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THE WORK OF EMC DURING THE PANDEMIC 2020 Table of contents 03 05 05 07 09 10 11 12 12 14 14 17 18 19 20 23 24 Editor’s column Social Policy Program Labour policy Social and economic policy Green Policy The right to adequate housing Rights of persons with disabilities Justice and Democracy Program State of emergency during COVID-19 Equality Policy Program Marneuli and Bolnisi in lockdown face to face with a humanitarian crisis and hate speech Ongoing processes at Adjara TV The situation and challenges related to the pandemic in occupied territories The pandemic and the Church Online discussions during the pandemic Consultations Donor organizations and projects Editor's column Pandemic and Crisis Lina Ghvinianidze Executive Director The Covid-19 pandemic, along with a significant global healthcare challenge, has turned into a ma- jor economic and humanitarian crisis for the entire world.
International financial institutions are predict- ing the deepest global recession since World War II, which will critically deepen the already severe rates of inequality and push millions of people back into poverty.

The International Labour Organization (ILO) estimates that 400 million (full-time) jobs have been abolished worldwide in the first half of 2020, and the forecast for mitigating the worst consequences of unemployment and workers’ social insecurity is vague and hardly reliable.
The severe crisis caused by the pandemic affected Georgia and other countries and it is suggested that the pandemic has created even more difficult short- term or long-term social and economic challenges in economically developing countries.

The first case of coronavirus in Georgia was confirmed on Febru- ary 26th, and was followed by a nationwide state of emergency on March 21st.
Prior to the declaration of the state of emergency and at the same time with the aim of reducing the virus, the Georgian gov- ernment took a number of radical measures.

They include restricting international traffic, closing bor- ders, closing public places, suspending classroom education and public transport, and shutting down sectors of the economy, except those facilities nec- essary for life and basic functioning.
Public health risks were significantly reduced due to the unprec- edented efforts on the part of the management of the National Centre for Disease Control and the staff of the healthcare sector, by the government’s con- sideration of medical and scientific opinion and the implementation of key recommendations by the population.

Therefore, lower rates of the spread of the virus and of subsequent death rates have been reported in Georgia in contrast with those of neigh- bouring countries.
However, the pandemic created an exceptional crisis in terms of the social and economic secu- rity of the population in the country.

From the very beginning of the pandemic, it became clear that the economic shock had left thousands of Georgian citizens without minimum income and social security guarantees.
The pandemic highlighted the grave consequenc- es of the privatization of the health sector and en- couraged public sentiment about the importance of taking into account the public interest in managing the health sector.

At the same time, the pandemic showed us with all intensity the fragility of our coun- try’s social and labour policies and the consequenc- es of the absence of social security mechanisms.
A significant number of companies chose to dismiss their employees or send them on unpaid leave, leav- ing large groups of the working population without compensation and social security guarantees and thus facing serious financial challenges.

The vast ma- jority of citizens involved in the informal sector and agriculture have instantly lost their only source of income.

The situation of households dependent on financial support from outside the country has sig- nificantly worsened.
During the state of emergency, workers in the public service sector (supermarkets, pharmacies, health and public safety), manufac- turing (e.g.

clothing industry) and heavy industry sectors continued to work, whose hard and cheap labour proved crucial and vital to the functioning of the country and to creating minimum household and safety guarantees.
It was clear that the country’s weak social and labour policy, which even under normal circumstances could hardly provide the basic social security for the population, was completely incapable of protecting the unemployed and incomeless, the elderly, the homeless, children, people with disabilities, students Ï 3 Ï Editor's column (especially from outlying regions and occupied ter- ritories) and other vulnerable social groups.
In re- sponse to the urgent needs of the most vulnerable groups of the population, unique practices and prec- edents of citizens’ self-organization and solidarity were established, which played a special role at the initial stage in meeting the vital needs of elderly citi- zens and those living in extreme poverty.

jani-speaking population had to deal with the waves of hate speech coming from ultra-right and radical groups.
The pandemic has once again exposed the weakness of state institutions in the face of the Or- thodox Church, which, unlike other religious groups, has not ceased gathering in churches and holding public services despite the high risks of spreading the epidemic.

The economic and social consequences of the pan- demic crisis are expanding and their long-term neg- ative impact on the well-being of the population and the development of the country is becoming increasingly apparent.
According to international fi- nancial institutions, by the end of the year, Georgia should expect, in a positive scenario, almost zero economic growth, and a decline in the economy in a negative one.
It is important that our global or lo- cal experience, at the mitigation of the pandemic’s most severe consequences, head towards the radi- cal transformation of the country’s economic, health and social systems based on the importance of the ideas of sustainable development, equitable redistri- bution, affordable health and social security.
During the pandemic, the EMC team used all its resources to provide direct support and legal advice to help people who had been illegally dismissed from their jobs and were left without income.

