Georgia: New Approach to IDP Assistance

WHAT IS THE NEW APPROACH?
The New Approach is a joint effort by the Government of Georgia, the United Nations Resident and Humanitarian Coordinator, the United Nations Development Program (UNDP), the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR), the World Bank and the United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA).

WHAT DOES THE NEW APPROACH DO?

The New Approach is a joint effort to substantially improve the lives of displaced persons in Georgia, and their host communities, by reforming government policy and supporting more appropriate assistance programs.

WHY DOES THE NEW APPROACH NEED TO DO THIS?

Half the displaced in Georgia live in crowded collective centers that were renovated seven years ago to be temporary dwellings. Many others continue to live in crowded conditions with host families. Most displaced are also unemployed and are unable to afford quality health care or education. In addition, the displaced are unable to vote in many elections. At the same time, lack of jobs, affordable health care and quality education affects a large number of persons in Georgia who are not displaced. Yet a wide range of policies and programs exist, in theory if not in practice, specifically to support the displaced. These programs however, have often done little to help displaced people restart their lives and take care of themselves thus adding to the burden of their host communities. This combination of laws and programs that are supposed to help the displaced, but in fact only hurt them and everyone else, is creating ill feeling between the different communities in Georgian society, and is preventing Georgia from attaining its full potential. The laws and programs therefore, need to be changed.

HOW IS THE NEW APPROACH DOING THIS?

The Georgia Self Reliance Fund

To test and develop new kinds of programs that will help displaced people and host communities take care of themselves, a trial Fund has been established with US$ 1.0 million from UNDP, UNHCR, the World Bank, and the United States Agency for International Development. This trial endowment is called the Georgia Self Reliance Fund. In September a request for proposals will be issued by the Fund. NGOs and others will be able to request financial support from the Fund to test innovative programs that will help IDPs and their host communities gain access to land, better housing, vocation training, jobs, credit, information regarding rights, and news about existing programs, as well as tools and opportunities they will be able to use to take care of themselves.

The New Approach Assessment

To learn more about, and understand the problems faced by the displaced and their host communities, throughout Georgia, a series of studies have been commissioned. These studies concern shelter, access to social services, participation in the job market, community resources, and the law as it related to IDPs. In addition, the International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies has conducted a detailed study of displaced and non-displaced households to learn more about how they live, and the difficulties they face. Information from the studies is confidential and will help the Government, donors, international organizations and NGOs improve their programs and policies to better respond to the needs of the displaced and host communities.

Presidential Commission

To help reform government policy and support more appropriate assistance programs, the Government has established a Presidential Commission chaired by the State Minister. The Commission is composed of Ministers, as well as technical experts, including many from the IDP community. The technical experts will help the Fund choose new programs by providing specialist comment on proposals. The experts will also help the assessment by providing access to government sources of information. Most importantly, the Commission will break bureaucratic blockages that slow the implementation of improved policies and programs.

Looking Ahead

Obviously, US$ 1.0 million isn't enough to help all IDPs and host communities in need. The New Approach however, is only just beginning. The Assessment and trial Fund are parts of its initial, test phase. If successful, the Fund and Assessment will be used as a basis next year to design and implement a large scale, two or three year, multi-million dollar program of assistance to IDPs and their host communities that will help them take care of themselves.

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