Partners

For almost 30 years, the Civil Society Foundation has been a platform where people, organizations and coalitions unite for the sake of democratic change and the public good.

The Foundation actively cooperates with civil society organizations and participates in important advocacy campaigns. This cooperation serves the European aspirations of Georgia, protection of human rights and freedom of mass media, integration of minorities into society and establishment of social justice.

To achieve democratic changes, the Foundation is a member of a number of thematic coalitions:

Media Advocacy Coalition

Media Advocacy Coalition (MAC) functions as an informal union of CSOs dedicated to improving the media landscape in the country. MAC uniting 16 leading media and civil society organizations in Georgia was founded in 2011 under the auspices of the Civil Society Foundation (formerly Open Society Georgia Foundation). MAC’s activities are designed to preserve current media freedoms, address operational challenges, and strengthen media support wherever possible.

By bringing together media and CSOs for advocacy, MAC aims to lay the foundation for greater unity and protect the enabling environment for independent media and freedom of expression, also to refine the legal framework and ensure the enforcement of existing laws. Despite the polarization in the Georgian media sector, MAC identifies common issues that unite journalists, editors, and managers.

The Coalition for Equality

The Coalition for Equality is an informal alliance established in 2014 with the support of the Civil Society Foundation (formerly Open Society Georgia Foundation). It unites eleven non-governmental organizations. The essential goal of the Coalition is to enhance the mandate and competences of anti-discrimination mechanisms and to support the effective fight against discrimination.

The Coalition activities include strengthening anti-discrimination mechanisms, legal assistance of discriminated groups, establishment of progressive judicial practice, study of equality policy, identification of systemic flaws and development of ways to advance them.

Coalition for an Independent and Transparent Judiciary

Coalition for an Independent and Transparent Judiciary was formed in 2011 with the support of the Civil Society Foundation (formerly Open Society Georgia Foundation). Currently it unites 40 member NGOs. The goal of the Coalition is to consolidate the efforts of legal professional associations, legal rights NGOs, business associations, and media into a joint advocacy for an independent, transparent and accountable justice system.

The Coalition activities include research and monitoring, development of recommendations and advocacy for judicial reforms, and promotion of public discussions on the problems critical to the justice system. The Coalition has completed several comprehensive researches, elaborated tens of recommendations to improve the legislation governing the justice system, has held several public fora and discussions. The Coalition regularly presents its views to the representatives of executive, legislative and judicial branches, collaborates with the Venice Commission and other important international organizations. The Coalition also actively works with media to raise public awareness of the problems existing in the judiciary.