UNICEF in Georgia Newsletter - July 2012 by UNICEF Georgia

UNICEF in Georgia NEWSLETTER, July #1 2012 (#16)

Introduction My work in Georgia is coming to an end. The three years spent in this wonderful country were an unforgettable experience for me. I met with so many fascinating people from different walks of life making a real difference in the lives of Georgiaâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s children. In recent years, the Government of Georgia has actively sought to put children at the centre of its reform efforts. Exceptional progress has been achieved in improving the situation of children. Especially for the most vulnerable and disadvantaged groups - this is commendable. Child mortality has reduced significantly. Access to pre-school is increasing. Almost all primary school-age children are attending school. And almost all children are being registered at birth. A new national strategy on juvenile justice is yielding results. The Child Care Reform is resulting in the closure of the remaining largescale institutions for children and supporting reintegration of children into their families. A family for every child!

These are extraordinary accomplishments. But during my stay in Georgia, I also met many families who are still struggling to have both ends meet, to survive the trap of poverty. More than a fifth of families in Georgia continue to suffer from various forms of deprivation. And children from these families are the ones who bear the brunt of poverty. That is why on-going reforms of the social protection system are so critical. Children are the future of this country and they must be prioritized in all social protection and poverty reduction programmes. I would like to present this newsletter outlining some of the important events and achievements of the last quarters. I also want to say good-bye to this wonderful country and thank the Georgian people for their warm hospitality. Thank you to all my friends and colleagues I worked with for these interesting and remarkable years, I have learned so much from you all. And, yes, like anyone who lived and worked in this wonderful country - Georgia will always be on my mind. Roeland Monasch UNICEF Representative in Georgia

UNICEF in Georgia

GEORGIA: Reducing Child Poverty

New Discussion Paper on Poverty Reduction

In July, UNICEF presented a Discussion Paper, entitled Georgia: Reducing Child Poverty, with the aim of triggering a dialogue around child poverty. This paper draws upon a larger report, The Well-Being of Children and their Families in Georgia - Georgia Welfare Monitoring Survey Second Stage 2011, prepared in co-operation with the University of York, UK, and the Institute of Social Studies and Analysis, Georgia. One of the key findings of that report is that poverty in Georgia has decreased between 2009 and 2011. The number of households below the relative poverty line fell from 24 to 22 per cent. The percentage of children living in poor households fell from 28 A discussion paper July 2012

to 25 per cent. Pensions, Health Insurance and Targeted Social Assistance are important poverty reduction tools. Despite gains, there are still many children who continue to live in poverty and these children are not adequately represented in existing social protection schemes. The discussion paper, Georgia: Reducing Child Poverty, highlights that additional investments are required to protect the most vulnerable children and considers different policy options to address child poverty in the next three-to-five years while on-going economic growth becomes more inclusive in addressing inequities. The report is available at: http://www.unicef.org/georgia or www.unicef.ge Contact: Tinatin Baum, UNICEF Social Policy Specialist, +995 599 74 77 33, tbaum@unicef.org

Georgia Reproductive Health Survey Highlights Improvements in Child and Maternal Health

Child mortality also reduced significantly (Millennium Development Goal 4). Since 1999, the mortality rate of children under the age of five has dropped by two-thirds – from 45 deaths per 1,000 live births to 16 in 2010. Infant mortality reduced during the same period from 42 to 14 deaths per 1,000 live births. The survey was conducted by NCDC with support from the United States Agency for Inter-

The final report of the 2010 Georgia Reproductive Health Survey was launched in June. According to the new report, Maternal Health (Millennium Development Goal 5) has improved. Comparing data from three rounds of the Reproductive Health Survey, prenatal care utilization increased from 91 per cent in 1999 to 98 per cent in 2010. More women have their first visit during the first trimester of their pregnancy. The number of consultations per pregnancy also increased. In 2005, 75 per cent of pregnant women had four or more visits; in 2010, this increased to 90 percent. The percentage of women who had an ultrasound exam during a prenatal care visit increased from 60 per cent in 1999 to 97 per cent in 2010. Institutional deliveries increased from 92 per cent in 1999 to 99 per cent in 2010.

national Development (USAID), United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA), United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF) and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC, Atlanta, USA). The report is available at: http://www. unicef.org/georgia or www.unicef.ge Contact: Tinatin Baum, UNICEF Social Policy Specialist, +995 599 74 77 33, tbaum@unicef.org

NEWSLETTER, July #1 2012 (#16)

