Open Society – Georgia Foundation
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
 |
This article may require cleanup to meet Wikipedia's quality standards. Please discuss this issue on the talk page or replace this tag with a more specific message. This article has been tagged since March 2007. |
The Open Society – Georgia Foundation is a member of the Open Society Institute Network. OSI’s primary goal is to support the creation and development of open, democratic societies in countries which are struggling to overcome recent histories characterized by dictatorship and oppression.
The aim of OSGF is to implement values which promote an open and free society in Georgia and the only charitable function of the Foundation is to protect the interests of society.
OSGF supports social initiatives set forth by organizations and individuals which are dedicated to building a free and open society in Georgia. Through the employment of grants, OSGF offers these programs and projects financial and technical support.
Along with grant making, OSGF focuses on in-house and partner projects as well as on the capacity building of young governmental structures.
It is the OSGF philosophy that in order to build an open society both cultural and structural transformation processes must be actively supported. The mission of the Foundation is to provide this active support.
The OSGF Renewed Strategic Priorities and New Structure
In order to meet today's challenges and achieve the above-mentioned objectives, the OSGF administration and executive board agreed to restructure the foundation. The OSGF leadership finds it necessary to both reduce the number of programs and strengthen the staff on the remaining or newly created ones. In such a way, the OSGF will mobilize its human and material resources in fewer strategic directions while empowering its main structural units to be active in operational as well as grant giving activities.
The renewed foundation consists of six national programs. Some of them absorb the functions of the now defunct Translation, Art and Culture and Media Programs. The East-East program is also administered through one of the enlarged national programs, namely the Integration and Civic Education Program, the most relevant to the East-East priorities.
Out of these six remaining programs, three are the main strategic, proactive, policy development oriented programs: Rule of Law and Public Administration Program, Integration and Civic Education Program, and the Civil Society and Media Support Program. The next three programs are more field specific, and/or more geared to providing service: Public Health Program (PHP), Women's' Program (WP) and the Economic Development Program (EDP). Below are the main outlines of the program strategies.
1. Policy Development Oriented Programs:
Rule of Law and Public Administration Program (RLPA) will focus on legal reforms, legal aid and human rights protection, the reformation of law enforcement agencies and judiciary, the promotion of good governance and transparency in public administration, and the promotion of the decentralization of power in Georgia. One particular direction in state institutions' reformation will be the promotion of better practices in state revenue and budgetary transparency. The program will largely use operational capabilities and negotiated grant formats for identifying and working with strategic partners, as well as for building coalitions of NGOs engaged in the above-mentioned fields. Open competitions will mostly be concrete-task oriented, and include providing sub-grant/sub-contract(s). The RLPA program will use the experience gained to date by the separate Rule of Law and Local Government and Public Administration Programs, as well as by OSGF in house projects, Revenue Watch Georgia and Support and Monitoring of Millennium Challenge Georgia. [These programs were, until now, administered through the Economic Development Program.] RLPA will also take on some responsibilities from the Public Health Program namely, in cooperation with PH, assisting the Health and Law new initiative of the Public Health Network program
The Integration and Civic Education Program (ICE) will work with the aim to promote ideas, institutions and a culture of tolerance, liberalism, and multiculturalism. If the Rule of Law and Public Administration program is more concerned with the promotion of structures (legislation, agencies and interagency management practices and mechanisms of participation) of civil and democratic society, the Integration and Civic Education program will largely deal with promoting an open society philosophy and culture. The rationale for the program is that in order to develop civil society in Georgia, and fulfill the national goal of integration into Europe, structures as well as culture, popular believes and values should be addressed. Lack of democratic practices, corruption, and xenophobia, which are not unknown in Georgian public life, has to do with culture itself. Social and applied cultural studies, the promotion of their results, the advocacy for liberal values, the building of multiculturalism, the support for regional cooperation, and confidence-building measures vis-à-vis Georgia's separated territories, as well as mobilizing civil society with regards to European Neighborhood Policy (ENP), will be the priorities of the program. The program will also work with the Ministry of Education and Science on school and higher education models and curricula, as well as on the translation of classic literature on liberal thought and modern works dealing with social studies. The program will cooperate with the Ministry of Cultural Monuments Protection and Sports and interested societal groups on the development of a cultural policy and the promotion of multiculturalism. The program will conduct operational activities, as well as provide grants. One primary task of the program will be coordination and coalition building with other donors in this field. This program will also administer the East-East Network Program.
The Civil Society and Media Support Program (CSMS) will focus on the promotion of civic activism, the support of small NGOs working in various fields, and media outlets. The new program will envision technical and capacity support for successful and active NGOs, citizens' initiatives and media outlets. This program will strongly cooperate with RLPA and ICE programs in defining concrete guidelines for applications in order to make them compatible and complementary to their main activities. The program will also support training activities for journalists, as well as young and inexperienced civil society activists. It will engage in re-socialization/rehabilitation of currently unemployed former public servants, former law enforcement officers and the military. The program will also have a strong operational component aimed at the promotion of NGO and media coalition building through advocating for relevant codes of conduct and media council-like institutions. This program will also work on the promotion of legislative changes, which will enable civil society to search for financial means not only from international donors, but also locally. CSM will also work on the promotion of OSGF activities and vision through the Georgian media, thus further contributing to cross program cooperation within the OSGF. Particularly, CSM will help the Public Health Program in the implementation of the new Health and Media initiative. It will work on promoting the rights of various stigmatized groups of the population.