They were also actively involved in iden- tifying the needs of the most vulnerable social groups of the population and suggesting to the state the means of dealing with them.
In addition, EMC used significant resources to assess the scale of the pandemic crisis, to identify and eval- uate its consequences, through the preparation of analytical documents or to organize public discus- sions.
The anti-crisis economic plan presented by the Geor- gian government a month after the acute phase of the crisis, which was supposed to distribute the 3.5 billion GEL received from donors and international partners towards the needs of the population, includ- ed immediate monetary aid for those in the formal and informal sectors, as well as for social workers in financial hardship.
However, the plan instantly raised important questions as to whether the existing plan would be able to meet the real needs of 800,000 self-employed or hired people left with no income.

Since the acute phase of the pandemic, the public has been informed about the protests of a number of social groups who were not supported by the gov- ernment’s anti-crisis plan or whose basic demands remained beyond the government’s response.
The declaration of a state of emergency has substan- tially increased the government’s authority and sig- nificantly reduced the chances for exercising parlia- mentary control over the ongoing processes in the country.

The rise of government’s authority, which on the one hand enabled effective and rapid deci- sion-making during the pandemic, jeopardized the proper functioning of democratic institutions.
At the same time, public control over the necessity of the state-imposed restrictions, their duration and ex- tent was complicated by the government’s exclusive knowledge and research data on epidemics, leaving the process beyond any real democratic control and political discussion.

Such a dominance of the ruling power in the political field was based on their at- tempt to regain legitimacy, which may have played an important role in the pre-election context.
The state of emergency has also significantly in- creased the intensity of police work, engendering and increased risk of exceeding their powers.

The state responded to the protests against the opening of local markets and other social demands in the re- gions, as well as the protest by the local population in Marneuli due to the difficult social situation, by ap- plying police control rather than providing measures of social support.
In addition, Marneuli and Bolnisi, which soon became focal points of the epidemic out- break and subject to special state restrictions, faced a particularly severe economic crisis, while its Azerbai- Ï 4 Ï Social policy program Labour Policy The vast majority of employers ceased their work during the pandemic once the restric- tions and prohibitions were applied.

The economic crisis, restrictions and prohibitions were followed by gross violations of workers’ rights.
The refusals to pay salaries became more frequent and so were the cases of applying “forced unpaid leave”, reduction of salary, and illegal terminations of employment contracts.

However, the workers who continued to work under the pandemic were exposed to higher risks.

The miners in Chiatura and Tkibuli, female tailors, sales assistants in shops and pharmacies, nurses and others continued to work even when the disease was spreading the fastest.
In response to violations and increased risks, EMC has launched a hotline and legal advice program.

These services were available free of charge to all those who lost their jobs or incomes either fully or partially during the pandemic, to those whose labour rights were violated, and to those whose had to work under dangerous conditions during the epidemic.

Up to two hundred people have benefited so far from the hotline and consulta- tions.
In addition, EMC responded to isolated cas- es of gross violations of workers’ rights.

For exam- ple, EMC reacted against the decision of the retail chain “Spar”, which forced the employees to stay in the shops during non-working hours and during curfew hours, and called on the Georgian Labour Inspection to investigate these and other similar cases.

In the situation of crisis, many questions arose, both regarding the responsibilities of employers and the rights of employees.
In response to these questions the available resources on workers’ rights and employment contracts were prepared.

For example, a short guide prepared by EMC clari- fied whether in an epidemic situation an employer has the right to either send an employee on un- paid leave or terminate an employment contract.

At the same time, EMC launched an information campaign aimed at highlighting the standing of key workers.
For example, as part of this initiative, a graphic poster was produced about women tailors who were producing the medical masks a product necessary for public health during the pandemic and they did it under conditions of overtime and low-paid, hard physical labour.

- Due to the unpredictability of the political and me- dia agenda and the centrality to them of the ep- idemic, the struggle for workers’ rights and a fair social policy has become considerably more com- plex.
A few days before the declaration of the state of emergency, following the poisoning of three min- ers with carbon monoxide in the tunnel connect- Ï 5 Ï In this respect the following were also prepared: Statement - EMC calls the Georgian La- bour Inspection for an immediate in- spection of “Spar” Statement - The coal miners poisoned by carbon monoxide in Tkibuli - re- sponse Statement – EMC filed formal collective complaints against Evolution Gaming Statement – EMC appealed to the Court regarding the cases of journalists at Ad- jara TV Video - May 1st – International Labour Day Video – The chronicle of three months of persecution of journalists at the Ad- jara Public Broadcasting Service The series of videos - COVID-19 and la- bour rights Analytical document - Coronavirus and labour rights Analytical document - Coronavirus and labour rights – frequently asked ques- tions Series of infographics - justice for workers Social policy program ing the coal mines in Tkibuli, the miners refused to continue working until their safety was ensured, and they held a rally.
EMC actively participated in this action, both in terms of supporting the devel- opment of miners’ requirements and due to the wider public interest in the issue.