New Plan on Mother and Child Health Ensures that Every Child has the Best Start in Life While child mortality has been reduced in recent years, much of the remaining morbidity and mortality among children in Georgia is also preventable. Nearly 58 per cent of all child deaths in Georgia occur within the first 28 days after birth. The main causes are prematurity, asphyxia and infections/pneumonia, together comprising more than three- quarters of neonatal deaths. These causes are closely related to the health of the mother during her pregnancy, the circumstances of her delivery and the first critical hours after birth. A new Perinatal System Strengthening Master Plan has been developed by the Ministry of Labour, Health and Social Affairs in collaboration with the Reproductive Health Council of Geor-

gia, Sheba Medical Center of Israel and UNICEF. The Master Plan stems out from the Georgia National Health Care Strategy 2011-2015, aiming at strengthening the perinatal system in Georgia for the next 10-15 years. The Master Plan identifies the key areas of work and provides recommendations. Components of the Plan include: policy, financing, organization of services, infrastructure, human resources, quality and information systems. The development of clinical care standards in perinatology has already been initiated by the Government in 2011. Contact: Tamar Ugulava, UNICEF Health Specialist, +995 599 92 90 09, tugulava@unicef.org

Pre-school services are a critical investment in the long-term development of Georgia. Unleashing the cognitive development potential of children early on in the life cycle is key to maximizing the development opportunities for every child. The first National Early Education Week was celebrated by the Ministry of Education and Science in partnership with UNICEF from 9-13 June. During the Week, a series of educational and entertaining activities took place throughout Georgia with the aim of raising the awareness of parents and the population at large about the crucial importance of early learning.

Pre-School Education Week

Quality early learning is vital for a child’s cognitive, physical, social and emotional development, yet less than half of Georgia’s young children have access to pre-school education. Pre-school attendance rates are even lower in rural areas. A great many parents report that they consider pre-school education institutions primarily as places where custodial care for children is provided and to a lesser extent as pedagogical places where children can learn and further enhance their knowledge and skills to optimally develop their potential and get ready for school.

UNICEF in Georgia During the Week, young children and their parents had an opportunity to engage in various activities in different centres set up by early education specialists. Each centre contributed to different domains of development, namely: literacy, science, physical activity, drama, music, art and table games. Parents were also provided with a set of booklets focusing on child development and positive interaction. Such events were organized in the municipalities of Marneuli, Mtskheta, Gori, Khashuri, Chokhatauri and Khobi. The final event took place in Batumi in partnership with the Batumi State University and the Batumi City Administration. Contact: Maya Kuparadze, UNICEF Education Officer, +995 599 21 30 39, mkuparadze@unicef.org

Schools in Tbilisi Start Involving Children with Special Needs in Sport and Physical Development

Within the framework of the project, the teachers – including specialized teachers as well as psychologists of all five schools – were equipped with knowledge and skills to work with and for children with special needs. The parents of children were actively involved and all five pilot schools were provided with special sports equipment. Based on the national curriculum, individual learning plans were elaborated for each child with special educational needs envisaging their individual needs and capabilities. The achievements and lessons learned led to a further scaling-up of the initiative so that inclusive physical education for children with special needs becomes essential for all schools in Georgia. Contact: Maya Kuparadze, UNICEF Education Officer, +995 599 21 30 39, mkuparadze@unicef.org

Photos by Ministry of Education and Science

One hundred children with special educational needs were fully integrated in the physical development and sports lessons of five public schools in Tbilisi thanks to the pilot initiative, Inclusion of Children with Special Educational Needs in Physical Development and Sport, led by the Ministry of Education and Science with UNICEF’s technical and financial support during the 2011-12 school year.

Photo by Salome Ninua

NEWSLETTER, July #1 2012 (#16)

Water and Sanitation Pose Problems for Pre-School Children in Rural Areas The results of a National Survey on Water, Sanitation and Hygiene in Pre-schools were presented at the Parliamentary meeting of the Early Childhood Development Alliance on 25 April. The findings clearly demonstrate that pre-school children in rural areas face disadvantages in terms of access to good quality water and sanitation facilities as compared to children in urban areas. Rural pre-schools are the most likely to have toilets outside and this can pose particular difficulties for children during winter months, especially because some of these facilities are located as far as 60 metres away from the pre-school. Another alarming finding relates to the access to sanitation facilities for the pre-school children with physical limitations which remains a challenge both in urban and rural areas. Furthermore, the survey suggests strengthening the capacity of care givers, especially in rural

