Finding Solutions to Protracted Internal Displacement in Georgia Tops Agenda of Conference

Representatives of the ministries and state agencies, donor community, UN agencies, civil society and IDP communities gathered in Tbilisi on July 5 to discuss the national legislation, policies and strategies on internal displacement and challenges faced in Georgia, including in the breakaway regions of Abkhazia and South Ossetia.

Guided by the 20th Anniversary of the Guiding Principles on Internal Displacement, the conference on Internal Displacement discussed the ways forward to addressing the protracted displacement and supporting solutions.

The Conference was opened by the Deputy Minister of Internally Displaced Persons from the Occupied Territories, Labor, Health and Social Affairs of Georgia, Grigol Giorgadze.

"We look forward to continuing working together with all key ministries to support efforts that help internally displaced persons find livelihoods, education opportunities, and self-reliance so they can find their own durable solution," Sabine Machl, UN Resident Coordinator in Georgia, said in her welcome remarks.

Yoko Akasaka, UNHCR Regional Representative a.i. in the South Caucasus, joined her by stating, “Georgia should be praised for having made significant progress and achievement in support of IDPs. However, a number of challenges still remain when it comes to durable solutions. We all, including government, NGOs and IDPs themselves, need to work together in search of new and alternative approaches to support their self-reliance and achieve solutions.”

The Conference created an effective platform for harnessing international experience and practice in securing durable solutions for IDPs in Georgia.

The United Nations Special Rapporteur on the Human Rights of Internally Displaced Persons, Cecilia Jimenez-Damary, focused on a Plan of Action for Advancing Prevention, Protection and Solutions for Internally Displaced People 2018-2020. The Plan outlines four priority areas for the next three years: participation of IDPs; national laws and policies on internal displacement; data and analysis on internal displacement; and addressing protracted displacement and supporting durable solutions.

The conference was organized by the United Nations and the Ministry of Internally Displaced Persons from the Occupied Territories, Labor, Health and Social Affairs of Georgia with the assistance of the UN Refugee Agency (UNHCR).