Last May, EMC filed a class action lawsuit against Evolution Gam- ing, in which it represents the 14 employees sacked during probation.

EMC continues to participate in the ongoing process of the Adjara Public Broad- casting Service, where the newly formed trade union continues to fight for employees’ rights and editorial independence.
Video – May 1st – International Labour Day Ï 6 Ï Social policy program Social and economic policy Since the degree and gravity of the economic crisis caused by COVID 19 was revealed, var- ious states have introduced anti-crisis pro- grams.

The Government of Georgia started submitting its anti-crisis plan in stages from April 24th.
Both business support and social assistance programmes for various vulnera- ble groups were proposed, which included both the employed and self-employed, the socially vulnerable population, farmers and others.

EMC researchers dedicated several analytical pa- pers to the impact of the COVID 19 pandemic and its socio-economic effects.
One of them focused on the study of the legal rights of workers during the pandemic, the other one on the study of the most vulnerable parts of the labour market - the self-employed and the casual sector.

The studies identified the main challenges in these sectors, the severity of which was exacerbated by the pan- demic, as well as the main risks faced by some em- ployees due to the epidemic.

Media products adapted for the wider public were prepared regarding the existing challenges and risks.
One summarizes the social consequences of the pandemic crisis, while the other summarizes the impact of the crisis on women.

In addition, an animated poster was prepared regarding the min- imum wage.

Ï 7 Ï Social policy program Economic policy in times of crisis: Interviews with researchers in economics The acknowledgment of the responsibility of the state towards various vulnerable groups of the population and their direct assistance is an im- portant step forward.
It is also noteworthy that an- ti-crisis programs also address the needs of groups - such as the self-employed, the informal workers, and others - who typically remain outside the at- tention of the state.

Nevertheless, the limitations identified in anti-crisis programs call into question their social justice and sustainability.

EMC monitored and evaluated the elaboration of anti-crisis programs and their administration.
Since its release, EMC has been assessing the potential long-term effects of the plan and pointing out the shortcomings and failures of the anti-crisis plan, informing the wider public about the situation of various vulnerable groups and emerging social risks, including topics such as traders’ and employ- ers’ banking problems and the social impact of the gambling industry, which deserve more attention but are often left out of the agenda.
The pandemic has hit the existing healthcare and social service systems especially hard.

Two inter- views with a specialist in the field of healthcare were published (“Health Policy in Crisis” - inter- views with Nino Khelaia and Tengiz Verulava).

Statements about the failures of the existing social protection system, which were particularly evi- dent during the pandemic and a possible response to them were published.
The links between social and repressive politics in a pandemic situation also became the topic of the online public discussion.

In the context of the crisis, interviews with econom- ic researchers on economic policy were published.

The interviews addressed the coronavirus-induced labour market transformation, the National Bank anti-crisis policy, and other relevant issues.
Ï 8 Ï In this respect the following were also prepared: Statement – EMC evaluates the govern- ment’s anti-crisis plan Statement - Significant deficiencies and risks are identified in anti-crisis pro- grammes Statement - EMC calls the government to protect the vulnerable groups from potential starvation Statement - EMC: The government should consider the needs of all vulnera- ble groups within the anti-crisis plan Statement - EMC requires the govern- ment to help traders and the self-em- ployed in restructuring loans Statement - EMC requires child protec- tion from the gambling industry Statement - Coronavirus and the need for a temporary allowance Statement – EMC calls the government to instruct employers to provide their employees with transportation Statement – EMC requests the suspen- sion of auctions, seizures of bank ac- counts and deduction procedures Statement – EMC demands the govern- ment assist traders and self-employed in restructuring their loans Interview – Healthcare policy in time of crisis – interview with Nino Khelaia Interview - Healthcare policy in time of crisis – interview with Tengiz Verulava Interview - Economic policy in time of crisis: interviews with economic re- searchers Blog – Corona is only a beginning: the economics of needs and the economics of solidarity Discussion - Repressive and social policy in time of crisis Video – Unemployment reflected in numbers and statistics Social policy program Green policy Pandemic conditions have dramatically in- creased the risk of neglecting a natural resource policy review, environmental regulations, and environmental impact assessment procedures.
EMC responded to the forced regime of hydro- power development and the construction of hydropower plants, legally assessed the deci- sions made in the pandemic situation regard- ing several hydropower plants and applied to the court to declare the environmental deci- sion issued over the “Bakhvi 2” hydroelectric power plant as illegal.
Two perspectives on the role of natural resources in crisis situations have been published - the first (“Fi- nancial landscape, natural capital”) on the new wave of privatization of natural resources and public spac- es; the second is about the history of Tkibuli coal and the current state of the city (“Tkibuli, pandemic and extractivism”).
In this respect the following were also prepared: Statement - EMC: building of hydroelectric power plants in a forced regime is impermissible Statement – The environmental permission given for “Bakhvi 2” HPP is illegal – EMC applies to the Court Blog - Financial landscape, natural capital Blog - Tkibuli, pandemic and extractivism Blog - The gold rush and global pandemic Ï 9 Ï Social policy program The right to adequate housing The absence / insufficiency of legislation, policies, and services in the housing sector became even more acute during the pan- demic - with proactive and effective state intervention in this area becoming vital for various homeless groups.
Despite the challenges, the Georgian government’s an- ti-crisis plan has left homeless people out of sight.

