Under the Advocacy Grant Program, several other organizations have completed work on advocacy initiatives aimed at improving municipal services in the Kakheti region. We are pleased to present their success stories:
- In Sighnaghi Municipality, local organization: “Iris Group – Diversified Management” has been worked in the villages of Nukriani and Zemo Magaro to raise awareness of local population on the competencies of local self-governments related to the road safety. As a result, local residents prepared initiatives to arrange safe crossings, car parking spaces and speed limit barriers and provided them to the Sighnaghi City Hall. The City Hall is ready to include these initiatives in the municipal budget for 2022.
- In Akhmeta Municipality, the community organization “Matani XXI” actively advocated for the provision of tailor made municipal program for persons returning from state care to their biological families. As a result, Akhmeta Municipality decided to include support services for these persons in the 2022 municipal budget. Moreover, the first steps have already taken and relevant actions were organized. The City Hall plans to clarify the lists of persons returning to their biological families in Akhmeta Municipality and then with the active involvement of these persons develop relevant support programs, including professional training programs for them and their biological family members.
- In Telavi, the local organization: “Kakheti Civic League” conducted an advocacy initiative to facilitate the formation of a local policy focused on the economic empowerment of women. They studied the level of awareness of Telavi Municipality residents about the opportunities for women’s economic empowerment. Based on the research, specific recommendations were submitted to the Telavi Gender Council on how to reflect women’s need in the local budget. They also prepared a budget program document for providing financial support to the Gender Council. The document was sent to the City Hall for consideration. As a result, Telavi City Hall expresses its readiness to include a number of recommendations in the 2022 budget of Telavi Municipality.
- Union of Parents of Children with Disabilities: “Lampari” worked on the PWD issues in Telavi municipality. Within the advocacy initiative, they prepared a social service concept tailored to the needs of people with disabilities. Lampari team advocating with Telavi City Hall to implement presented concept as budget program. At the end of the project, City Hall is ready to include an additional support program for PWDs in the 2022 local budget.
- In Akhmeta, the Local Action Group (LAG) prepared a long-term action plan for planning and implementing municipal social programs tailored to the interests of vulnerable groups. As a result of the implemented campaign, the municipality actively uses the developed action plan and provides appropriate assistance to the citizens with different needs through the bilateral cooperation platforms. As a result, the practice of developing / delivering social services in Akhmeta Municipality has changed and improved.
The grant program was implemented with the financial support of the European Union in the framework of the project: “Municipal Services Quality Assessment Tool” (MUSQAT).