Georgia, in establishing relevant hygiene practices in pre-school institutions since it is considered as a key to the success. The National Survey on Water, Sanitation and Hygiene in Pre-schools was commissioned by UNICEF in December 2011. Out of 1,277 preschools in Georgia, 554 kindergartens were selected and participated in the survey through stratified random selection. By analysing data, UNICEF advocates for new policies, cost efficient and sustainable approaches towards strengthening water and sanitation facilities in rural Georgia. UNICEF partners with the Government to mobilize the resources to eliminate inequalities within the pre-school system. The report is available at: http://www. unicef.org/georgia or www.unicef.ge Contact: Tamar Ugulava, UNICEF Health Specialist, +995 599 92 90 09, tugulava@unicef.org

UNICEF in Georgia

Child Care System Reform Brings More Children to a Family Care

Georgia has made incredible strides in the area of child care. The number of children living in large care institutions has been reduced from over 4,000 to 250. During the past 12 months, approximately 33 per cent of all children from institutions have been reunited with their families when this has been in their best interests. Foster care has also been expanded and strengthened involving more than 700 children. For those children who could not be reunited with their families, 42 small group homes were established housing approximately 400 children.

Currently, 250 trained state social workers are in place and their numbers are growing. The reform has been led by the Government of Georgia with donors and international organizations, like the EU, USAID and UNICEF, having played a large role in facilitating and assisting with the transformation. UNICEF’s role has been strategic, including, coordination and development of strategies, policies, guidelines and standards. In 2012, the reform focused on increasing social workers’ effectiveness. New social work forms have been developed, updated and tested – replacing the old forms which were overly complicated and too long. All social workers in the Social Service Agency have now received training in how to use the new social work forms with support from the Georgian Association of Social Workers. Specific trainings for social workers for children with disabilities have been conducted in partnership with the First Step Foundation and all social workers and school mandatories in Tbilisi received a series of trainings on issues related to violence identification and referral from the Public Health and Medical Development Fund of Georgia. Both the disability and the violence trainings will be rolled out across all regions. Contact: Aaron Greenberg, UNICEF Child Protection Chief, +995 591 22 52 90, agreenberg@unicef.org

NEWSLETTER, July #1 2012 (#16)

New Day Care Centre for Children with Disabilities in Kutaisi

The early intervention centre will provide psycho-social, medical and educational support services for up to 100 children from the ages of 0-6 and their families. Through the centre, parents can have consultations with psychologists, social workers, paediatricians, occupational therapists and speech therapists. The centre aims at preventing infant and early childhood abandonment, identifying developmental delays early and providing quality services to help families stay together.

The new day care centre will serve children with intellectual disabilities from the ages of 6-18 where the children will be able to get opportunities to develop, receive an education and be integrated into society. Provision of services to more than 100 children and their families in Kutaisi as well as in Tbilisi day care centres has continued in partnership with First Step Georgia. Many of these children were prevented from entering the infants’ homes. Some of the children are fully funded by state vouchers while others are self-funded by the families. Contact: Aaron Greenberg, UNICEF Child Protection Chief, +995 591 22 52 90, agreenberg@unicef.org

A new early intervention centre and a new day care centre, both for children with disabilities and their families, were opened in Kutaisi in February. The centres are managed by the NGO First Step Georgia and are part of the government-led reform of the child care system supported by UNICEF and USAID. The Day Care Centres in Kutaisi were opened with the support of Kutaisi’s local authorities.

Children with disabilities have the right to be included in soci ety, free from discrimination. Providing services for families car ing for children with disabilities, working towards an inclusive educational system that embraces children with special needs, improving early diagnosis and treatment and transforming at titudes and behaviours that contribute to stigmatization of children with disabilities should be at the core of any response.

UNICEF in Georgia

Individual Approach to Children in Pre-Trial Detention Facilities: Another Step of the Justice Reform In May and June 2012, the Ministry of Corrections and Legal Assistance opened two newlyrenovated pre-trial detention facilities for juveniles in Tbilisi and in Kutaisi. Two previous pretrial detention facilities in Zugdidi and Batumi, in a state of extreme disrepair with no opportunities for education and without trained staff, were closed last year in line with UNICEF reco mmendations. The two new pre-trial detention facilities have better potential to be in compliance with international standards. The Ministry of Corrections and Legal Assistance, supported by UNICEF and other organizations, has improved the infrastructure and physical environment in the facilities and is now in the process of introducing an individual approach to each child placed there. The new model aims to assess every young person when he/she enters the pre-trial facility in order to ensure that his/her development and education is not interrupted.