During the pandemic, the organization sought to address the need for providing accommodation for homeless groups in a variety of ways.

In partic- ular, EMC has drawn up several applications and multimedia products based on the studies of inter- national standards and the country’s experience.
EMC responses mainly focused on the challenges that homeless groups had to face during the pan- demic - including the lack of a safe environment, inadequate access to water, and lack of relevant information.

Given the challenges, EMC called on central and local governments to identify proac- tively homeless groups as soon as possible and provide them with safe shelter as well as other conditions necessary for living.
The recommen- dations also highlighted the need to support in- dividuals in a state of extreme social vulnerability, including providing social packages and benefits tailored to their needs.

The organization also advocated the support of those at risk of eviction and called for a moratori- um on evictions, at least until the spread of virus reaches a certain equilibrium in the country.
In ad- dition to this requirement, EMC stressed the need to suspend auctions, seizure of bank accounts and deductions, as well as provide adequate support for evicted persons.

In addition to important aspects of combating homelessness, the organization also emphasized the need for providing adequate food to the so- cially vulnerable.
Given the facts of complete or partial loss of income for many people, EMC called on the government to proactively identify socially vulnerable groups, provide them with food and al- locate relevant financial resources for this purpose as soon as possible.

The organization’s recommen- dations also included the long term perspectives on the development of a unified, systematic policy for the provision of food to vulnerable populations, taking international experience into account.
In this respect the following were also prepared: Statement - EMC calls the government to provide special protection for the homeless amid the spread of the coro- navirus Statement - EMC demands the suspen- sion of auctions, seizures of bank ac- counts and deductions procedures Statement - EMC calls the government to protect the vulnerable groups from starvation Infographics - COVID-19 and homeless- ness – what are the obligations of the state Ï 10 Ï Social policy program Rights of persons with disabilities During the pandemic, the legal status and social welfare of persons with disabilities faced significant challenges.
It is notewor- thy that the government’s anti-crisis plan covered certain groups of people with dis- abilities - namely, severely disabled people and children with disabilities.

However, it left hundreds out of sight and did not take into account the needs of severely and mod- erately disabled people and those children who, according to the existing regulations, are not granted the status of a person with disabilities.
EMC’s responses during the pandemic aimed to fo- cus on the content of the commitment of the state to support effectively persons with disabilities.

In ad- dition to various important aspects, the organization stressed the need for the government to provide ef- fective and unhindered information to persons with disabilities, to maintain and modify support mecha- nisms / services, to provide additional social services, and to provide them with continuous access to ed- ucation and employment.
The organization focused on the need to protect the beneficiaries of large in- stitutions, given the high risk of their infection on the one hand, and the weakness of state monitoring mechanisms on the other.
At the same time, EMC, together with a number of organizations and representatives of the disabled community, addressed the Parliament with recom- mendations to consider the risks of COVID-19 infec- tion and the vulnerability of persons with disabilities during the discussion of the draft law on the rights of persons with disabilities.
It also called upon the Par- liament to come up with alternative effective mech- anisms for involving community representatives in the process, including remote communication.
In this respect the following were also prepared: Statement - COVID-19 and the special need for protecting the rights of the persons with dis- abilities Statement - Persons with disabilities assess the discussion of the draft law on “the rights of the persons with disabilities” Infographics - COVID-19 and the persons with disabilities – what measures should the state take Ï 11 Ï Justice and Democracy Program State of emergency during COVID 19 The pandemic and the measures taken by the state to deal with it have created signifi- cant challenges for the proper functioning of democratic institutions, and also in terms of the use of excessive force by the police.
A state of emergency was declared in the coun- try using a faulty procedure.

The President of Georgia has fully delegated her powers to the Government and the Cabinet of Ministers, while the specific restrictions and prohibitions set by the latter have remained beyond parliamentary control.
Restrictions and sanctions imposed under the state of emergency, in their turn, showed a sense of injus- tice and disproportion; At the same time, the state did not have effective communication with specific sections of the population over the content of spe- cific restrictions.

