Prevention
  1. Protection
  1. Effective Implementation and Monitoring of the National Action Plan

Each priority area has a goal and set of objectives for reaching that goal.  For example, for Objective 1, Goal 1 - " Increased participation of women at the decision-making level in the security sector and peace negotiations", the Georgian NAP offers three objectives:

Relevant policy developed to promote career advancement of women in the security sector and human resources management system based on the analysis of sexdisaggregated data is in place;

Representation of women in peace negotiations is supported;

Inclusion of IDP and conflict-affected women, youth and women’s organizations in the peacebuilding process is increased, and people-to-people diplomacy initiatives are supported.

Actions/Activities

 

Each objective in Georgia's NAP offers a set of activities. For example, for Priority 1, Objective 1 - "Relevant policy developed to promote career advancement of women in the security sector and human resources management system based on the analysis of sexdisaggregated data is in place", the following activities are listed:

  1. To create a sex-disaggregated data collection and analysis system;
  2. To collect and analyze sexdisaggregated data and make it publicly available (percentage, rank, position);
  3. To develop human resources policy based on analysis of sexdisaggregated data that will promote equal career advancement opportunities for women and men;
  4. To ensure equal participation of women and men in career development programmes;
  5. To develop, update and approve internal documents establishing a gender equality policy within security sector institutions;
  6. To hold regular meetings between employees of security sector institutions to share best practices and ensure effective coordination.

Indicators

Each activity has a set of indicators attached. For example, for Priority 1, Objective 1 - "Relevant policy developed to promote career advancement of women in the security sector and human resources management system based on the analysis of sexdisaggregated data is in place", lists the following indicators:

1.Existence of human resources policy and strategy documents considering gender perspectives;

  1. Existence of a system for regular monitoring and evaluation of the human resources policy and strategy;
  2. Existence and availability of sex-disaggregated data in the security institutions (in civil service and armed forces);
  3. Share (%) of women in decision making positions (as compared to men).

Monitoring and Evaluation

The NAP will undergo regular evaluations that will assess how delivery processes of the NAP’s strategic outcomes are led, how challenges are addressed and what best practices are to further build upon.  Based on the evaluations, if necessary, a set of amendments to further improve the NAP will be submitted to the Parliament of Georgia for approval.

Budget

There is no specified or allocated budget, only notation of the source of funding (i.e. government/ donor organizations).

No indicators or actions are included that formulate strategies for fundraising, detail what level of funding is required for which specific activities, or what accountability mechanisms will ensure funding is raised and used in implementing the NAP.

Disarmament

Georgia's NAP does not address disarmament issues, or connect the proliferation of weapons with women's insecurity.

Documents and Further Reading

Women in Peace and Security through UNSCR 1325: Literature Review, Content Analysis of National Action Plans, and Implementation (Miller, Pournik, Swaine 2014)
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