GEORGIA
Georgia has issued its fourth National Action Plan (NAP), extending from 2022 to the end of 2024. The country launched its first NAP in 2012, followed by a second in 2016, and a third in 2018.
Objectives of the 2022-2024 NAP
There are three overarching goals in this NAP, each supported by several objectives.
Goal 1: Increasing representation and meaningful participation of women (including at the decision-making level) in peace and security processes:
- Developing a policy on women’s career advancement
- Increasing women’s representation and meaningful participation in peace negotiations
- Promoting the development and improvement of the living conditions of women and youth affected by the conflict (including IDPs and those living adjacent to the occupied territories) through integrating their needs and priorities in development/updating/implementation of relevant policies
- Ensuring consideration of the needs, priorities, and recommendations of conflict-affected women (including displaced persons and those living adjacent to the occupied territories) in peace negotiations, and promoting their participation in the peacebuilding process
Goal 2: 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)
- Raising awareness of conflict-affected women and girls on issues related to violence and “human security”
- Capacity-building of the security and justice sector personnel to prevent and respond to sexual and gender-based violence in conflict and post-conflict situations
Goal 3: 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)
- Ensuring access to health, legal and public services of conflict-affected women and girls (including IDPs and those living in and adjacent to the occupied territories)
- Increasing involvement in educational, cultural, sports and entrepreneurship programmes for the economic empowerment of conflict-affected women and girls (including IDPs and those living in and adjacent to the occupied territories)
Commentary
Interestingly, the goals are explicitly linked to the UN’s SDGs, numbers 5 (gender equality and empowerment of women and girls), 10 (reduce inequality and vulnerability) and 16 (promote peaceful and inclusive societies).
The NAP matrix sets out clear actions with timelines, and reference to government ministries and agencies responsible for their achievement. There isn’t a detailed budget in the NAP but an overall figure is given for implementation of the NAP. The NAP states that upon its completion there will be a systematic and objective evaluation of its implementation, with the aim of identifying the outcomes and impact, and to ensure accountability, including sharing information with the public.
This NAP took account of lessons learned from the previous NAPs, and refers to steps taken to promote gender equality in the security sector as a result of earlier NAP implementation. This included the Gender Equality Strategy of the Ministry of Defense of Georgia, which was followed by appointment of a gender adviser to the Ministry, to ensure implementation of key elements of the NAP.
Civil society involvement in drawing up the NAP
The NAP was developed by the Inter-Agency Commission on Gender Equality, Violence Against Women, and Domestic Violence which works on the issues of IDP women as well as female citizens and youth affected by conflict.
Georgia’s NAP recognises civil society as an important actor in the implementation of the WPS agenda and considers it to be a driving force in the agenda. The areas, priorities, and activities to be considered in the NAP were identified through an inclusive and participatory process; working meetings were held with the representatives of civil society organisations.
UN Peacekeeping statistics
As of May 2023 Georgia had no peacekeeping troops deployed under the UN.
Women’s role in peacekeeping
Although Georgia does not deploy any personnel to UN missions, the country takes seriously the integration of women in the military, and with the UN has developed a showcase of women soldiers aimed at encouraging more young women and girls to join the forces.
References and sources
Georgia WPS NAP 2022-2024: fourth_nap_on_wps_georgia_for_2022-2024.pdf (unwomen.org)
‘Georgia Has a New National Action Plan for 2022–2024 on the Implementation of the Women, Peace and Security Agenda’ (UN Women – Georgia March 2023)
Women in the Defence Forces are Defying Stereotypes (Aug 2023) Women in the Defence Forces are defying stereotypes | UN Women – Georgia
United Nations Peacekeeping. (July 2023): Troop and police contributors | United Nations Peacekeeping
Contribution of Uniformed Personnel to UN by Country, Mission, and Personnel Type (May 2023): 05-Missions Detailed By Country
Uniformed Personnel Contributing Countries by Ranking Experts on Mission, Formed Police Units, Individual Police, Staff Officer, and Troops As of: 30/04/2023: 02-Contributions by Country (Ranking)