Therefore, the main mechanisms for enforcing the restrictions imposed for public health purposes were strict sanctions and coercive mea- sures by the police.
Ï 12 Ï Justice and Democracy Program Among other rights, access to public information was restricted under the state of emergency.

Thus, certain agencies used the restrictions unscrupulous- ly and did not provide such important information to the citizens as would help to inform them about the activities of these agencies and the situation in the country.
In parallel with the end of the state of emergency in the country, the parliament made amendments to the Law on Public Health, and to the Codes of Ad- ministrative Offences and Criminal Law.
Legislative changes have introduced blanket and disproportion- ately severe sanctions for violating the requirements / restrictions established during the pandemic; at the same time, the executive has been over equipped with excessive power to restrict constitutional hu- man rights in a similar situation by bypassing parlia- mentary and judicial control.
EMC has prepared several analytical documents and statements about these issues, focusing on the dangers of the law enforcement officers exceeding their power, the importance of access to public infor- mation, especially in situations where citizens’ free- dom of movement, assembly and expression, and other constitutional rights are restricted.

EMC also prepared a special report on the legal settlement of the state of emergency and its political significance.
The document analyses the Georgian experience of fighting the pandemic, in particular the constitution- al-legal framework, within which the government acted to deal with the pandemic.

The report critically assesses the concentration of excessive power in the hands of the government and the ineffective control of the executive branch of government by the par- liament.
In this respect the following were also prepared: Statement - EMC responds to the poten- tial cases of violence on the part of police Statement - EMC responds to the remov- al of traders’ counters in different cities Statement - EMC: Agencies are expected to release public information in a timely and complete manner in case of emer- gency Statement - EMC: Planned changes to the Health Law contain risks of human rights violations Analytical document - Legal and political content of the state of emergency - analy- sis of existing experience Article - The state of emergency and a new reality Discussion - The legal and political con- tent of the state of emergency Ï 13 Ï Equality Policy Program Locked-down Marneuli and Bolnisi face to face with a humanitarian crisis and hate speech In the wake of the quarantine in the Mar- neuli and Bolnisi municipalities during the pandemic, the weakness of integration pol- icies and the difficult social life of the regions were once again strongly reflected in the de- velopment of the events.
In the very first phase of the pandemic, a partic- ularly high rate (35%) of those infected with the virus was observed in the Kvemo Kartli region, which once again raised the issue of the informa- tional isolation of minorities.

The analysis of the work of state agencies in the Kvemo Kartli region shows that self-governments and territorial bodies of state agencies have not provided important mi- nority language translations (e.g.
websites, social networks, policy documents, regulations, social services, and budget) to minorities.

Due to the fact that the knowledge of the state language is a prob- lem for a large part of the local Azerbaijani and Ar- menian-speaking population, such approaches in- crease the political alienation and isolation of the community.
This situation is exacerbated by the fact that the Public Broadcasting Service does not broadcast information on television in a minority language or it does so in extremely restricted and unstable formats.

It is not enough to distribute ma- terials translated into minority languages on the Internet platform, since the Internet is not available to a large part of the population in these regions.
Although some government agencies attempted to translate information related to the pandemic, its prevention, and measures taken by government agencies during the pandemic, the practice was fragmented, unsustainable, and un-institutional- ized.

As soon as the quarantine was applied, it became clear that the Marneuli and Bolnisi self-governments did not have sufficient experience and social support policies to meet adequately the humanitarian needs of the people living in the locked-down region.
More than one hundred families called our hotline.

Their main concerns were the loss of daily income due to the quarantine, and the problem of providing for children and the elderly.

However, by the end of the pandemic, not even 10% of our beneficiaries had received self-sufficient humanitarian support, which was already scarce and unfairly distributed.
This challenge should have provided an important moti- vation for gaining an understanding of the practice of social support within self-governments, and for developing the anti-crisis social plan.

However, pol- icy planning efforts in this direction by the agencies have not so far been evident.
Under the conditions of strict quarantine, the local population was worried about the risks of exporting and deteriorating agricultural products, which is why several protest marches were held in Marneuli during the quarantine.

The cycle of rallies once again showed the alienation and distrust of the population towards self-governments and state institutions.
At the same time, it became clear that, despite the high contribu- tion and labour of the Kvemo Kartli region in agricul- tural production, the agricultural infrastructure in this municipality is not sufficiently developed and support- ed by the state; It stands largely on the hard work and Ï 14 Ï Equality Policy Program an appropriate response from the state authorities, also made such discriminatory statements.
It is note- worthy that ultra-right and radical groups organized racist and xenophobic attacks on the social network.