2. Field Specific and/or Service Oriented Programs
The service providing nature of the Public Health Program is seen through its focus on the health care state system, particularly on drug harm reduction, prevention of HIV/AIDS and palliative care. By cooperating with the Global Fund directly or through the Country Coordinating Mechanism, the program administers, as well provides, training and know how for sub-contracting governmental and non-governmental agencies through the help of the PH Network Program. The program also helps the state in establishing life long learning programs for medical personnel, as well as being involved in the standardization of health care. The program also administers the participation of Georgian medical professionals in Salzburg seminars. This program rarely has any open competitions for NGOs, given the specificity of its priorities. At the same time, the law-making element of this program can be transferred to the RLPA program, with a provision for specific health care expertise when needed.
The Women's Program also has its targeted audience, mainly in the anti-violence network. The program should continue to concentrate on network building and raising awareness in the field of women's rights, domestic violence and trafficking. To date it seems crucial to keep the program within the foundation for the foundation's prestige, as well as for the further enhancement of its sustainability. At the same time, the program is rather autonomous and network oriented which eases OSGF's management responsibilities and limits its financial burden on the OSGF. In addition, the program coordinator is investigating the feasibility of spinning the program off into the Women Fund of Georgia.
The Concept of the Reformation and Development of the Open Society Georgia Foundation 2006-2008
New Environment: Challenges and Objectives
Based on experience of the OSGF work in 2004-2005, we have created concepts for the reform and further development of the OSGF. The rationale of the changes is based on two points:
The new, reform-driven socio-political environment in Georgia, which requires proper reflection and intense participation. The necessity to strengthen management of the foundation in order to achieve greater effectiveness of its human and material resources. Read more...
The OSGF Renewed Strategic Priorities and New Structure
In order to meet today's challenges and achieve the above-mentioned objectives, the OSGF administration and executive board agreed to restructure the foundation. The OSGF leadership finds it necessary to both reduce the number of programs and strengthen the staff on the remaining or newly created ones. In such a way, the OSGF will mobilize its human and material resources in fewer strategic directions while empowering its main structural units to be active in operational as well as grant giving activities.
The renewed foundation consists of six national programs. Some of them absorb the functions of the now defunct Translation, Art and Culture and Media Programs. The East-East program is also administered through one of the enlarged national programs, namely the Integration and Civic Education Program, the most relevant to the East-East priorities.
Out of these six remaining programs, three are the main strategic, proactive, policy development oriented programs: Rule of Law and Public Administration Program, Integration and Civic Education Program, and the Civil Society and Media Support Program. The next three programs are more field specific, and/or more geared to providing service: Public Health Program (PHP), Women's' Program (WP) and the Economic Development Program (EDP). Below are the main outlines of the program strategies.
1. Policy Development Oriented Programs:
Rule of Law and Public Administration Program (RLPA) will focus on legal reforms, legal aid and human rights protection, the reformation of law enforcement agencies and judiciary, the promotion of good governance and transparency in public administration, and the promotion of the decentralization of power in Georgia. One particular direction in state institutions' reformation will be the promotion of better practices in state revenue and budgetary transparency. The program will largely use operational capabilities and negotiated grant formats for identifying and working with strategic partners, as well as for building coalitions of NGOs engaged in the above-mentioned fields. Open competitions will mostly be concrete-task oriented, and include providing sub-grant/sub-contract(s). The RLPA program will use the experience gained to date by the separate Rule of Law and Local Government and Public Administration Programs, as well as by OSGF in house projects, Revenue Watch Georgia and Support and Monitoring of Millennium Challenge Georgia. [These programs were, until now, administered through the Economic Development Program.] RLPA will also take on some responsibilities from the Public Health Program namely, in cooperation with PH, assisting the Health and Law new initiative of the Public Health Network program
The Integration and Civic Education Program (ICE) will work with the aim to promote ideas, institutions and a culture of tolerance, liberalism, and multiculturalism. If the Rule of Law and Public Administration program is more concerned with the promotion of structures (legislation, agencies and interagency management practices and mechanisms of participation) of civil and democratic society, the Integration and Civic Education program will largely deal with promoting an open society philosophy and culture. The rationale for the program is that in order to develop civil society in Georgia, and fulfill the national goal of integration into Europe, structures as well as culture, popular believes and values should be addressed. Lack of democratic practices, corruption, and xenophobia, which are not unknown in Georgian public life, has to do with culture itself. Social and applied cultural studies, the promotion of their results, the advocacy for liberal values, the building of multiculturalism, the support for regional cooperation, and confidence-building measures vis-à-vis Georgia's separated territories, as well as mobilizing civil society with regards to European Neighborhood Policy (ENP), will be the priorities of the program. The program will also work with the Ministry of Education and Science on school and higher education models and curricula, as well as on the translation of classic literature on liberal thought and modern works dealing with social studies. The program will cooperate with the Ministry of Cultural Monuments Protection and Sports and interested societal groups on the development of a cultural policy and the promotion of multiculturalism. The program will conduct operational activities, as well as provide grants. One primary task of the program will be coordination and coalition building with other donors in this field. This program will also administer the East-East Network Program.