UNICEF, in cooperation with the Georgian Centre for Rehabilitation of Torture Victims (GCRT), facilitated trainings for the staff in both facilities on relevant international standards and child rights. Psychologists, social workers and prison management received additional specific trainings on assessment and crises intervention. Realizing children’s right to education in pre-trial is essential for the children’s development. In cooperation with the Ministry of Education and Science, specifically tailored curriculum for pretrial detention settings was developed and introduced. Teachers in pre-trial detention centres were hired by the Ministry of Education and Science. The introduction of age-appropriate education will address a long-standing problem of non-existent education opportunities in pre-trial facilities. Contact: Aaron Greenberg, UNICEF Child Protection Chief, +995 591 22 52 90, agreenberg@unicef.org

E-Services for Young People Since 2011, UNICEF has been supporting the Ministry of Sport and Youth affairs to develop E-Services for young people in the form of an electronic database of existing and available services for youth and adolescents in Georgia. The database is available at www.cync.ge and includes more than 500 service/organization descriptions from 11 Georgian cities. It is expected that the database will include services in 10 additional cities by the end of 2012, thus covering 21 locations in total. Still having partial funding from UNICEF, the Ministry of Sport and Youth is expected to cover all expenses related to the operation of the electronic database. In 2012, the Ministry started to consider the needs of young people with various disabilities

when planning and promoting new or ongoing programmes. In partnership with the local NGO Accessible Environment for Everyone, consisting of a group of people with disabilities and supported by UNICEF, the Ministry will monitor all existing services listed on the E-Services database, rating their programmes, infrastructure and buildings as “Accessible,” “Partly Accessible” or “Non-Accessible” for wheelchair users. In addition, free consultation from engineers and occupational therapists will be provided to those services willing to readapt their programmes and infrastructures. Contact: David Gvineria, UNICEF Child Protection Officer, +995 591 22 52 91, dgvineria@unicef.org

NEWSLETTER, July #1 2012 (#16)

Photos by the Georgian Rugby Union

Rugby for Development!

The programme aims to ensure that children in prison have access to a healthy lifestyle through playing rugby and learning the sportâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s philosophy of respect, fair play, mutual support and team work. This approach also contributes to a smooth rehabilitation and further reintegration back into society after their release from the penitentiary. The rugby lessons are conducted twice a week for two hours. During the lessons, the rugby coaches also discuss healthy lifestyles, nutrition and personal hygiene issues with the boys. Members of the Georgian National Team have volunteered their time to visit the boys and play rugby with them. Members of the youth rugby club Lelo and members of younger-age national

teams who participated in the Junior World Rugby Trophy also visited the boys and organized friendly games. Total Rugby TV recorded a film about the programme which was transmitted in over 30 countries. Rugby and sport in general is the most natural and effective way to divert young people from delinquent behaviour and promote positive values through exercise and game play. So far, more than 100 boys have been involved in the rugby programme with some of them having continued to play rugby in different professional clubs after leaving the institution. For many of them, the sport became a source of hope and a path to a new life and new opportunities and leading to a new future. Through rugby, they regained trust and self-confidence. Many quit smoking and started to pursue an active and sportive lifestyle. Contact: David Gvineria, UNICEF Child Protection Officer, +995 591 22 52 91, dgvineria@unicef.org

Photo by the Georgian Rugby Union

In 2011, a partnership initiative of the Georgian Rugby Union, the Ministry of Corrections and Legal Assistance and UNICEF introduced a rugby programme at the Special Educational Establishment for convicted young offenders in Avchala, Tbilisi.

UNICEF in Georgia

Sport for Development and Healthy Lifestyle

Promotion of healthy lifestyles among teenagers – through sport, good nutrition and the values of teamwork – is an urgent priority to combat smoking and drug use. UNICEF, in collaboration with the Ministry of Sports and Youth Affairs and the First Lady’s healthy lifestyle initiative – Don’t Worry, Be Healthy – entered into a partnership with Rustavi2 TV and the Sport and Entertainment Games Association to promote healthy lifestyle messages during the television game show Gundi and the Rustavi2 Disney Cup Football Championship. Rustavi2’s Gundi involves 32 school teams each consisting of 16 boys and girls from the ages of 8 to 16 years. Beginning from September, 31 of the shows will be aired. In total, more than 500 children have participated in the tournament. Rustavi2 Kids Cup is a global football tournament for boys and girls under the age of 13 which aims to promote sportsmanship, fair play, cultural exchange and a healthy lifestyle.