Activation of these groups was also observed during the pandemic and afterwards, and was particularly tense after the Marneuli Mayor renovated the Nari- man Narimanov’s monument, which was openly op- posed by the Marneuli and Hujab diocese.
Against this background, the State Security Service launched an investigation into racial discrimination and sum- moned a number of Azerbaijani activists and human rights activists, including Tamta Mikeladze, the direc- tor of the EMC Equality Policy Program.

The inves- tigation launched by SSG manifested elements of control of freedom of expression over civil activists and their activities.
In recent years, there has been an interesting experience of emancipation and civ- ic activism in the Azerbaijani community of Georgia, which seeks to achieve social change in the commu- nity through criticism and self-organization.

Exam- ining the public positions and criticism of activists as part of the investigation may have the effect of weakening freedom of expression and social activ- ism.
This investigation once again demonstrates the problem of looking at minorities through the eyes of the State Security.

Although the discussion of the monument and the radicalization of the processes by ultra-conservative groups required a timely politi- cal solution, none of the political agencies, including the Office of the State Minister for Reconciliation and Civic Equality, even appeared throughout the pro- cess.
High-ranking state officials never responded to the aggressive waves of chauvinistic and racist lan- guage; nor did they bother to take the responsibility of transforming the escalation of aggression into the format of democratic discussions.

Blog – The Quarantine Diaries – Aytaj Khalili self-organization of the local workers.

Unfortunately, the anti-crisis plan to support agriculture, which was published by the government, did not adequately ad- dress the interests and needs of small farmers.
The plan does not meet the challenges facing local farmers.

The practice of aggressive penalties imposed by the police further aggravated the local social situation in quarantine conditions.

Linguistic barriers in police activities, ignorance of the local social context and arbitrariness have made the population even more vulnerable.
It is noteworthy that in response to the social unrest, the rally organized by the locals was followed by the brutal intervention of the State Se- curity Service and the launch of an investigation into sabotage, during which the Chair of the Supreme Religious Administration of All Georgia’s Muslims, Mirtag Asadov was summoned for questioning.

The announcement of quarantine was followed by a wave of hate speech against Georgian Azerbaijan- is, which dramatically radicalized and marginalized this community.
A public official, who did not get Photograph: Salome Latsabidze Ï 15 Ï Equality Policy Program Article – The weaknesses of education policy and non-Georgian speaking groups The pandemic has also exposed education challeng- es in ethnic minority communities as well as the fact that schools in the region have not been properly prepared for online teaching.
Due to the problems related to Internet access, relevant devices, techno- logical knowledge and social challenges, only a very small number of students attended online classes.

It is clear that in the light of the general difficulties in accessing proper education in non-Georgian lan- guage schools, the current crisis will have an even greater impact on the education of schoolchildren.
It is noteworthy that in the context of the pandemic created in our country and also because of the rac- ist practices in the United States, in the wake of the ongoing mass protests in America, EMC sought to translate and disseminate the speeches and texts of black authors and activists on racism, capitalism, and patriarchy.

In response to the challenges, EMC has organized several public discussions involving researchers and community members.
In addition, EMC provided relevant government agencies with daily information on the problems identified on the spot, sharing recommendations and visions.
In this respect the following were also prepared: Statement - EMC addresses the Georgian Public Broadcasting Service Statement - EMC evaluates the process of interrogation of Mirtag Asadov and its le- gal and social context Statement - EMC responds to the social crisis in Marneuli and Bolnisi Statement - EMC: the agricultural anti-cri- sis plan is unfair Statement - EMC responds to the inves- tigation carried out by SSG and Tamta Mikeladze’s interrogation process Statement – Social organizations call the government to create a political process regarding the Narimanov’s monument Blog – The Quarantine Diaries – Aitaj Khalili Article - The weaknesses of the educa- tion policy and non-Georgian speaking groups Article - Online teaching in the region: the experience of Kvemo Kartli Translation - Racism, Capitalism, Patriar- chy – a collection of translated works Research - Consultation mechanisms of ethnic minorities – Georgian reality and international experience Research - The needs of ethnic minorities, the Public Broadcasting Service and the pandemic Discussion - Lockdown in Marneuli and Blonisi - face to face with social crisis and racism Discussion – “Us” and “others”?
– cultural policy in Kvemo Kartli Ï 16 Ï Equality Policy Program The ongoing processes in Adjara TV Despite the high interest in accessing rel- evant information during the pandemic, the new management of the Adjara Public Broadcasting Service shut down some im- portant social programs and continued the policy of dismissing employees and disci- plinary persecution during this period.
The new management sacked almost all critically minded and independent journalists and ed- itors, which ultimately had a severe impact on the content and editorial policy produced by the broadcasting service.
Video - The three months chronicle of the per- secution of journalists at Adjara Public Broad- casting Service Discussion - Adjara Public Broadcasting Service – political and media context In this respect the following were also prepared: Statement - EMC is launching an investigation against the director of Adjara Broadcasting Service Statement – EMC has appealed to the court regarding the cases of Adjara TV journalists Video – The three months chronicle of the persecution of journalists at Adjara Public Broadcasting Service Discussion – Adjara Public Broadcasting Service – political and media context Ï 17 Ï Equality Policy Program The pandemic situation and relevant challenges in the occupied territories The de facto authorities of the occupied regions found themselves unprepared for responding to the challenges posed by the pandemic.
Given the difficult situation, it was fundamentally important that the Georgian government should assist the people living in these areas anduse the crisis for transform- ing the conflict.

