Civic engagement in the Samtskhe-Javakheti region, and in particular the ethnic minority- populated municipalities, has been traditionally low, in part, due to language barriers. However, active citizens and civil society organizations in the region are working to increase community participation in public processes and empower communities to protect their rights and interests. One such organization is the Ninotsminda-based CSO Youth for Democratic Changes, which recently started a civic engagement project with support from the USAID Civil Society Engagement Program.
At the start of the project, 20 young citizens from the Akhalkalaki and Ninotsminda municipalities were selected and trained in local governance, civic engagement, the importance of active citizenship, and effective communication. Following their training, the youth held face-to-face meetings in their villages, identified the most pressing issues, and launched an awareness-raising campaign to generate support and advocate for the resolution of these problems. With support from Youth for Democratic Changes, the project’s participants prepared diverse information materials, including videos, articles, and blogs, to highlight the problems and call for action. To gain wider attention, they closely cooperated with Ninotsminda radio and other media outlets.