The Civil Society and Media Support Program (CSMS) will focus on the promotion of civic activism, the support of small NGOs working in various fields, and media outlets. The new program will envision technical and capacity support for successful and active NGOs, citizens' initiatives and media outlets. This program will strongly cooperate with RLPA and ICE programs in defining concrete guidelines for applications in order to make them compatible and complementary to their main activities. The program will also support training activities for journalists, as well as young and inexperienced civil society activists. It will engage in re-socialization/rehabilitation of currently unemployed former public servants, former law enforcement officers and the military. The program will also have a strong operational component aimed at the promotion of NGO and media coalition building through advocating for relevant codes of conduct and media council-like institutions. This program will also work on the promotion of legislative changes, which will enable civil society to search for financial means not only from international donors, but also locally. CSM will also work on the promotion of OSGF activities and vision through the Georgian media, thus further contributing to cross program cooperation within the OSGF. Particularly, CSM will help the Public Health Program in the implementation of the new Health and Media initiative. It will work on promoting the rights of various stigmatized groups of the population.
2. Field Specific and/or Service Oriented Programs
The service providing nature of the Public Health Program is seen through its focus on the health care state system, particularly on drug harm reduction, prevention of HIV/AIDS and palliative care. By cooperating with the Global Fund directly or through the Country Coordinating Mechanism, the program administers, as well provides, training and know how for sub-contracting governmental and non-governmental agencies through the help of the PH Network Program. The program also helps the state in establishing life long learning programs for medical personnel, as well as being involved in the standardization of health care. The program also administers the participation of Georgian medical professionals in Salzburg seminars. This program rarely has any open competitions for NGOs, given the specificity of its priorities. At the same time, the law-making element of this program can be transferred to the RLPA program, with a provision for specific health care expertise when needed.
The Women's Program also has its targeted audience, mainly in the anti-violence network. The program should continue to concentrate on network building and raising awareness in the field of women's rights, domestic violence and trafficking. To date it seems crucial to keep the program within the foundation for the foundation's prestige, as well as for the further enhancement of its sustainability. At the same time, the program is rather autonomous and network oriented which eases OSGF's management responsibilities and limits its financial burden on the OSGF. In addition, the program coordinator is investigating the feasibility of spinning the program off into the Women Fund of Georgia.
Economic Development Program currently is responsible for many things, but what it does in the most effective manner is the establishment of business centers and the support of small and micro financing in conflict sensitive regions. That is an important endeavor in terms of supporting the self-employment of vulnerable segments of society, promoting skills of legal businesses and mitigating the potential for conflict in conflict prone regions. Currently two new operational projects are underway within the ED Program: the establishment of a business center in the Georgian-Abkhazian conflict zone and pilot retraining models for the disadvantaged/unemployed population in Tbilisi, with the projected goal to have project competition among the attendees of this course. The focus of the program in future will be on the successful experience, continued support and administering/monitoring of those business centers. As to the other components of the ED Program, including the support of the development of the economic policy, they will be transferred to the RLPA new program.
Thus, in comparison with current programs operating within the OSGF, the new structure absorbs three (Art and Culture, Translation programs will merge with Integration and Civic Education Program, and the East-East Program will also be managed by that new program staff) and closes two programs, Media and Information. Some of the activities those two programs are currently engaged in are to be continued by new programs, i.e. RLPA program will have IT components while operating various projects aimed at the promotion of the rule of law, transparency and participation, while Civil Society and Media Support Program will also pay attention to IT and media related initiatives. At the same time, the OSGF spin-off GRENA and NGO E-Riders, created by the Information Program in 2004, will assume certain functions of the Information Program, namely, support of the Ministry of Education initiatives like the "Deer Leap" program and the promotion of the Open Source. At the same time, ISAC is no longer a part of the OSGF being spun off into a separate entity.
Altogether, instead of nine national programs, one network program (East-East) and one center (ISAC), the OSGF consists of six national programs, and East-East will be administered by one of those (ICE).
Long term sustainability of the OSGF and its programs
The justification of the foundation structure and programs within 1-3 years seems clear as they are justified by the immediate objectives of the program areas: further support and development of civil organizations and independent media, and the support and encouragement of ongoing democratic reforms. Those justifications are outlined in the OSGF concept as well as in program strategies. The only change, which might take place within the OSGF strategies by the end of 2006, is the possibility of spinning off the Women Program, which depends on the results of a feasibility study currently taking place within the program, and on negotiations with the Women Network Program.
