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 (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 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.
DONORS
For almost three decades, the Foundation’s investment in the development of an open and democratic society in Georgia amounted to more than 118 million US dollars. This support was aimed at strengthening youth, women, children, refugees, students, professional groups, socially vulnerable segments of the population, people with health problems or disabilities and overall development of the country.
Funding from the global network of the Open Society Foundations ensures sustainability of the Civil Society Foundation and smooth operations of its program priorities.
In parallel to its own programs, the Foundation also develops the civil sector within the framework of projects supported by international donors. Over the years, the activities of the Foundation comprised projects of such international organizations as the European Union, the United States Agency for International Development (USAID), the UN Development Program, the Romanian Development Fund, the Embassy of the Netherlands and others…
Currently, the Foundation implements the projects in cooperation with several donor organizations:
Uniter for Georgia’s European Way
The project aims to promote Georgia`s further integration with the European Union, with broad involvement and cooperation of the public. In addition, the goal of the project is to help strengthen democracy, civil society, youth, media, business, young lawyers and activists, promote scientific research and public dialogue and provide more information to the local or international community.
United for Georgia’s European Way Project is supported by the European Union, and is implemented by the Civil Society Foundation together with Konrad Adenauer Stiftung (KAS), the Economic Policy Research Center (EPRC) and the Independent Journalists House (IJH).
Strengthening Media Advocacy Coalition
The project ‘Strengthening Media Advocacy Coalition’ aims to provide strategic support to the Media Advocacy Coalition (MAC), which unites 16 leading media organizations and civil society organizations in Georgia. This initiative focuses on enhancing MAC’s capacity, also, fostering an accessible, effective, and safe media environment by bolstering MAC’s advocacy efforts and responding to threats and challenges faced by the media.
Strengthening Media Advocacy Coalition Project is supported by USAID/IREX Media Program.
Strengthening Equality Coalition
The project aims to strengthen the Coalition for Equality. Planned and ongoing activities include defining the Coalition’s strategy for the coming years, developing policy papers, conducting advocacy and information campaigns, increasing youth involvement, strengthening legal support and assistance networks.
The Strengthening Equality Coalition Project is implemented with the support of the Swedish Association for Sexuality Education (RFSU) in cooperation with the Coalition for Equality.
CPR Project – Care, Prevention, Rights
The goal of the project ‘Empowering civil society and professional organizations to ensure safe, secure and accountable society in Georgia’ is to support the increase of human security and safety in Georgia through creating human rights-based drug policy and improved crime and drug prevention, treatment and care systems. This well serves the global objective to further strengthen the civil society in Georgia and promote human rights and fundamental freedoms.
Project is implemented with the support of the European Union, in collaboration with Alternative Georgia, Georgia Family Medicine Association, Bemoni Public Union, Social Justice Center, Xenon, Step to the Future.
