Conciliation Resources: working in partnership to transform conflict in the South Caucasus into opportunities for peace and development

Association of Women of Abkhazia

AZhA works to increase women’s involvement in Abkhazia’s social and political life. Its resource centre in Sukhum/i provides women with reference materials and consultations on themes such as political participation, leadership, small business development, women’s rights and NGO sector support. As part of the RIME project, it works with the Media Club to document and publicize Abkhazia’s multicultural history.

When it began in 1994 CHP focused on physical and psychological rehabilitation for war victims but soon recognized the need to eliminate the root causes of war and prevent renewed violence. Today it focuses on promoting democratic development and political pluralism. With our support, CHP publishes the journal Grazhdanskoe Obshchestvo (Civil Society), runs civic education training for teachers,coordinates our annual summer university on international relations and works on local government reform.

This organization, founded in Sukhum/i in 1994, focuses on human rights protection and promotion. Trained lawyers carry out human rights research and take on cases of alleged human rights violations, monitor trials and with our support provide free legal aid.

AIS was set up in 1996 to provide physical, psychological and social rehabilitation to people in Abkhazia, including those disabled as a result of war. It has pioneered disability rights advocacy and galvanized Abkhazia’s fledgling NGO community. With our support since 2000, AIS has hosted regular meetings of Abkhaz NGOs, providing opportunities for information exchange and discussion. It also produces a monthly news bulletin for the NGO community and runs Abkhazia Online.

The Media Club was set up in 1999 to promote a free and independent media in Abkhazia, upholding freedom of expression and strengthening links between local and foreign journalists. It plays a vital advisory role in our Schlaining dialogue process and coordinates our annual summer university on international relations. As part of the RIME project, it works with the Association of Women of Abkhazia to document and publicize Abkhazia’s multicultural history.

Nuzhnaya Gazeta is one of only a few independent newspapers in Abkhazia. Having collaborated on journalism training and enabled the work of a small pool of regional correspondents, we now support a distribution network to deliver Nuzhnaya Gazeta and other newspapers to rural areas.

Abkhazia’s only independent FM radio station and a partner in our South Caucasus Radio Diaries project. Soma’s founders began broadcasting music in 1998 from a basic studio built from scratch in a partly abandoned building. Our support from 2000 has helped provide equipment and technical and journalistic training, enabling the station to branch out and start producing quality radio documentaries. Soma has also produced a CD ‘Abkhazia – a view from within’.

SYH is at the forefront of educational development in Abkhazia, offering courses to young people including computer studies, music, drama, languages and journalism. It also provides therapy and counselling services to children affected by war. Our partnership has focused on region-wide play therapy, youth worker training and community theatre projects since 2000.

This foundation encourages youth activism, giving young people the opportunity to debate and act on topical social and political issues. Youth groups meet regularly with our support to explore their role in transforming the conflict. The foundation also hosts debates on inter-ethnic relations in Abkhazia as part of the RIME project.