HISTORICAL BACKGROUND
Georgia is a country in the Caucasus region of Eurasia. Situated at the juncture of Western Asia and Eastern Europe, it is bounded to the west by the Black Sea, to the north by Russia, to the south by Turkey and Armenia, and to the east by Azerbaijan. Georgia covers a territory of 69,700 km² and its population is 4.7 million, largely ethnic Georgians
The history of Georgia can be traced back to the ancient kingdoms of Colchis and Iberia, and it was one of the first countries to adopt Christianity as an official religion early in the 4th century. At the beginning of the 19th century Georgia became a part of the Russian Empire. After a brief period of independence following the Russian Revolution of 1917, Georgia was forcibly incorporated into the Soviet Union in 1922.
Independence was restored in 1991. Like many post-communist countries Georgia suffered from the economic crisis and civil unrest during the 1990s. After the bloodless Rose Revolution, however, the new leadership has established efficient government institutions, reformed the economy and guided the country through a period of the fastest economic growth in its history.
THE GOVERNMENTAL INSTITUTIONS RESPONSIBLE FOR YOUTH POLICY
1. YOUTH AND SPORT COMMITTEE AT THE PARLIAMENT OF GEORGIA
2. MINISTRY OF CULTURE, MONUMENT PROTECTION AND SPORT
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Mission: to create state policy on culture, cultural heritage, sport and YOUTH and coordinates realization of it on regional level.
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Plans different cultural, sport and youth activities.
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Organizes Researches for development youth and sport policy.
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Creates conditions for successful international cooperation in culture, sport and YOUTH fields.
3. STATE DEPARTMENT OF YOUTH AND SPORT (was created in 1994)
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Coordinates realization of state policy in youth field
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prepares proposals for future development of legislative in children and youth field.
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Sets control on children’s labor activities, creates conditions for youth participation and social inclusion of disabled children.
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Coordinates cooperation between children’s and youth organizations, supports them on the state level and protects their rights and interests.
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Prepares programs and activities against drug, alcohol, prostitution among youth.
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Ensures creation and realization of state youth programs.
4. CHILDREN AND YOUTH FOUNDATION (under State department of youth and sport)
5. CHILDREN AND YOUTH NATIONAL CENTERE
6. LEGAL FRAMEWORK
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The existing statute is the Law for State Support of Children and Youth NGOs at the present time (only document in Georgian legislation about youth, 2 pages), however, draft versions of a new law are being developed independently by the NCYOG and government on State Support of Children and Youth Organizations
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No State youth policy on youth
7. BUDGET 2009 OF THE STATE ACTORS DEDICATED FOR YOUTH
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State Department of Youth and Sport – 2,000,000 GEL. spent for exclusively on patriotic camps for young people
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Youth and Children’s Foundation - 100,000 GEL available for the NGO sector.
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State Youth and Children Centre – 500,000 GEL from state budget and 1,219,350 coming from World Bank for development of regional youth centres
8. YOUTH NGO SECTOR
The YNGO sector is quite developed and diverse around the capital, as well as in Eastern Georgia and not that well developed in the rest of the country. Georgian society is ethnically diverse and in YNGO sector there are many NGOs representing different ethnic groups.
A particularly important role in the development of youth work in Georgia has been played by strong university and faculty-based student unions which are the motor for the active involvement of youth in the political processes of the country.
Despite the diversity of YNGOs, few are self-sufficient and do not depend on project funding. Many YNGOs have had to change their priorities following the shift in thematic focus of donors in Georgia, as there have been few funding opportunities from the state, this in itself not being an on-going offer.
9. INTERNATIONAL DIMENSION:
There is low level of international participation by government, although NGO sector tries to integrate in as much as possible, Representatives of NCYOG always were elected in different bodies of European Youth Forum and from 2009 in the Advisory council on youth of Council of Europe.
10. STATISTICS:
Young people of Georgia aged 15-30 year are 1 057 200 million youngster s, which is 24.12% of the total population
Gender Equality: female 51 %, male 49 %