Blog – The dawn seems different across Enguri EMC repeatedly addressed the Government of Geor- gia with this request.

Among their requests, EMC strongly stressed the need to address the social needs (accommodation fees, food, tuition fees, etc.)

of Georgian university students from regions of con- flict.
Eventually, some of the students received finan- cial support from the state.
Blog - Walking on a steep cliff or on the edge between recognition and non-recognition In this respect the following were also prepared: Statement - EMC requests special social assistance for students Blog – Akhalgori in lockdown and face to face with Coronavirus Blog - Walking on a steep cliff or on the edge between recognition and non-recognition Blog – The dawn seems different across Enguri Blog – Graveyard of the fireflies Discussion - Isolation within the isolation – challenges in conflict regions Ï 18 Ï Equality Policy Program Pandemic and the Church In the conditions of the pandemic, the prob- lem of the high loyalty of the government to the notion of ecclesiastical assemblies was patently obvious, despite the high risk of domination by the Orthodox Church and the threat it posed to life and health.
Clearly, it is important that the government use the path of negotiation and persuasion with the Church, however, it was quite evident that the Patriarchate commanded the excessive loyalty of state officials.

Apart from the fact that the state did not have the re- sources to endorse appropriate legal regulations re- stricting the freedom of religion during the pandemic, the state did not respond appropriately to obvious cas- es of violation of the requirements of the current law.
The conditions of the pandemic coincided with the en- actment of a new rule on the exclusive transfer of large- scale forest masses to the Georgian Patriarchate under the new Forest Code, which was another indication of political loyalty to the Patriarchate.

During this period, EMC actively disseminated infor- mation on pandemics, religion, and Church issues.
To Pandemic and the idea of solidarity – The views of clergy and theologians this end, a number of analytical articles and blogs have been published.

It should be noted that a large part of our population did not come to Church during the Easter liturgies and instead favoured the protection of life.

This public ap- proach is also reflected in a recent report published by NDI.
In this respect the following were also prepared: Article – Plague, part one: the state of emergency Blog - Pandemic and the Church – Zurab Jashi Blog - Pandemic and the Church – Irakli Jinjolava Blog - Pandemic and the Church – Shota Kintsurashvili Blog - Pandemic and the Church – Giorgi Maisuradze Blog - Pandemic and the Church – Mirian Gamrekelashvili Blog - Pandemic and the idea of solidarity – the views of clergy and theologians Discussion - Pandemic and the Church Blog –Pandemic and the Church – Zurab Jashi Blog - Pandemic and the Church – Irakli Jinjolava Ï 19 Ï Online discussions during the pandemic • April 15th Pandemic and the Church Within the framework of the online discussion with Georgian theologians Basil Kobakhidze and Zurab Jashi we discussed issues such as: the political and social aspects of the relationship between Church and state; the political and theological dimensions of the decision made by the Georgian Patriarchate; The weak social service and practice of solidarity performed by the Georgian Patriarchate; the systemic reasons and the po- tential ways out of the crisis created at the Patriarchate.
• April 22nd Marneuli and Bolnisi in lockdown – face to face with social crisis and racist attitudes The purpose of the discussion was to assess critically the social needs of the local population and the social policy of the state in the context of the declaration of quarantine in the municipalities of Marneuli and Bolnisi.
• April 24th The excessive power of SSG and the low level of accountability The discussion aimed to analyse critically the activities of the State Security Service of Georgia and its unre- strained power as well as the existing mechanisms of its accountability.
Ï 20 Ï Online discussions during the pandemic • April 29th Isolation within the isolation - Challenges of conflict regions during a pandemic During the discussion, the speakers discussed the systemic social and humanitarian challenges in Gali and Akhalgori and the crisis prevailing during the pandemic.