NEWSLETTER, July #1 2012 (#16)

Local qualifiers took place in 18 regions across Georgia in March-May with more than 4,000 children participating. The final game of the competition was held on 22 May in Tbilisi revealing two winners: the boys’ team from Tbilisi and the girls’ team from Kobuleti. The winning

teams will participate in the Disney Cup international Youth Soccer tournament held in the US in July. Contact: David Gvineria, UNICEF Child Protection Officer, +995 591 22 52 91, dgvineria@unicef.org

Improved Voluntary HIV Testing and Counselling Services for Young People Confidential, anonymous and free HIV testing and counselling services will now soon be available for most-at-risk adolescents and young people thanks to a new initiative launched on 26 June by the Public Union Bemoni and UNICEF. The three-year project, “Capacity Building of Non-state Actors in Relation to HIV/AIDS Prevention, Treatment and Care for the European Neighbourhood and Partnership Countries,” is financed by the European Union. Georgia is one of only seven countries in the world where HIV incidence has increased by more than 25 per cent over the past decade. As in most of the CEE/CIS region, injecting drug use is the major transmission mode. A recent study in five cities in Georgia found that almost two-thirds of the country’s estimated 40,000 injecting drug users began using drugs as teenagers. In Tbilisi, nearly a quarter started at the age of 14 or younger. The same study showed that the percentage of young injecting drug users who undertook an HIV test in the 12 months before the survey and who knew their test results was five per cent. 17 per cent of young injecting drug users knew an HIV testing site and 16 per cent received free condoms.

The programme will support five civil society organizations in providing quality services to young people. As a result, youth-friendly confidential testing and counselling interventions targeting 10,000 most-at risk adolescent boys and girls will be set up and linked to broader prevention, treatment and care services. Based on the field experience, the initiative will aim to effectively influence relevant policy and legislation. Coordination and networking with the governmental institutions and other actors to further facilitate the exchange of ideas, best-practices and lessons learned will be another dimension of the programme. Within the framework of the project, it is also planned to train 60 youth peer outreach workers whose task will be to generate demand as well as to attract young people for confidential HIV testing and counselling services. The programme expects 3,600 most-at risk adolescents to be tested for HIV and get counselling which will enable them to make informed choices and decisions regarding drug use and sexual relations. Contact: Tamar Ugulava, UNICEF Health Specialist, +995 599 92 90 09, tugulava@unicef.org

UNICEF in Georgia

Strengthening Child Rights’ Monitoring at the Public Defender’s Office UNICEF supported the Public Defender’s Office (PDO) to set up a Child Advisory Body consisting of 13 children from the ages of 13-18. The Advisory Panel is actively involved in the work of the PDO’s Children and Women’s Centre and tries to work on issues such as school self-governance bodies, violence and advocacy on child rights.

Contact: Maya Kurtsikidze, UNICEF Communication Officer, +995 599 53 30 71, mkurtsikidze@unicef.org

On 7 June 2012, the Public Defender of Georgia, in partnership with UNICEF, organized the third annual conference – The Right of a Child to be Heard. The conference aimed at increasing children’s involvement in decision-making processes. The conference was attended by the First Lady of Georgia, Vice Speaker of the Parliament and Deputy Ministers of Education, Environment and Health.

Students of public schools from different regions of Georgia and members of the Child Advisory Panel within the Public Defender’s Office made presentations about school self-governance, disability-equal opportunities for all, environment protection and ecology and children’s health rights. The conference gave students the possibility to highlight issues of their concern and bring them to the attention of the representatives of the relevant ministries as the primary decision-makers.

Editorial Note The Newsletter of the UN Children’s Fund, UNICEF in Georgia, is published in English and Georgian. Our publication aims to provide information on UNICEF activities in Georgia. This is the sixteenth issue of the Newsletter. Your remarks and recommendations concerning the publication will be appreciated. Please let us know if you wish to obtain any additional information on UNICEF and its work. We welcome any feedback, suggestions or contributions. If you wish to obtain a copy of the Newsletter or any other information, please contact Maya Kurtsikidze, Communication Officer, at the UNICEF Office in Georgia. Telephone: (995 32) 2 232388, 2 251130: E-mail: mkurtsikidze@unicef.org