Also, about the extent to which similar crises have resources for conflict transformation, and the elucidation of our context in this regard.
• May 2nd Adjara Public Broadcasting Service – political and media context Within the discussion framework the presenters discussed the media environment in Georgia on the whole and the role and potentials of the Public Broadcasting Service within the existing polarized atmosphere.
• May 6th Repressive and social policies in time of crisis The purpose of the discussion was to assess the relationship between the repressive machine of the state and social challenges from different perspectives in the light of the situation during the pandemic.
In partic- ular, the identification and analysis of the mechanisms the state uses to manage the crisis, of the balance be- tween repressive and welfare mechanisms, and to what extent the economic policy of the state determines the viability of violent practices.
Ï 21 Ï Ï 21 Ï Online discussions during the pandemic • May 13th The state of LGBTQ persons in time of pandemic The economic and social crises caused by the New Coronavirus presented the Georgian population with critical challenges and showed it the degree of inequality which affected the most vulnerable population in particularly acute forms.

The aim of the discussion was to identify the grave and most urgent needs of LGBTQ persons and to put them on the state agenda within a critical perspective.
• May 22nd Legal and political content of the state of emergency - analysis of existing experience The purpose of the discussion was to understand the Georgian experience of the state of emergency and the risks associated with fighting the pandemic in legal and political terms.
• June 17th Women’s labour and domestic labour The discussion focused on women’s labour and unpaid domestic labour in the face of the pandemic, which has ex- panded the scope of this labour and placed a particularly heavy burden on women.
The discussion reviewed exist- ing feminist theoretical approaches to labour and focused on those forms of labour that are rarely on the feminist agenda, namely care and emotional labour issues, and focused on rethinking current approaches and creating new political agendas, which will reconsider the women’s labour in new forms and highlight the role of the state.
Ï 22 Ï Ï 22 Ï Consultations Legal support for labour and social rights violations under Covid-19 In the context of the pandemic, due to the in- creased risk of labour rights violations, EMC launched a 24-hour hotline and remote con- sultation mechanisms, where the interest- ed people had access to legal assistance on labour and social rights violations through consultations, the preparation of legal docu- ments and help with court proceedings.
In the process of giving legal advice, it was revealed that the violation of labour rights during the pan- demic manifested in illegal and unjustified dismiss- als, violations of labour safety norms, the compul- sion to use unpaid leave for an indefinite period, the reduction of remuneration, unjustified dismiss- als during the probation, violations of the rules of maternity leave, etc.
The consultations clearly demonstrated the weakness of national legislation and the need for effective labour inspections.
By EMC’s support: More than 200 people benefited from the legal advice About 20 legal documents were produced The organization applied to the court about the 11 cases of their beneficiaries labour rights’ violations Legal assistance to citizens living in Kvemo Kartli during a pandemic As soon as the quarantine was announced, it became clear that the Marneuli and Bolnisi self-governments did not have sufficient ex- perience and social support policies to meet adequately the humanitarian needs of the people living in the lockdown region.
During the pandemic, we provided consultations to citizens living in Marneuli, Gardabani and Bolnisi - up to 150 consultations in total.

The vast majority of these concerned social issues, in particular the need for assistance.

19 cases concerned legal issues, in particular the state of emergency, cases of its vio- lation and dismissals during the pandemic.

We have selected the 6 ongoing cases of the violation of the state of emergency.
Out of this, we won one case and the Ministry of Internal Affairs satisfied our com- plaint: the fine imposed on the citizen was cancelled.

The other 5 cases are still pending.

In other consultations, we redirected the citizens to the City Hall, the government administration and monitored whether the agencies were helping them or not.
By EMC’s support: More than 150 people received legal advice 6 cases of violation of the state of emergency were pursued The Ministry of Internal Affairs satisfied one complaint about the case of violation of the state of emergency Ï 23 Ï Donor organizations and projects that enable EMC to carry out the activities listed in this report EWMI-PROLOG Project: Improving Human Rights Conditions for Marginalized Groups through Strategic Litigation EMBASSY OF SWITZERLAND IN GEORGIA Project: Strengthening ethnic minority integration and rights protection via research, education, advo- cacy, and confidence-building activities UNITED NATIONS DEVELOPMENT PROGRAMME (UNDP) Project: Self-employment and Covid-19 OPEN SOCIETY GEORGIA FOUNDATION (OSGF) Project: Labour rights during the pandemic HEINRICH BOELL FOUNDATION TBILISI OFFICE - SOUTH CAUCASUS REGION Project: Mining Industries and related social-ecolog- ical aspects OPEN SOCIETY FOUNDATIONS Project: To support policy advocacy and new prac- tice on the right to the legal capacity for the persons with disabilities SWEDISH ASSOCIATION FOR SEXUALITY EDUCATION (RFSU) Project: Strengthen the human rights situation of LGBT persons, advocate SRHR issues and support the queer activists Ï 24 Ï www.emc.org.ge info@emc.org.ge https://www.facebook.com/EMCRIGHTS/ Address: 12A, I. Abashidze str.
Tbilisi, Georgia Tel: +995 032 2 23 37 06 Ï 25 Ï